Tongzhi Emperor

Tongzhi Emperor
10th Qing Emperor of China
Reign	11 November 1861 – 12 January 1875 (&1000000000000001300000013 years, &1000000000000006200000062 days)
Predecessor	Xianfeng Emperor
Successor	Guangxu Emperor
Regent	Sushun, Zaiyuan, Duanhua (1861) Empress Dowager Ci'an, Empress Dowager Cixi (1861–1875)
Spouse	Empress Xiaozheyi
Full name
Chinese: Aixin-Jueluo Zaichun (愛新覺羅載淳) Manchu: Aisin-Gioro Dzai Šun
Era name and dates
Qixiang (祺祥) (not used) Chinese: Tongzhi (同治) Manchu: Yooningga dasan Mongolian: Burintu Zasagchi Khagan: 30 January 1862 – 5 February 1875
Posthumous name
Emperor Jitian Kaiyun Shouzhong Juzheng Baoda Dinggong Shengzhi Chengxiao Xinmin Gongkuan Yi (繼天開運受中居正保大定功聖智誠孝信敏恭寬毅皇帝)
Temple name
Emperor Muzong of Qing (清穆宗)
Father	Xianfeng Emperor
Mother	Empress Dowager Cixi
Born	27 April 1856(1856-04-27) Forbidden City, Beijing, China
Died	12 January 1875(1875-01-12) (aged 18) Forbidden City, Beijing, China
Burial	Eastern Qing Tombs, Zunhua, China

Tongzhi Emperor
Chinese	同治帝
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Tóngzhì Dì - Wade–Giles Tung-chi Ti

The Tongzhi Emperor (27 April 1856 – 12 January 1875), born Zaichun of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the tenth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign, from 1861 to 1875, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother Empress Dowager Cixi. Although he had little influence over state affairs, the events of his reign gave rise to what historians call the "Tongzhi Restoration", an unsuccessful attempt to stabilise and modernise China.

Biography

The only surviving son of the Xianfeng Emperor and Empress Dowager Cixi, Tongzhi attempted political reform in the period of the Tongzhi Restoration. His first regnal name was Qixiang (祺祥; Manchu: Fengšengge Sabingga), but this name was later abandoned by Cixi in favour of Tongzhi, a contraction of the classical phrase tonggui yu zhi (simplified Chinese: 同归与治; traditional Chinese: 同歸與治), which means "restoring order together".^{[citation needed]} An alternate interpretation reads it as "mother and son co-emperors" (Chinese: 母子同治天下),^{[citation needed]} which fits the state of affairs, as the empress dowager wielded real power and ruled behind the scenes. The traditional Chinese political phrase "attending audiences behind a curtain" (simplified Chinese: 垂帘听政; traditional Chinese: 垂簾聽政; pinyin: chuí lián tīng zhèng) was coined to describe Cixi's rule through her son.

Tongzhi became emperor at the age of five upon the death of his father, the Xianfeng Emperor. His father's choice of regent, Sushun, was removed in favour of a partnership between his mother Empress Dowager Cixi, Empress Dowager Ci'an, and his uncle Prince Gong.

Tongzhi married Empress Xiaozheyi, who was from a Mongol clan. He died of smallpox at the age of 18. He was buried in the Huiling Mausoleum, Eastern Qing Tombs, Hebei. He had no sons to succeed him. Folklore says that Tongzhi died from a sexually transmitted disease (specifically syphilis), due to his alleged affairs with prostitutes outside of the palace, and that the smallpox diagnosis was given only because the mere discussion of sexually transmitted diseases in China was taboo. However no credible evidence exists to substantiate the rumours.^{[citation needed]}

Tongzhi's mother Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an resumed regency after enthroning Zaitian, son of Prince Chun, as the Guangxu Emperor. Empress Xiaozheyi died a few months after Tongzhi's death. Popular stories suggest that she either committed suicide or that Empress Dowager Cixi starved her to death by cutting off her food supply.^{[citation needed]}

Family

• Father: Xianfeng Emperor
• Mother: Noble Consort Yi (Empress Dowager Cixi)

Consorts

1. Empress Xiaozheyi, (Chinese: 孝哲毅皇后) of the Alute clan (1854–1875)
2. Imperial Noble Consort Shushen, (Chinese: 淑慎皇贵妃) (1860–1905) neé Fuca.
3. Imperial Noble Consort Zhuanghe, (Chinese: 庄和皇贵妃) (1857–14 April 1921) neé Alute was the aunt of Empress Xiaozheyi.
4. Imperial Noble Consort Jingyi, (Chinese: 敬懿皇贵妃) (1856–1932) neé Heseri.
5. Imperial Noble Consort Ronghui, (Chinese: 荣惠皇贵妃) (1854–1933) neé Silin Gioro.

Ancestry

The Tongzhi Emperor in his study

Sources and literature

As the only son of Empress Dowager Cixi, the Tongzhi Emperor is mentioned in almost all books about her.

• The draft history of the Qing dynasty 《清史稿》卷二百十四．列傳一．后妃傳.
• Sterling Seagraves, "Dragon Lady" ISBN 0679733698.
• Maria Warner", "The Dragon Empres": Life and Times of Tz'u-Hsi, 1835–1908, Empress of China". ISBN 0689707142.
• Anchee Min, "Empress Orchid". ISBN 978-0618068876.
• Mayli Wen (foreword Lulu Wang), "Een vrouw op de drakentroon". ISBN 9054292229.
• Daily life in the Forbidden City, Wan Yi, Wang Shuqing, Lu Yanzhen. ISBN 0-670-81164-5.
• Keith Laidler, "The last Empress, the she dragon of China". ISBN 0-470-84881-2.
• Forbidden City: The Great Within, Second Edition. May Holdsworth, Caroline Courtauld. ISBN 9622177921.

Tongzhi Emperor House of Aisin-Gioro Born: 27 April 1856 Died: 12 January 1875
Regnal titles
Preceded by The Xianfeng Emperor	Emperor of China 1861–1875	Succeeded by The Guangxu Emperor