In the 1740s, two similar but completely different events occurred almost simultaneously between China in Asia and Britain in Europe on both ends of the world. One was that Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty was forced to flee by a group of rebellious peasant uprisings and hung from a locust tree in Jingshan; Another incident was when the citizens of England witnessed Charles I being executed on the guillotine in Whitehall Square. Charles I, the King of England, was also the supreme ruler of the country. His tragic end to life marked the different historical trends of these two countries. In 1640, the bourgeois revolution in England broke out, marking the beginning of modernization in the Western world. After the Renaissance, religious reform, and the Age of Discovery, the European continent had undergone unprecedented new changes by the mid-17th century. At this time, a new change is also taking place on the ancient land of China in the East. On March 19, 1644, the former Forbidden City, where birds sang and swallows danced, suddenly turned into a mortal hell. The tall city walls of Beijing failed to stop the peasant uprising led by Li Zicheng. The rushing peasant army rushed into the deep royal palace. In a hurry, the 34 year old Emperor Chongzhen looked around the Jingshan behind the Forbidden City with deep affection and finally hanged himself, known as the Jiashen Incident. The Ming Dynasty’s rule, which lasted for 276 years, collapsed with a tragic ending. Beijing in 1644 was also a historical stage. Li Zicheng, a native of Mizhi, Shaanxi, once worked as a post guard at a post station in Ningxia. Although he led the peasant uprising army to establish the Dashun regime and capture the capital of the Ming Dynasty, Beijing, he also served as an emperor in the Forbidden City, but was unable to rewrite history. At this moment, a strong enemy was raging towards them. They had gone through the Northeast Unification War, and their sharpness had already pointed directly at the more than 100000 iron cavalry of the Eight Banners in the pass. The leader of this iron cavalry was the powerful figure of the Qing government, Regent Dorgon. Dorgon, the Regent of the Qing Dynasty – Li Zhiting: He is the younger brother of Huang Taiji, but he was only 33 years old when he entered the country. Among his brothers, everyone recommended Dorgon. Although he is young, he is not small in intelligence. A very wise person is also favored by his brothers. In 1636, the Forbidden City of Shenyang, Liaoning Province, was renamed the Great Qing Dynasty and its capital was Shenyang, also known as Shengjing. This marked the end of the nearly half century long war between Nurhaci and the Ming Dynasty. Huang Taiji boldly reformed and treated the Manchu, Mongolian, and Han ethnic groups equally. The Manchu, Mongolian, and Han flags became the cornerstone of the Qing Dynasty’s establishment. The Compilation Committee of Qing History – Li Zhiting: He changed his father’s political model, structure, name, and organization, and more importantly, he implemented the integration of Manchu, Mongolian, and Han, which was a great progress. When Huang Taiji was alive, he had to have the heart to seize the world and must compete with the Ming Dynasty. However, Huang Taiji, who took on the great responsibility, suddenly encountered unexpected circumstances. In 1643 AD, Huang Taiji died unexpectedly, and a fierce struggle around the power of sweat erupted in the palace. Yang Zhen from the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: When Huang Taiji passed away, firstly, he did not specify a clear heir to the throne, because the prince he had in mind passed away within a few months. In this situation, two characters, one was his younger brother Duo’ergun, Prince Rui Duo’ergun, and the other was his eldest son, Prince Su Haoge. They were deadlocked in the race for the throne, and in this situation, Xiaozhuang, together with Empress Xiaoduan, reached a compromise after a very fierce battle, to let Xiaozhuang’s son, six year old Fulin, inherit the throne. Fulin was the first emperor after entering the country – Shunzhi. As he was not yet an adult, the entire empire was controlled by Dorgon, the 14th son of Nurhaci. He was intelligent and wise, and when he stepped onto the forefront of history, a great change in history began. At this time, Dorgon’s enemy was no longer the Ming army, but Li Zicheng’s peasant uprising army. In 1644 AD, a wise and brave strategist suggested to Dorgon to immediately send troops to attack Ming and seize the world. This person was named Fan Wencheng, a Liaodong native who had once sought to meet Nurhaci. The Compilation Committee of Qing History – Li Zhiting: So Fan Wencheng gave a speech to Dorgon. He analyzed the form of the great world and said that now is the best time for us to seize power. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The object of power we seize now is no longer with the Ming Dynasty. Who are we with? We are thieves. This was their term for Li Zicheng at that time, and competing with him for the world is not a problem. Shanhaiguan, Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province, was built in the 14th year of the Hongwu reign, which is 1381 AD. Due to its proximity to the mountains and sea, it is named Shanhaiguan and is known as the first pass in the world. It echoes the Jiayu Pass thousands of miles away. When Li Zicheng’s peasant army invaded Beijing and Emperor Chongzhen was hanged in Jingshan, Wu Sangui, who was in charge of the last strong force of the Ming Dynasty army, saw that the situation was hopeless and decided to defect to Li Zicheng. Just as Wu Sangui was rushing his troops to Beijing, he received news that made him furious. The Compilation Committee of Qing History – Li Zhiting: When asked about that person again, it refers to his beloved beauty Chen Yuanyuan. The scout told him that he was taken away by Li Zicheng’s great general Liu Zongmin. If he didn’t listen, he would have to. When he heard that Wu Sangui was furious, this was the unbearable one. He said that even a woman cannot be protected, and what kind of face can stand in the world. History left an irreparable regret for Li Zicheng and also created a comedic plot for Dorgon. When Li Zicheng’s army had already begun attacking Shanhaiguan, the last trump card of the Ming Dynasty, and Wu Sangui’s army was in danger, a turning point in history appeared here. On the night of April 21st, Wu Sangui unexpectedly sent people eight times a night to request Dorgon to quickly send troops for rescue. The Compilation Committee of Qing History – Li Zhiting: So that night, the envoy traveled back and forth eight times. At the end of the day, it was almost dawn. Wu Sangui saw that the Qing army had not yet moved, and he could no longer calm down. Therefore, he personally left the pass. Because the west side of Shanhaiguan was Li Zicheng’s camp, which was called Guannei and Shanhaiguan East Gate at that time, it was called Guanwai. There happened to be no Li Zicheng’s army outside the pass, so after opening the door, he led a small number of soldiers to guard him and went to Weiyuantai to see Dorgon. Ming Dynasty general Wu Sangui, who was stationed at Shanhaiguan, surrendered to the Qing army. Dorgon led an army of about 140000 Manchu, Mongolian, and Han soldiers from the Eight Banners, and rushed towards Shanhaiguan day and night. The Compilation Committee of Qing History – Li Zhiting: At that time, he shaved his hair and changed his attire. His tens of thousands of troops couldn’t shave their heads in just a few hours, and they had to shave for a few days. It was too late. What should we do? Every Wu Sangui’s army had a white cloth wrapped around their left arm as a sign. On April 22, 1644, the Shanhaiguan Pass became an impassable barrier for Li Zicheng and his Da Shun army, who had been fighting for decades. On this day, the sun was as red as blood, and the Da Shun army was covered in corpses and defeated under the iron hooves of the joint forces of Dorgon and Wu Sangui. Wu Sangui, who had repeatedly changed hands and was fickle, eventually laid the foundation for the Qing Dynasty. On the second day of May, Dorgon led 88 thousand flag soldiers into Beijing from Chaoyang Gate. On November 1, 1644, the six-year-old Qing dynasty’s young master Fulin announced his accession to the throne. Due to the burning of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City by Li Zicheng, the new emperor Fulin set up a command post at the Imperial Gate and issued edicts to the world. The ceremony was not grand and grand at all. However, it marked the beginning of the Qing Dynasty’s transformation into a ruling dynasty that ruled over the entire China, marking the entry of a nation that had previously hunted between the white mountains and black waters into the Central Plains and officially declaring itself as a local ethnic regime in Liaodong. The history of ancient China has turned a new page. Emperor Fulin of the Qing Dynasty was the first emperor to enter and settle Beijing, with the reign name Shunzhi. The ideal that his ancestors had not achieved after 28 years of bloody struggle was realized in this inexperienced child. For the new rulers of the Qing Dynasty, stabilizing the political power became a top priority. Shunzhi was named the emperor, but his task was only to learn and play. The actual ruler, Regent Dorgon, showed extraordinary talent at this time. Dorgon first held a grand funeral for Emperor Chongzhen, who was hanged in Jingshan, according to the emperor’s etiquette. In addition, he separated the Manchu and Han armies and did not disturb the people of the capital. Yan Chongnian, Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: Dorgon accepted Fan Wencheng’s opinion. He said that officials should continue to hold their positions and their names should be restored. It turned out that all officials in the Ming Dynasty could do whatever they wanted, and the common people, farmers, businesses, and farmers each had their own businesses. As a result, society stabilized. From Shengjing to Beijing, for the young Shunzhi Emperor, it was just a luxurious palace, while for the powerful Dorgon and others, it meant a brutal war waiting for them. Looking at the national situation at that time, the newly born Qing Dynasty faced an extremely severe situation. Although the Qing army had already controlled Liaodong, Jifu, Datong in Shanxi, Dezhou in Shandong, and other places, Li Zicheng’s Dashun regime still held the entire northwest, as well as Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, and other places. Zhang Xianzhong established a regime in Sichuan, and although the Ming Dynasty collapsed, the remaining solid forces held the Jiangnan region and established regimes such as Hongguang. In fact, the Hongguang regime already had a bankrupt army. Before the fall of the Ming Dynasty, its finances had collapsed, and it owed millions of taels of silver to the Ming army. The Compilation Committee of Qing History – Li Zhiting: So what should we do? Dorgon coordinated the overall situation, called it urgent in military affairs, did not give the enemy a chance to breathe, and took swift action in military affairs. On October 19, 1644, Prince Azige of England, Prince Wu Sangui of Pingxi, and Prince Shang Kexi of Shunzhi led their troops to pursue Li Zicheng’s Dashun army. A few months later, their closest brother, Duoduo, led his army to attack the Hongguang regime in Nanjing. In those years, Nurhachi started his army with 13 pairs of armor, established the Later Jin Dynasty, and finally unified the Northeast. Now, his three sons, Azige, Dorgon, and Dodor, have swept through the Shanhaiguan Pass in a storm like manner, realizing their parents’ dream of building a vast Qing Dynasty. However, the Qing army that entered the Guannei disregarded the traditional Han culture and forcibly ordered Han people to shave their hair in the occupied areas, as a sign of whether they surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, which aroused strong resistance from the Han people. Yan Chongnian: After Dorgon captured Nanjing, his mind became hot. The Han people all shaved their hair and changed their clothing, which was called “keeping hair but not keeping hair” or “keeping hair but not keeping hair”. There was a conflict that most people believed was an ethnic conflict, and another perspective was the conflict between two cultures. The Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – With the support of the people in the Guannei region, Li Zicheng’s peasant uprising army and the Southern Ming army resolutely counterattacked. The attacking Qing army was repeatedly defeated and retreated to the Yellow River Basin. The Qing army’s entry commander, Luo Xiujin, the governor of Henan, urgently sought help as he was facing a pincer attack between the Southern Ming army and Li Zicheng’s Dashun army. Dorgon readjusted his marching strategy and was determined to concentrate his forces to defeat the most powerful force of Li Zicheng’s Dashun Army. Dorgon ordered Dorgon’s army to shift from heading south to heading west, first rescuing Luo Xiujin, then attacking Tongguan in Shaanxi, and forming a pincer attack with Ajige to completely destroy Li Zicheng’s army. The Yellow River in Weinan City, Shaanxi Province, Tongguan County, runs from north to south. At the turning point of the Central Plains, there is the ancient majestic pass Tongguan, which was built in the first year of Jian’an in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Located on the dangerous terrain of rivers and mountains, Tongguan serves as the eastern gateway to the Guanzhong Plain, witnessing the rise and fall of countless dynasties. In 1645 AD, Li Zicheng engaged in a decisive battle with the main force of the Qing army in Nanyuan, Tongguan. Peng Dejiang, a villager from Tongguan County: This is Nanyuan, and we are here outside the South Gate. This man from Mizhi, Shaanxi, rose up in 1629 and fought in half of China, witnessing the downfall of the Ming Dynasty. However, at this time, he faced the encirclement of the Qing army’s Eight Banners and the Ming dynasty’s surrendered general Wu Sangui’s joint forces. The result of the war was a major defeat of Li Zicheng’s Dashun army, and the Dashun regime collapsed. Almost at the same time, Duoduo led another group of Qing troops across the Yangtze River and approached Nanjing, where Prince Fu Zhu Yousong was stationed. The various officials in Nanjing were running around, creating an extremely chaotic situation. This is the “Victory Map” painted by the Qing Dynasty, depicting the scene of Duoduo leading his army into Nanjing. In January 1647, under the command of General Haoge of Jingyuan, the Qing army shot and killed the brave peasant army leader Zhang Xianzhong with a hidden arrow in a mountain forest called Fenghuang Mountain in Xichong, Sichuan. This marked a comprehensive victory for the Qing court in annihilating the two main peasant armies of the late Ming Dynasty. Outside the city of Shengjing, there is a vast expanse of white snow. Five year old Fulin followed his uncle, Emperor Tai Chi, out of the city to hunt with great interest. This is a custom of the Manchu people outside the pass. At the age of seven or eight, children can ride horses and hunt in the mountains and forests. In just two years, time has changed, and Fulin became the emperor of the Qing Dynasty in the Forbidden City of Beijing. Except for the Ming Dynasty refugees in remote areas who are rebelling, the whole country has basically calmed down. However, the tree desires tranquility but the wind does not stop, and the focus of the conflict is concentrated on Dorgon and Emperor Shunzhi. With one person below and ten thousand people above, Dorgon’s desire for power continues to expand. He constantly expands his power group, disdains the little emperor Fulin, and pretends to be the emperor’s son, claiming to be the regent of his father. Emperor Shunzhi once indignantly said, “How could you disrespect me?” Obviously, the existence of Dorgon and his power group has seriously threatened the imperial power. Just as the conflict was about to erupt, something unexpected happened. In the seventh year of the Shunzhi reign, on the evening of December 9th, 1650 AD, Regent Dorgon, who was only 39 years old, died suddenly in Kara City due to an accidental fall while hunting outside. The death of Regent Dorgon put the issue of Emperor Shunzhi’s pro politics and the elimination of the stubborn Dorgon influence on the political agenda. In 1651 AD, which was the twelfth day of the first month in the eighth year of the Shunzhi reign, the 14-year-old young emperor Fulin announced his personal rule at the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City. However, behind the seemingly calm transfer of core power, a storm was brewing. After more than a month of personal rule in Shunzhi, it turned out that Dorgon’s close attendants, such as Suksaha, had written a letter exposing Dorgon’s private imperial attire and possession of imperial items. Later, he joined forces with Prince Zheng Ji’erhalang and others to submit a joint report, and a storm of punishment for Dorgon came. In the eyes of Shunzhi Emperor, Dorgon’s crime was unforgivable. In the end, he issued an edict to the whole country on the charge of Dorgon’s attempt to usurp power, severely punishing Dorgon, and setting the foundation for the Qing Dynasty in the Central Plains. Dorgon, who had made great contributions, ended his life with a violent corpse in the wilderness. However, the internal interests and contradictions within the ruling group of the Qing Dynasty only began to unfold. The differences in Manchu and Han cultures made it a fundamental question what kind of governance strategy the Qing court should adopt after taking control of the Central Plains. Yan Chongnian: The production methods are also different. The Han people mainly live in rural areas, farming and weaving, and providing clothing and food. What is the main forest culture of the Manchu people, mainly called fishing and hunting economy, and bow, horse, and hunting for a living? There are significant differences between the two. Mongolia relies on nomadism for a living, and cultural differences, combined with other differences, form a fierce conflict. Although only 14 years old, Shunzhi Emperor, who was in power, showed a fresh spirit from the beginning of his reign. This was his personal decree, reflecting his determination to promote the rule of officials and eliminate disadvantages. Shunzhi Emperor first cleared up the erroneous policies of Dorgon and others, among which the three major corrupt policies that infringed on the interests of the majority of Han people were enclosure, investment, and escape laws. Emperor Shunzhi first ordered the cessation of land enclosure and the restoration of the previously occupied fields, as well as the exemption of land enclosure in thirteen counties including Jingji Liangxiang. At the same time, he urged officials at all levels to recruit refugees to cultivate wasteland, measure the land, and compile a fish scale atlas. The population, silver, land, and grain were compiled into a yellow register, known as the household registration register. The tax system, which was related to national fiscal revenue, was reorganized and compiled into the “Complete Tax Collection”, which was promulgated nationwide. To govern a country, it is necessary to first govern officials. Emperor Shunzhi also advocated the integration of the Manchu and Han dynasties, and even the integration of the Manchu and Han dynasties. He vigorously rectified the governance of officials, severely punished a group of corrupt officials, Han generals and scholars, and suppressed Han generals such as Wu Sangui, Shang Kexi, and Geng Jingzhong who had made contributions to the anti Qing forces. In the second year of the Shunzhi reign, Fan Wencheng wrote a letter to Emperor Shunzhi, stating that in governing the world, one must win the hearts of the people. Scholars should show their talents to the people, and if they gain their insights, then the hearts of the people will be satisfied. Yan Chongnian: It was just that Dorgon did not handle this ethnic contradiction well. The Yangzhou Ten Day and Jiading Three Slaughters were not handled properly, and the Central Plains region continued to resist for a long time. It was not until the 18th year of the Shunzhi reign that the armed resistance was basically suppressed, but the spiritual conflict was not completely resolved. Therefore, Fan Wencheng wrote a memorial to Shunzhi, saying that only by winning the hearts of the people can we win the hearts of the people. Scholars are outstanding people, and the hearts of the people are satisfied. How to win the hearts of the people, first of all, we need to win the hearts of scholars and intellectuals, because this is an excellent part of the nation. Who should we first solve this group of people? Emperor Kangxi used his erudition and Confucianism to first solve the well-known, significant, and influential people in that group, and brought them into the political power. Some people did not participate, but their hearts had softened. Therefore, he took many measures to resolve the spiritual contradictions and conflicts, in order to consolidate the political power. A series of policies that showed concern for people’s livelihoods were also introduced. In the tenth year of the Shunzhi reign, which was 1653 AD, the Qianqing Palace was to be repaired. Due to severe water and drought disasters, Emperor Shunzhi decided to suspend the project and use the funds to relieve the victims. He also decided to never collect oranges from Jiangnan and permanently exempt Jiangxi from paying tribute to Longwan, Sichuan from paying tribute to fan handles, and Hubei from paying tribute to fish and explosives. Cheng Chongde: He accepted missionary and Western ideas, and Shunzhi was also exposed to Chinese culture. Therefore, Shunzhi himself is a very open-minded person from our current evaluation. His calligraphy is very good, and his thoughts are very active. He said he pursues personal liberation, and he pursues love. On March 15, 1657 AD, the plum blossoms in Beijing were in full bloom. Emperor Shunzhi arrived at a residence inside Xuanwu Gate to celebrate his 19th birthday. The owner of this residence was German missionary Tang Ruowang, who was proficient in astronomy, calendar, and medicine. Tang Ruowang came to China as early as the end of the Ming Dynasty in 1623 and made important contributions to the revision of the Ming and Qing dynasties’ calendar and artillery manufacturing. This Western missionary established a legendary friendship with the young emperor in the East, which also dramatically influenced the political direction of the Qing Dynasty. In 1661 AD, on the seventh day of the first lunar month in the 18th year of the Shunzhi reign, the Yangxin Hall in the Forbidden City was shrouded in a desolate atmosphere. Due to infection with the smallpox virus, the young Emperor Shunzhi, who was leading the Qing Dynasty towards prosperity, passed away at the age of only 24. As the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Tangshan City in Hebei Province, Dongling of the Qing Dynasty, although Shunzhi Emperor had a short life, his brave pioneering actions and courage were not ordinary. Smallpox took Shunzhi’s life, but he achieved another person, which was the third son of the emperor, Xuanye. Xuanye went abroad for acne, leaving a pockmark on his face. It was this nine to death experience of illness that unexpectedly fulfilled him. With the support of Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and missionary Tang Ruowang, Xuan Ye, who was only eight years old, was appointed as the heir. Shunzhi, considering that Xuan Ye was still young, with the consent of Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, appointed Sony, Suksaha, Aobai, and Yabilong as the four ministers to assist in politics, and wrote this into a posthumous edict. In the struggle against Shunzhi Emperor and Dorgon, Sony and the other four stood firmly on the side of Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, thus gaining her appreciation and trust. In 1661 AD, on the ninth day of the first lunar month in the 18th year of the Shunzhi reign, which was the third day after the death of Emperor Shunzhi, Xuanye ascended to the throne at the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City, inheriting the title of Kangxi. This was the longest reigning emperor in Chinese history. He ruled for 61 years, ushering in the prosperous era of Kangxi and Qianlong in Chinese history. Later generations praised him as diligent in national affairs, recorded in historical records, studious and tireless, reading at midnight, and every midnight. Kangxi had lofty aspirations and had thoroughly studied scriptures before taking power, which gave him a strong influence of Confucian culture and laid the foundation for his future handling of Manchu Han relations and governance of the country. Yan Chongnian: It is about the integration of Manchu and Han cultures, which means that the emperor takes the lead in absorbing traditional Han culture, especially Confucian culture. Therefore, at the age of five, Kangxi began to study at the age of five, and at the age of five, what did he learn? Three hundred thousand, he went to the “Three Character Classic”, “Hundred Family Surnames”, “Thousand Character Wen”, and then went up one level to study the four books, “Great Learning”, “Doctrine of the Mean”, “Analects”, “Mencius”, and then went up one level to study other Confucian classics and literary history. Kangxi took the lead in reciting “Great Learning”, “Doctrine of the Mean”, “Analects”, “Mencius” all 120 times, and even memorized 120 times. Engraved in the mind. Kangxi ascended to the throne of God and faced a transition from fighting against the country to sitting on it. If the relationship between the Manchu and Han ethnic groups was not properly handled, there was a possibility of repeating the historical tragedy of being driven back to the northern desert by the Mongol and Yuan dynasties. Even before the reign of Emperor Kangxi, there were three major cases in Jiangnan that shocked the court and the public: the Crying Temple Case, the Tonghai Case, and the Jiangnan Confession Case. These were typical cases of the Qing court’s high-pressure rule intensifying the conflict between Manchu and Han. The government imposed severe penalties on those who owed land tax collection in the Jiangnan region, and executed a large number of Jiangnan officials and gentry, which was historically known as the Jiangnan settlement case. Tanhua, a native of Kunshan, Ye Fang’ai, was punished just because he owed the government one mile of tax money. At that time, there was a saying that Tanhua was not worth a penny. Kangxi personally governed, and an urgent and important matter was to overturn the imperial edict. The Shunzhi imperial edict published by the court listed fourteen errors made during his reign, which in fact completely negated the revolutionary achievements of Emperor Shunzhi. In 1668 AD, in January of the sixth year of the Kangxi reign, Emperor Kangxi wrote the “Inscription on the Sacred Virtue of Xiaoling’s Divine Merit”, which was overturned by his father. The inscription stated that the Manchu and Han dynasties should be regarded as one, and cultural relics should be of no importance. Kangxi inherited the governance philosophy of integrating Manchu and Han cultures from his father’s generation, and the profound meaning of overturning the case for his father lies in this. Yan Chongnian: He took the lead in going to the Confucius Temple in Qufu, Shandong to worship Confucius. This was not before. After entering the door, he knelt three times and kowtowed nine times, which was not a matter of etiquette. What did he mean? He expressed that Manchu culture accepted Han Confucian culture and integrated it into Manchu culture, which was a political act. In the winter of 1684, more than a decade later, in the 23rd year of the Kangxi reign, Emperor Kangxi went to the hometown of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong to pay homage to Confucius and wrote a plaque with the title of “Eternal Teacher”. On the left side of the plaque was a letter of respect from Kangxi’s Jiazi Meng Dong, with a vertical row of small golden characters. Kangxi ordered Confucian temples across the country to carve the inscriptions into a plaque and hang it in the Dacheng Hall. Today, this plaque still hangs high under the front eaves of the Dacheng Hall of the Qufu Confucian Temple. In terms of economy, from the beginning of Kangxi’s reign, he advocated culture and education, emphasized river and agriculture, and laid the foundation for the prosperity of the Qing Dynasty. However, Kangxi’s new policies were severely constrained by the four major auxiliary ministers, including Aobai. They were increasingly dissatisfied with Kangxi’s practice of changing the old system and gradually learning Han customs, and proposed the idea of seeking ancestral rule and restoring the old system. Especially Aobai, who was proud of his achievements and controlled the court, implemented some important court affairs after Aobai was first agreed upon at home. Surprisingly, he exerted his influence during Kangxi’s court hearing, and the scene of Dorgon’s dictatorship was about to happen again. Li Zhiting: Aobai was so powerful that he controlled the courtiers and the ministers in the court alone. Later, he even wrote a memorial, such as Suksaha. He replaced Kangxi and wrote a death sentence, asking Emperor Kangxi to draw a pledge, but Emperor Kangxi didn’t do it. What a big deal. In the sixth year of the Kangxi reign, which was 1667 AD, Emperor Kangxi, who was fourteen years old, reached the age of being a prime minister. The first assistant minister, Sonny, was worried that Aobai’s power would expand, so he proposed that the emperor take power. Shortly after Sonny’s death, Aobai assumed himself as a prime minister. This situation made Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang deeply uneasy and she agreed to Emperor Kangxi taking power. Empress Xiaozhuang’s Tomb – Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Tangshan City, Hebei Province – Wu Boya: He even said that without his grandmother, there would be no achievements, so he has a very deep affection for her grandmother. Therefore, this Empress Xiaozhuang actually assisted two generations of emperors. How the young emperor defeated the cunning political figure Ao Bai is related to the rule and longevity of the Qing Dynasty. Ao Bai’s trusted followers are almost everywhere in the court. If not handled properly, it will lead to very serious consequences. The young and mature Emperor Kangxi devised a clever plan to defeat Ao Bai. Some fifteen or sixteen year old youths spend their days playing with the emperor, playing the play of Buku, even if Ao Bai comes. Wu Boya: He remained calm. His name is Buku Youth, which is a group of young wrestlers who practice wrestling with him. These guards practice wrestling with him, and it is not easy to raise the alarm of Aobai. On the tenth day of the fifth month in the eighth year of Kangxi’s reign, on a seemingly ordinary day in the palace, Emperor Kangxi summoned Ao Bai in the southern study. As soon as Ao Bai entered the room, the young Buku boys who had been ambushed for a long time rushed out and captured him. Soon, all of Ao Bai’s other major confidants and followers were also arrested and imprisoned. Kangxi listed Ao Bai’s thirty charges, and soon Ao Bai died in prison. Kangxi cleverly took Aobai, reversing the course of the Qing Dynasty’s giant ship, rectifying chaos, and opening the way to prosperity. The struggle in the palace had just been quelled, but thousands of miles away, the vast territory of the three feudal lords, which had been divided, posed the most severe challenge and test of Kangxi’s life to the newly ruling emperor. San Fan refers to Wu Sangui, the Prince of Pingxi who rebelled against the Ming Dynasty and surrendered to the Qing Dynasty. The Prince of Pingnan is still commendable, and Geng Jingzhong, the Prince of Jingnan, respectively, controlled Fujian, Guangdong, and Yungui’s spheres of influence. Although this was not a fiefdom of the imperial court, it was truly an independent kingdom. The three domains established tax cards, privately minted money, and Wu Sangui even sent officials on his own, known as the Western Election. What was even more serious was that each of the three domains held military power and supported their own troops, which had become a major disaster for the court. Wu Boya: The earliest purpose of establishing the Three Feudances during the Qing Dynasty was also to alleviate the court’s worries about southward expansion, which required their barriers. The earliest purpose was this. However, these three kings, who were stationed in their respective jurisdictions, continuously expanded and expanded their own spheres of influence. Their ambitions were also expanding, and they gradually embarked on a path of opposition to centralization. In the year of Kangxi’s birth, the imperial court began to enfeoff the three feudal domains. In the seventeenth year of Shunzhi’s reign, the three feudal domains formed a pattern. After Kangxi cut off Aobai, the three feudal domains, river affairs, and water transportation were the three major events, and they were written on the pillars of the upper palace. They not only monopolized local finances, but also constantly demanded huge amounts of funds from the imperial court on the grounds of military and administrative expenses, which caused a severe and heavy economic burden on the court. Taking the 17th year of the Shunzhi reign as an example, the country’s official income was 8.75 million taels of silver, and Wu Sangui’s annual consumption of silver reached 9 million taels. Therefore, there was a saying at that time that the wealth of the world was half consumed by the three feudal domains. After eradicating Aobai, solving the San Francisco issue was officially put on the agenda. However, truly withdrawing the domain was clearly a risky move. In 1673, the twelfth year of the Kangxi reign, in March of that year, Prince Pingnan Shang Kexi wrote a letter to return to his hometown in Northeast China and let his son inherit the throne. Kangxi believed that this was a good opportunity to withdraw his fiefdom. To test Emperor Kangxi’s attitude, Wu Sangui and Geng Jingzhong also petitioned for the withdrawal of the fiefdom in July. Emperor Kangxi followed suit and agreed to withdraw the fiefdom. Wu Sangui did not expect to make things worse and was greatly angered. On November 21, 1673, Wu Sangui executed Zhu Guozhi, the governor of Yunnan, who refused to rely on him. He openly rebelled against the Qing Dynasty, marking the beginning of a life and death battle between Emperor Kangxi and Wu Sangui. Wu Sangui raised his arms and rebelled four times. Geng Jingzhong raised the banner of rebellion on March 15, the 13th year of Kangxi, and Shang Zhixin raised the banner of rebellion on February 21, the 15th year. Guangxi General Sun Yanling and Shaanxi Governor Wang Fucheng also rebelled one after another, which was described by the people as being in the southeast and northwest. In the midst of chaos, most of China was engulfed in war. Rebellions erupted, and the young Emperor Kangxi faced a severe test. Initially, due to the strong momentum of the rebel forces such as Wu Sangui, who launched multiple attacks, the Qing army was exhausted and in a disadvantageous situation, facing a very dangerous situation. Emperor Kangxi remained calm and composed. He knew that this was a life and death battle that would determine the fate of the Qing Dynasty. In order to stabilize his military morale, he visited Jingshan every day, watched horseback archery, and even ordered the execution of Wu Sangui’s son. Wu Boya: So Wu Sangui immediately understood, which shows Kangxi’s determination. I must get rid of you. In the fifteenth year of the Kangxi reign, which was 1676, Emperor Kangxi made adjustments to the strategic deployment. The main force of the general team was deployed on the central line, namely the Hunan front line, while the secondary forces were deployed on the left wing’s Zhejiang and Fujian front lines and the right wing’s Shaanxi and Sichuan front lines. Kangxi personally commanded major battles, ordered the front line commander to draw military situation maps of both sides, repeatedly studied, and decided on the battle strategy. Due to the urgency of the war, Emperor Kangxi received military reports every day, with up to three to four hundred notes, and even late at night, waiting for military reports. He wrote this poem: “At midnight, a long leak appears, and every soldier thinks a few times.”. In the seventeenth year of the Kangxi reign, Wu Sangui died of a stroke. The Qing army launched a forward attack, and a great turmoil that lasted for eight years and burned through most of China was finally quelled. After receiving the victory, Emperor Kangxi wrote a poem called “Dianping” to express his joy and emotion: “The Kunchi Road in Erhai was difficult, and the successful book arrived in Chang’an at night without the three Miao grids of dry and rainy weather. At first, he was pleased to conquer and lost six imperial edicts, and at the end of the day, he collected the Golden Horse Pass. The army was newly liberated from the iron clothes and cold, reflecting on the spirit of Jiao Lao for several years. Today, he shared the joy of all nations.”. In the 20th year of the Kangxi reign, which was December 20th, 1681, Emperor Kangxi held a grand ceremony at the Hall of Supreme Harmony to declare victory at home and abroad. The pacification of the Three Feudals Rebellion was an important symbol for the Qing Dynasty to achieve basic unification and establish stable rule. Soon after, the prosperous era of Kangxi and Qianlong in Chinese history arrived. 90 Seconds in History: On March 23rd, when the Deer Gate landed, Zheng Chenggong personally led a large army to set off from Liaoluo Bay on Kinmen Island, sounding the horn to attack Taiwan. Based on maritime experience, there were many tides between the third and fourth lunar months, so Zheng Chenggong took the risk of choosing the Deer Gate as a breakthrough point. In the fierce battle, Zheng’s army bravely killed the enemy, burned down the Dutch main ship Kedenghoff with a gunboat, and sank the battleship Kekren with dense artillery fire. At the same time, he also captured three small boats. The defeated Dutch army fled back to Batavia in a hurry. On February 1st, 1662, Zheng and the Dutch sides fled back to Batavia. The representative signed the Zheng He Agreement at the Municipal Taxation Office in Dayuan City (now Anping, Tainan), completed the exchange of documents, and Zheng Chenggong became a national hero in history.
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