Hong Taiji
Encyclopedia
Hong Taiji also transliterated
as Huang Taiji based on the Chinese language
transcription of his name, was the first Emperor of the Qing Dynasty
.Hong Taiji was the first Emperor of the Qing dynasty after acceding to the title in 1636. His father Nurhaci did not assume imperial dignity while alive, though he was posthumously awarded the title.
Hong Taiji was responsible for consolidating the empire that his father, Nurhaci
, had founded. He laid the groundwork for the conquering of the Ming dynasty
, although he died before this was accomplished. He was responsible for changing the name of his people from Jurchen to Manchu
in 1635 as well as that of the dynasty from Later Jin to Qing in 1636.The Qing dynasty would last until 1912.
(Hung Taiji) in the Manchu language
. In Chinese, Hong Taiji is also known as Hóng Tàijí (洪太極) or Huáng Táijí (皇太極). There are different views about the name Abahai. According to one view, the name Abakhai is wrong: Hong Taiji never mentioned under this name in Manchu and Chinese sources; it was a mistake done by Russian Sinologist G.V. Gorsky According to another view, Abakhai was a real name derived from Mongolian Abakai – honorary name given to younger sons of monarchs. This name corresponded to well-known Mongolian title Khong Tayiji
(Crown Prince) which was sinicized as Hong Taiji or Huang Taizi. Abahai may be also a part of his era name in Manchu language (Abkai sure, or Tienzong 天聰). According to another view, Hong Taiji was mistakenly, referred to as Abahai in Western scholarly literature, the result of a confusion with Nurhaci's favorite concubine. He was first Khan
of the Later Jin
and then Emperor of the Qing Dynasty
, after he changed its name. His title as Great Khan was Bogd Khaan (Manchu: Gosin Onco Hūwaliyasun Enduringge Han). His reign names were Tiāncōng (Chinese: 天聰, Manchu: ᠠᠪᡴᠠᡳ ᠰᡠᡵᡝ Abka-i sure) 1627-1636; and Chóngdé (Chinese:崇德, Manchu: ᠸᡝᠰᡳᡥᡠᠨ ᡝᡵᡩᡝᠮᡠᠩᡤᡝ Wesihun erdemungge, Mongolian: Degede Erdemtü) 1636-1643. His temple name was Tàizōng 太宗.
His posthumous name
evolved to become longer and longer:
, whom he succeeded as the second ruler of the Later Jin
dynasty in 1626. Although it was always thought of as gossip, he was said to be involved in the suicide of Prince Dorgon
's mother, Lady Abahai
in order to block the succession of his younger brother. This is speculated because at the time of Nurhaci's death, there were 4 Lords/Beile with Hong Taiji as the lowest rank, but also the most fit one. Originally, at the end of Nurhaci's reign, Hong Taiji got hold of the two White Banners, but after Lady Abahai's death, he switched his two banners with Dorgon and Dodo's two Yellow banners (Nurhaci gave his two Yellow Banners to the two). In the end, Hong Taiji had control over the 2 strongest/highest class banners- the Plain/Bordered Yellow Banner and the most influence. From there, he slowly got rid of his competitor's powers. Later, he would also receive the Plain Blue Banner from one of Šurhaci
's sons, which was the 3rd strongest banner as it was controlled by Nurhaci's brother. Those 3 banners would officially become the Upper Three Banners during the early part of the Qing Dynasty.
. Originally during Nurhaci's reign, Han people were heavily discriminated as Nurhaci despised them. Hong Taiji started incorporating Han people into the country and government. He realized that they would still be the majority and the Manchus would still be the minority, which means to control the Han people, they would need to live together or else the Qing Dynasty would be a repeat of the Yuan Dynasty.
, pushing deeper into Mongolia
and raiding Korea
and Ming China. His personal military abilities were widely praised and he effectively developed the military-civil administration known as the Eight Banners or Banner system. This system was well-suited to accept the different peoples, primarily Chinese
and Mongols, who joined the Manchu state either following negotiated agreements or military defeat.
In 1636, Hong Taiji invaded the Joseon Dynasty
(see the Second Manchu invasion of Korea
), as the latter did not accept that Hong Taiji had become emperor. With the Joseon Dynasty surrendered in 1637, Hong Taiji succeeded in making them cut off relations with the Ming Dynasty and force them to submit as tributary state
of the Qing Empire. Also during this period, Hung Taji took over Inner Mongolia in three major wars, each of them victorious. In 1640 he completed the conquest of the Evenks
, when he defeated and captured their leader Bombogor
.
At the same time, Hong Taji upgraded the weapons of the Empire. He realized the advantage of the Red Cannons and later also bought the Red Cannons into the army. Though the Ming Dynasty still had more Cannons, Hong Taji now possessed the cannons of equal might and Asia's strongest cavalry.
Huang Taji's plan at first was to make a deal with the Ming Dynasty. If the Ming Dynasty was willing to give support and money that would be beneficial to the Qing's economy, the Qing Dynasty in exchange would not only be willing to not attack the borders, but also admit itself as a country one level lower than the Ming Dynasty; however, since all the Ming Court were reminded of the Jin Empire during the Song Dynasty, the court heavily refused the exchange. This ultimately forced Huang Taji to take the offensive.
: Jušen) to Manchu, or
Manju in the Manchu language
. The original meaning of Manju is not known and so the reasons for its adoption remain opaque. There are many theories as to the reason for the choice of name but two of the most commonly cited are its sounding similar to the Manchu word for "brave" and a possible connection with the Bodhisattva Manjusri
, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, of whom Nurhaci claimed to be an incarnation.
The dynastic name Later Jin was a direct reference to the Jin dynasty founded by the Jurchen people, who ruled northern China from 1115 to 1234. As such, the name was likely to be viewed as closely tied to the Jurchens and would perhaps evoke hostility from Chinese who viewed the Song dynasty, rival state to the Jin, as the legitimate rulers of China at that time. Hong Taiji's ambition was to conquer China proper
and overthrow the Ming dynasty
, and to do that required not only a powerful military force but also an effective bureaucratic administration. For this, he used the obvious model, that of the Ming government, and recruited Ming officials to his cause. If the name of Later Jin would prove an impediment to his goal among many Chinese, then it was not too much to change it. Whatever the precise motivation, Hong Taiji proclaimed the establishment of the Qing dynasty in 1636. The reasons for the choice of Qing as the new name are likewise unclear, although it has been speculated that the sound - Jin and Qing are pronounced similarly in Manchu
- or wuxing
theory - traditional ideas held that fire, associated with the character for Ming, was overcome by water, associated with the character for Qing - may have influenced the choice. Another possible reason may be that Hong Taiji changed the name of the dynasty from (Later)Jin to Qing in 1636 because of internecine fraternal struggle and skirmish between brothers and half brothers for the throne. According to Taoist philosophy,
the name Jin has the meaning of metal and fire in its constituent,
thereby igniting the tempers of the brothers of the Manchu Royal household into open conflicts and wars.
Huangtaiji therefore adopted the new name of Qing 清, the Chinese character of which has the water symbol [3 strokes] on its left hand side. The name, which means clear and transparent, with its water symbol was hoped to put out the feud among the brothers of the Manchu Royal household.
. He actually issued an order for Xiao Zhuang Wen to follow him into the afterlife, however Dorgon forced him to change the decree. Since he was dying, he did not want to waste anymore time and changed his follower to Imperial Consort Chen. He therefore did not live to see his ambition of conquering Ming China come about, although his son, the Shunzhi Emperor
, succeeded him and became the first of the Qing dynasty emperors to govern China. That the Qing state succeeded not only in conquering China but also in establishing a capable administration was due in large measure to the foresight and policies of Hong Taiji. His body was buried in Zhaoling, located in northern Shenyang
.
, Emperor Gaozu of Han, Emperor Guangwu of Han
, Emperor Wen of Sui
, Emperor Taizong of Tang
, Emperor Taizu of Song
, Kublai Khan
, the Hongwu Emperor
, and the Yongle Emperor
. His ability to use people was only paralleled by Genghis Khan
, Emperor Taizong of Tang
, and Emperor Guangwu of Han
. In this sense, Huang Taji is like the true beginning emperor for the Qing Dynasty. Some historians suspect Huang Taji was overall underrated and overlooked as a great emperor because he was a Manchu.
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
as Huang Taiji based on the Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
transcription of his name, was the first Emperor of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
.Hong Taiji was the first Emperor of the Qing dynasty after acceding to the title in 1636. His father Nurhaci did not assume imperial dignity while alive, though he was posthumously awarded the title.
Hong Taiji was responsible for consolidating the empire that his father, Nurhaci
Nurhaci
Nurhaci was an important Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late sixteenth century in what is today Northeastern China...
, had founded. He laid the groundwork for the conquering of the Ming dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, although he died before this was accomplished. He was responsible for changing the name of his people from Jurchen to Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
in 1635 as well as that of the dynasty from Later Jin to Qing in 1636.The Qing dynasty would last until 1912.
Name and titles
Hong Taiji is written as (Hung Taiji) in the Manchu languageManchu language
Manchu is a Tungusic endangered language spoken in Northeast China; it used to be the language of the Manchu, though now most Manchus speak Mandarin Chinese and there are fewer than 70 native speakers of Manchu out of a total of nearly 10 million ethnic Manchus...
. In Chinese, Hong Taiji is also known as Hóng Tàijí (洪太極) or Huáng Táijí (皇太極). There are different views about the name Abahai. According to one view, the name Abakhai is wrong: Hong Taiji never mentioned under this name in Manchu and Chinese sources; it was a mistake done by Russian Sinologist G.V. Gorsky According to another view, Abakhai was a real name derived from Mongolian Abakai – honorary name given to younger sons of monarchs. This name corresponded to well-known Mongolian title Khong Tayiji
Khong Tayiji
Khong Tayiji is a title of the Mongols.Khong Tayiji derives from Chinese Huangtaizi . At first it also meant crown prince in Mongolian. It was originally given only to descendants of Genghis Khan...
(Crown Prince) which was sinicized as Hong Taiji or Huang Taizi. Abahai may be also a part of his era name in Manchu language (Abkai sure, or Tienzong 天聰). According to another view, Hong Taiji was mistakenly, referred to as Abahai in Western scholarly literature, the result of a confusion with Nurhaci's favorite concubine. He was first Khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
of the Later Jin
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
and then Emperor of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, after he changed its name. His title as Great Khan was Bogd Khaan (Manchu: Gosin Onco Hūwaliyasun Enduringge Han). His reign names were Tiāncōng (Chinese: 天聰, Manchu: ᠠᠪᡴᠠᡳ ᠰᡠᡵᡝ Abka-i sure) 1627-1636; and Chóngdé (Chinese:崇德, Manchu: ᠸᡝᠰᡳᡥᡠᠨ ᡝᡵᡩᡝᠮᡠᠩᡤᡝ Wesihun erdemungge, Mongolian: Degede Erdemtü) 1636-1643. His temple name was Tàizōng 太宗.
His posthumous name
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
evolved to become longer and longer:
- 1643: Yingtian-xingguo-hongde-zhangwu-kuanwen-rensheng-ruixiao Wen Emperor (應天興國弘德彰武寬溫仁聖睿孝文皇帝)
- 1662: Yingtian-xingguo-hongde-zhangwu-kuanwen-rensheng-ruixiao-longdao-xiangong Wen Emperor (應天興國弘德彰武寬溫仁聖睿孝隆道顯功文皇帝)
- "Prosperous Way and Manifestation of Might" was added
- 1723: Yingtian-xingguo-hongde-zhangwu-kuanwen-rensheng-ruixiao-jingming-longdao-xiangong Wen Emperor (應天興國弘德彰武寬溫仁聖睿孝敬敏隆道顯功文皇帝)
- "Reverence and Diligent" was added
- 1735: Yingtian-xingguo-hongde-zhangwu-kuanwen-rensheng-ruixiao-jingming-zhaoding-longdao-xiangong Wen Emperor (應天興國弘德彰武寬溫仁聖睿孝敬敏昭定隆道顯功文皇帝)
- "Illustrious stability" was added
Consolidation of power
Hong Taiji was the eighth son of NurhaciNurhaci
Nurhaci was an important Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late sixteenth century in what is today Northeastern China...
, whom he succeeded as the second ruler of the Later Jin
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
dynasty in 1626. Although it was always thought of as gossip, he was said to be involved in the suicide of Prince Dorgon
Dorgon
Dorgon , also known as Hošoi Mergen Cin Wang, the Prince Rui , was one of the most influential Manchu princes in the early Qing Dynasty. He laid the groundwork for the Manchu rule of China.-Early life:Dorgon was born in Yenden, Manchuria , China...
's mother, Lady Abahai
Lady Abahai
Lady Abahai was the primary consort of Nurhaci, founder of the Qing Dynasty. She bore Nurhaci three sons - Ajige, Dorgon, and Dodo. She was erroneously identified with Nurhaci's son and successor, Hong Taiji, in earlier sources....
in order to block the succession of his younger brother. This is speculated because at the time of Nurhaci's death, there were 4 Lords/Beile with Hong Taiji as the lowest rank, but also the most fit one. Originally, at the end of Nurhaci's reign, Hong Taiji got hold of the two White Banners, but after Lady Abahai's death, he switched his two banners with Dorgon and Dodo's two Yellow banners (Nurhaci gave his two Yellow Banners to the two). In the end, Hong Taiji had control over the 2 strongest/highest class banners- the Plain/Bordered Yellow Banner and the most influence. From there, he slowly got rid of his competitor's powers. Later, he would also receive the Plain Blue Banner from one of Šurhaci
Šurhaci
Šurhaci ; ) , was a Jurchen leader, a member of the Aisin Gioro clan, he was a younger brother of Nurhaci, the founder of the Later Jin Dynasty, of what would become the Qing Dynasty...
's sons, which was the 3rd strongest banner as it was controlled by Nurhaci's brother. Those 3 banners would officially become the Upper Three Banners during the early part of the Qing Dynasty.
His reign
During his reign, he started using officials of the Han ethnicityHan Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
. Originally during Nurhaci's reign, Han people were heavily discriminated as Nurhaci despised them. Hong Taiji started incorporating Han people into the country and government. He realized that they would still be the majority and the Manchus would still be the minority, which means to control the Han people, they would need to live together or else the Qing Dynasty would be a repeat of the Yuan Dynasty.
Expansion
He continued the expansion of the state in the region later known as ManchuriaManchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
, pushing deeper into Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
and raiding Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and Ming China. His personal military abilities were widely praised and he effectively developed the military-civil administration known as the Eight Banners or Banner system. This system was well-suited to accept the different peoples, primarily Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
and Mongols, who joined the Manchu state either following negotiated agreements or military defeat.
In 1636, Hong Taiji invaded the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
(see the Second Manchu invasion of Korea
Second Manchu invasion of Korea
The second Manchu invasion of Korea occurred in 1636, when the Manchu Qing Empire brought Korea's Joseon dynasty into submission. It followed the first Manchu invasion of Korea of 1627.-Background:...
), as the latter did not accept that Hong Taiji had become emperor. With the Joseon Dynasty surrendered in 1637, Hong Taiji succeeded in making them cut off relations with the Ming Dynasty and force them to submit as tributary state
Tributary state
The term tributary state refers to one of the two main ways in which a pre-modern state might be subordinate to a more powerful neighbour. The heart of the relationship was that the tributary would send a regular token of submission to the superior power...
of the Qing Empire. Also during this period, Hung Taji took over Inner Mongolia in three major wars, each of them victorious. In 1640 he completed the conquest of the Evenks
Evenks
The Evenks are a Tungusic people of Northern Asia. In Russia, the Evenks are recognized as one of the Indigenous peoples of the Russian North, with a population of 35,527...
, when he defeated and captured their leader Bombogor
Bombogor (Evenk chief)
Bombogor was an Evenk chief, leader of the Evenk federation. His power base laid on the basin of the Amur river...
.
At the same time, Hong Taji upgraded the weapons of the Empire. He realized the advantage of the Red Cannons and later also bought the Red Cannons into the army. Though the Ming Dynasty still had more Cannons, Hong Taji now possessed the cannons of equal might and Asia's strongest cavalry.
Huang Taji's plan at first was to make a deal with the Ming Dynasty. If the Ming Dynasty was willing to give support and money that would be beneficial to the Qing's economy, the Qing Dynasty in exchange would not only be willing to not attack the borders, but also admit itself as a country one level lower than the Ming Dynasty; however, since all the Ming Court were reminded of the Jin Empire during the Song Dynasty, the court heavily refused the exchange. This ultimately forced Huang Taji to take the offensive.
The Change from Jin to Qing
In 1635, Hong Taiji changed the name of his people from Jurchen (ManchuManchu language
Manchu is a Tungusic endangered language spoken in Northeast China; it used to be the language of the Manchu, though now most Manchus speak Mandarin Chinese and there are fewer than 70 native speakers of Manchu out of a total of nearly 10 million ethnic Manchus...
: Jušen) to Manchu, or
Manju in the Manchu languageManchu language
Manchu is a Tungusic endangered language spoken in Northeast China; it used to be the language of the Manchu, though now most Manchus speak Mandarin Chinese and there are fewer than 70 native speakers of Manchu out of a total of nearly 10 million ethnic Manchus...
. The original meaning of Manju is not known and so the reasons for its adoption remain opaque. There are many theories as to the reason for the choice of name but two of the most commonly cited are its sounding similar to the Manchu word for "brave" and a possible connection with the Bodhisattva Manjusri
Manjusri
Mañjuśrī is a bodhisattva associated with transcendent wisdom in Mahāyāna Buddhism. In Esoteric Buddhism he is also taken as a meditational deity. The Sanskrit name Mañjuśrī can be translated as "Gentle Glory"...
, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, of whom Nurhaci claimed to be an incarnation.
The dynastic name Later Jin was a direct reference to the Jin dynasty founded by the Jurchen people, who ruled northern China from 1115 to 1234. As such, the name was likely to be viewed as closely tied to the Jurchens and would perhaps evoke hostility from Chinese who viewed the Song dynasty, rival state to the Jin, as the legitimate rulers of China at that time. Hong Taiji's ambition was to conquer China proper
China proper
China proper or Eighteen Provinces was a term used by Western writers on the Qing Dynasty to express a distinction between the core and frontier regions of China. There is no fixed extent for China proper, as many administrative, cultural, and linguistic shifts have occurred in Chinese history...
and overthrow the Ming dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, and to do that required not only a powerful military force but also an effective bureaucratic administration. For this, he used the obvious model, that of the Ming government, and recruited Ming officials to his cause. If the name of Later Jin would prove an impediment to his goal among many Chinese, then it was not too much to change it. Whatever the precise motivation, Hong Taiji proclaimed the establishment of the Qing dynasty in 1636. The reasons for the choice of Qing as the new name are likewise unclear, although it has been speculated that the sound - Jin and Qing are pronounced similarly in Manchu
Manchu language
Manchu is a Tungusic endangered language spoken in Northeast China; it used to be the language of the Manchu, though now most Manchus speak Mandarin Chinese and there are fewer than 70 native speakers of Manchu out of a total of nearly 10 million ethnic Manchus...
- or wuxing
Five elements (Chinese philosophy)
The Wu Xing, also known as the Five Phases, the Five Agents, the Five Movements, and the Five Steps/Stages, are chiefly an ancient mnemonic device, in many traditional Chinese fields....
theory - traditional ideas held that fire, associated with the character for Ming, was overcome by water, associated with the character for Qing - may have influenced the choice. Another possible reason may be that Hong Taiji changed the name of the dynasty from (Later)Jin to Qing in 1636 because of internecine fraternal struggle and skirmish between brothers and half brothers for the throne. According to Taoist philosophy,
the name Jin has the meaning of metal and fire in its constituent,
thereby igniting the tempers of the brothers of the Manchu Royal household into open conflicts and wars.
Huangtaiji therefore adopted the new name of Qing 清, the Chinese character of which has the water symbol [3 strokes] on its left hand side. The name, which means clear and transparent, with its water symbol was hoped to put out the feud among the brothers of the Manchu Royal household.
The banners status
Before Hong Taiji was emperor, he controlled the 2 White banners. Upon Nurhaci's death, Hong Taiji immediately switched his 2 White Banners with Nurhaci's 2 Yellow Banners, which should have been passed on to Dorgun and his brothers. As the emperor, he is the holder of 3 banners out of 8. He controlled the Upper 3 Banners or the Elite banners of the time which at the time were the Plain/Bordered Yellow Banner and Plain Blue Banner. Later the Plain Blue Banner was switched by Dorgun to Plain White Banner as the 3rd Elite Banner. At the end of his reign, Huang Taji gave the 2 Yellow Banners to his eldest son-Haoge. Daisan, who was the 2nd son of Nurhaci, and his son controlled the 2 Red Banners. Dorgun and his 2 brothers controlled the 2 White Banners and Surachi's son-Chiurhala- controlled the remaining and Striped Blue Banner again.Death
Hong Taiji died on 21 September, possibly of stroke, just a few months before his army would seize control of BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. He actually issued an order for Xiao Zhuang Wen to follow him into the afterlife, however Dorgon forced him to change the decree. Since he was dying, he did not want to waste anymore time and changed his follower to Imperial Consort Chen. He therefore did not live to see his ambition of conquering Ming China come about, although his son, the Shunzhi Emperor
Shunzhi Emperor
The Shunzhi Emperor was the third emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the first Qing emperor to rule over China, which he did from 1644 to 1661. "Shunzhi" was the name of his reign period...
, succeeded him and became the first of the Qing dynasty emperors to govern China. That the Qing state succeeded not only in conquering China but also in establishing a capable administration was due in large measure to the foresight and policies of Hong Taiji. His body was buried in Zhaoling, located in northern Shenyang
Shenyang
Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
.
Legacy
As the emperor, he is commonly recognized as having abilities similar to the best emperors such as Yongle, Tang Taizong because of his effective rule, effective use of talent, and effective warring skills. According to half historian and half writer Jin Yong, Huang Taji had the broad and wise views of Qin Shi HuangQin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
, Emperor Gaozu of Han, Emperor Guangwu of Han
Emperor Guangwu of Han
Emperor Guangwu , born Liu Xiu, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty, restorer of the dynasty in AD 25 and thus founder of the Later Han or Eastern Han...
, Emperor Wen of Sui
Emperor Wen of Sui
Emperor Wen of Sui — personal name Yang Jian , Xianbei name Puliuru Jian , nickname Naluoyan — was the founder and first emperor of China's Sui Dynasty . He was a hard-working administrator and a micromanager. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through the state...
, Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
, Emperor Taizu of Song
Emperor Taizu of Song
Emperor Tàizǔ , born Zhao Kuangyin , was the founder of the Song Dynasty of China, reigning from 960 to 976.-Ancestry and early life:...
, Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan , born Kublai and also known by the temple name Shizu , was the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294 and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China...
, the Hongwu Emperor
Hongwu Emperor
The Hongwu Emperor , known variably by his given name Zhu Yuanzhang and by his temple name Taizu of Ming , was the founder and first emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China...
, and the Yongle Emperor
Yongle Emperor
The Yongle Emperor , born Zhu Di , was the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China from 1402 to 1424. His Chinese era name Yongle means "Perpetual Happiness".He was the Prince of Yan , possessing a heavy military base in Beiping...
. His ability to use people was only paralleled by Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
, Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
, and Emperor Guangwu of Han
Emperor Guangwu of Han
Emperor Guangwu , born Liu Xiu, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty, restorer of the dynasty in AD 25 and thus founder of the Later Han or Eastern Han...
. In this sense, Huang Taji is like the true beginning emperor for the Qing Dynasty. Some historians suspect Huang Taji was overall underrated and overlooked as a great emperor because he was a Manchu.
Family
- Father
- NurhaciNurhaciNurhaci was an important Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late sixteenth century in what is today Northeastern China...
- Nurhaci
- Mother
- Empress Xiaocigao, daughter of Prince Yangginu of the Yehenara (葉赫部貝勒楊吉砮)
Consorts
- Empress Xiaoduanwen
- Empress Dowager Xiao Zhuang, initially Consort Zhuang (莊妃)
- Consort Chen
- Noble Consort of Linzhi Palace (麟趾宫贵妃), posthumously titled Great Noble Consort Yi Jing (懿靖大貴妃) (died 1674), personal name BorjigitBorjiginBorjigin , also known as the Altan urug , were the imperial clan of Genghis Khan and his successors....
Namuzhong (博爾濟吉特.娜木鍾) - Virtuous Consort of Yanqing Palace (衍庆宫淑妃), posthumously titled Virtuous Consort Kang Hui (康惠淑妃) (died 1667), personal name BorjigitBorjiginBorjigin , also known as the Altan urug , were the imperial clan of Genghis Khan and his successors....
Batemazhao (博爾濟吉特.巴特瑪璪) - First Consort (元妃; Yuan Fei), Hong Taiji's first wife, daughter of Prince Eidu of the Niuhuru
- Successor Consort (继妃; Ji Fei), of the Ulanara clan
- Side Chamber Consort Yehenara (葉赫那拉側妃)
- Side Chamber Consort Zaruborjigit (扎魯特博爾濟吉特側妃)
- Ordinary Consort Nara (納喇庶妃)
- Ordinary Consort Hilei (奇壘庶妃)
- Ordinary Consort Yanja (顏扎庶妃)
- Ordinary Consort Irgen Gioro (伊爾根覺羅庶妃)
- unnamed Ordinary Consort
- unnamed Ordinary Consort
Sons
- HoogeHooge, Prince SuHooge was a prominent Manchu prince. He was the eldest son of Emperor Huang Taiji of the Qing Dynasty. He was the founder of the House of Prince Su .-Life:...
(1609–1648). - Loge (1611–1621).
- Gebohui (1611–1617).
- Yebušu (1627–1690).
- Sose (1628–1655).
- Gose (1637–1670).
- Cangšu (1637–1699).
- unnamed eighth son who died young (1637–1638).
- FulinShunzhi EmperorThe Shunzhi Emperor was the third emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the first Qing emperor to rule over China, which he did from 1644 to 1661. "Shunzhi" was the name of his reign period...
(1638–1661). - Taose (1639–1695).
- Bombogor (1642–1656).
Daughters
- State Princess Aukhan (敖漢固倫公主)(1621–1654) married in 1633 Bandi of the Mongolian Borjigit clan.
- State Princess Wen Zhuang (固倫靖端長公主), personal name Makata (馬喀塔) (1625–1663), married Eje of the Chakhar Mongols in 1635. In 1661 Eje died and Makata married Eje's younger brother Abunai.
- State Princess Jing Duan (固倫靖端長公主) (1628–1686) married Jitate of the Mongolian Borjigit clan in 1639.
- State Princess Yong Mu (固倫雍穆長公主), personal name Yatu (雅圖) (1629–1678) married her cousin Birtakhar in 1641.
- State Princess Shu Hui (固倫淑慧長公主), personal name Atu (阿圖) (1632–1700).
- State Princess (1633–1649).
- State Princess Shu Zhe (固倫淑哲長公主) (1633–1648).
- State Princess Yong An (固倫永安長公主) (1634–1692).
- Ninth daughter (1635–1652).
- Tenth daughter (1635–1661).
- State Princess Duan Shun (固倫端順長公主) (1636–1650).
- Twelved daughter (1637–1678).
- Thirteenth daughter (1638–1657).
- Princess of the second rank Ke Chun (和碩恪純長公主) (1641–1704).
Sources
- The Last Emperors "A Social History of Qing Imperial Institutions", Evelyn S. Rawski. ISBN 0-520-22837-5
- Daily life in the Forbidden City, Wan Yi, Wang Shuqing, Lu Yanzhen. ISBN 0-670-81164-5.
- Qing imperial genealogy(清皇室四谱).
- Draft history of the Qing dynasty. 《清史稿》
- Qing dynasty Taizong’s veritable records《清太宗实录》
- Royal archives of the Qing dynasty (清宫档案).
See also
- Samjeondo MonumentSamjeondo MonumentThe Samjeondo Monument is a monument marking Korea's submission to Qing Dynasty of China in 1636 after Second Manchu invasion of Korea. its original name was Daecheong Hwangje Gongdeok Bi which means the stele to the merits and virtues of the Emperor of Great Qing...