Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun
Encyclopedia
The 2nd Prince Chun (12 February 1883 – 3 February 1951) was born Zaifeng , of the Manchu
Aisin-Gioro clan (the Qing imperial family ruling over China
). He was the leader of China between 1908 and 1911, serving as regent
for his son Puyi
, the Xuantong Emperor.
His courtesy name (字) was Yiyun (亦雲). His pseudonym (號), chosen in his older days, was Shupi (書癖).
. His mother was the 1st Prince Chun's second concubine, the Lady Lingiya
, a Han Chinese
maid at the Prince Chun Mansion
whose original Chinese family name was Liu
(劉) and was changed into the Manchu
clan's name Lingiya when she was made a Manchu
, which was required in order to become the concubine of a Manchu prince.
He was born in Beijing
while his older half-brother reigned as the Guangxu Emperor
, having been chosen by Empress Dowager Cixi
in 1875 to succeed the Tongzhi Emperor
. His branch of the imperial family had thus obtained the highest status, and was in a close relationship with Cixi. In January 1891, although he was not yet eight years old, his father, the 1st Prince Chun, died, and he was immediately made the new Prince of the First Rank Chun. In 1900, when the foreign powers entered Beijing, the fiancée of Prince Chun committed suicide reportedly to avoid the dishonor of rape.
following the Boxer Rebellion
and the intervention of foreign powers. Then, in June of that same year, at the insistence of the foreign powers which favored the brother of Guangxu over the other princes of the imperial family, the only 18-year-old Prince Chun was appointed ambassador extraordinary by the imperial court, in charge of conveying to the emperor of Germany
the regrets of the emperor of China for the murder of the German ambassador Baron von Ketteler
at the beginning of the Boxer uprising. Prince Chun set out by sea in July, met the German Kaiser
Wilhelm II in Berlin
in September of that same year, then visited several European countries and returned to China. He was one of the first members of the Chinese imperial family ever to travel abroad.
Cixi was quite pleased with the way he handled his mission in Germany (allegedly he refused to kneel in front of the Kaiser, a custom mandatory at the Chinese imperial court and which the Germans had insisted on him following in Berlin), and so he was appointed to several important posts in Beijing
in the following years. At the same time, Cixi was anguished by the favor that Prince Chun enjoyed with the foreign powers. One of the reasons why Prince Chun was appointed to so many important posts after 1901 was the fact that he was a protégé of the foreign powers which Cixi was very careful not to displease. However, she was as intent as ever on thwarting any challenge to her power, and so Prince Chun clearly posed a problem for her. Cixi saw an opportunity in 1902, on his return from Germany. Cixi ordered Prince Chun to marry Youlan
(幼蘭), the daughter of the Manchu general Ronglu
(榮祿) (1836–1903), from the Guwalgiya clan, one of the leaders of the conservative faction at the court, and a staunch supporter of Cixi. Ronglu had played a leading role in the brutal ending of the Hundred Days' Reform
, in 1898, and the internment of the Guangxu Emperor
that followed, and so Prince Chun greatly disliked him, and agreed to marry his daughter only because it was unthinkable to oppose Cixi. The marriage, however, was an unhappy one. With the 2nd prince Chun now firmly tied to her, Cixi saw no more danger, and when Puyi
was born in 1906 from the marriage, the infant became a likely heir to the throne. A second son, Pujie
, and three daughters, Wen Ying, Wen He, and Wen Wing, were also born of this marriage.
, the new emperor. At the age of 25, Prince Chun was made regent. The next day, Cixi died, ending her 47 years of almost continuous absolute power. Prince Chun was the regent of the Chinese empire for the next three years. His first concern was to punish Yuan Shikai
, the leader of the Beiyang Army
, who had betrayed his brother, the late emperor Guangxu, and supported Ronglu in the bloody ending of the Hundred Days' Reform
in 1898. Prince Chun was prevented from carrying out his plan of having Yuan Shikai assassinated, but Yuan was dismissed from his posts and sent back to his village in Henan
province under the pretense of "curing his foot disease".
For the next three years, the regent carried out the economic and political reforms that had been initiated after the Boxer Rebellion
ended in 1901, but he was torn between the conservative Manchu factions at the court and the progressive Han Chinese
officials in the provinces. Due to the regent's inexperience, he concentrated more power in the hands of a small ruling court which angered lower level bureaucrats. The regent promised a constitution by 1916 with preparatory steps in between. Beginning on February 5, 1909 China held its first provincial assembly and local council elections (Tianjin
held a council election as early as 1907). Twenty-one provincial assemblies took their seats on October 14. The vast majority elected were constitutional monarchists with a few crypto-revolutionaries and they turned the assemblies into hotbeds of dissent. Alarmed, the national assembly, which convened in Beijing on October 3, 1910 had half of its 200 members appointed to balance the other half elected by the provincial assemblies. The provinces sent 98 members to the capital since Xinjiang
, the 22nd province, had yet to hold elections to form an assembly due to its extreme backwardness. The regent only appointed 96 members. Nevertheless, it was the elected members that dominated the floor and wooed the appointed ones to their side. The national assembly urged the regent to speed up the constitutional process and create a true parliament so Zaifeng responded by cutting the expected date to 1913.
The Grand Council
was replaced by an Imperial Cabinet led by Prime Minister Yikuang
on May 8, 1911. It dismayed constitutionalists as the cabinet was not responsible to the national assembly and contained seven imperial relatives with four token Han Chinese among its 13 members, breaking a long standing policy of appointing equal numbers of both ethnicity. More power was concentrated in the hands of the Manchu minority than at any time since the dynasty's early years. The next day, the government announced that it will nationalize major railroads. The nationalization infuriated many businessmen who invested heavily in rail and was told they would be compensated with only a portion of what they invested. This alienated many bourgeoisie and gentry and turned them towards revolution. They started the Railway Protection Movement
to oppose nationalization.
The period saw the revolutionaries attempting several insurrections to overthrow the dynasty, and there was even one attempt to assassinate the regent by Wang Jingwei
in February 1910. Prince Chun did not have the maneuvering talent nor the lust for power of the late Cixi, and he proved often indecisive and probably unfit for this troubled period.
In 1910, he ousted the 13th Dalai Lama from Tibet
who would not return from India
until 1913, whereupon the Dalai Lama declared Tibet independent.
Eventually, on 10 October 1911, the Wuchang Uprising
started the Xinhai Revolution
, which was to overthrow the Qing dynasty. The court was forced to call Yuan Shikai
back, despite the regent's deep aversion for him, as Yuan was the only one capable of defeating the revolutionaries. Yuan became prime minister on 16 November. Prince Chun, now deprived of any real power, and with his worst enemy in power, stepped down on 6 December 1911, and was replaced by Empress Dowager Longyu
(隆裕太后) (his sister-in-law) as regent. As he returned to his home that day, he was quoted telling his family: "Now I am back among the family, and I can finally care for the children". The three years of the regency were certainly the most painful years in his life; he never relished power the way Cixi or Yuan Shikai did, and witnesses say he was relieved when he left office.
and later the communists
, who appreciated his peaceful stepping down from power and acceptance of the republic
, in sharp contrast with Yuan Shikai or other warlords. Sun Yat-sen
even paid him a visit in Beijing in September 1912, on which occasion he congratulated Prince Chun, and Prince Chun formally declared he accepted the new Republic of China.
At the death of Empress Dowager Longyu
in 1913, he was put in charge of the small imperial court that remained around the now non-ruling emperor Puyi, and he managed all the affairs regarding the court until 1924 when Puyi was expelled from the Forbidden City
. In 1917, when Puyi was briefly restored on the throne by the warlord Zhang Xun
, the 2nd prince Chun played no significant role, as the slogan of Zhang Xun was "Do not allow the relatives of the emperor to participate in the government" ("不准親貴參政").
He lived in his palace in Beijing, the Northern Residence (北府), until 1928. He spent his time away from politics, spending his days in the large library of his palace, avidly reading historical books and newly published magazines. Sometime after 1911, as unhappy with his wife as ever, he married a concubine, with whom he had several children. His principal wife, the mother of Puyi
, committed suicide in 1921 by swallowing opium
after being scolded at a public audience by Dowager Consort Duankang (端康太妃) for the misconduct of the young emperor Puyi. Dowager Consort Duankang was the highest ranking woman in the Forbidden City
since the death of Empress Dowager Longyu
in 1913.
In 1928, he moved to Tianjin
where he lived in the British and Japanese concessions. In August 1939, as Tianjin was devastated by flooding, he relocated to the Northern Residence in Beijing. He was not in favor of the idea of establishing a Manchukuo
state under Japanese control, and warned his son Puyi against the project, but he was not listened to. After Puyi became emperor of Manchukuo, he paid his son three visits, but ostensibly refused to take part in Manchukuo affairs. Puyi wanted to have him live close by in Manchukuo, but he refused and used the excuse of an illness to return to Beijing. At the end of the World War II
, when the Kuomintang
recovered Beijing from the Japanese, a letter of sympathy was dispatched to him by the municipality of Beijing in recognition of his attitude during the Japanese occupation.
When the communists took control
of mainland China in 1949, he was again honored and party members took care of him. He sold the Northern Residence to the government out of financial needs. Then, thankful for the good treatment he received from the new government, he donated his library and his art collection to Peking University
. He also gave money for the relief of the victims of the terrible flooding of the Huai River
(淮河) in 1950. At the start of the Korean War
, he was prominent in the movement of subscription to the Chinese government Victory Bonds. He died shortly afterwards on 3 February 1951 in Beijing
.
Many of his descendants reside in Beijing, including Jin Youzhi
, Jin Yuzhang
and Jin Yulan. Many have changed their Manchu clan name Aisin-Gioro into the Chinese family name Jin
(金, meaning "Gold", a direct translation of Manchu aisin).
constitutional monarchy
had the Xinhai Revolution
not occurred.
He married his primary wife, the Lady Guwalgiya Youlan
, on 2 February 1902. They had two sons and three daughters:
By his concubine, Lady Dengiya, he had an additional two sons and four daughters:
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...
Aisin-Gioro clan (the Qing imperial family ruling over China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
). He was the leader of China between 1908 and 1911, serving as regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
for his son Puyi
Puyi
Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the...
, the Xuantong Emperor.
His courtesy name (字) was Yiyun (亦雲). His pseudonym (號), chosen in his older days, was Shupi (書癖).
Family and Childhood
He was the second oldest surviving son of the Yixuan, 1st Prince ChunYixuan, 1st Prince Chun
Yixuan, 1st Prince Chun was a prince of the Qing Dynasty, the last reigning dynasty of China. He was the father of the dynasty's penultimate emperor, the Guangxu Emperor, and the paternal grandfather of China's last emperor, Puyi.-Birth and early life:Aisin Gioro Yi Xuan was born a son of the...
. His mother was the 1st Prince Chun's second concubine, the Lady Lingiya
Lady Lingiya
Lady Lingiya was second concubine of the 1st Prince Chun. She was the mother of the 2nd Prince Chun. This made her the paternal grandmother of the last Chinese Emperor Puyi....
, a Han 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...
maid at the Prince Chun Mansion
Prince Chun Mansion
The Prince Chun Mansion is a large residence mansion in the siheyuan style and garden located near the Shichahai in central Beijing. Originally it was the lavish residence house of Prince Chun, now the mansion is a public museum and opens to visitors all year around....
whose original Chinese family name was Liu
Liu
劉 is a common Chinese family name. The transliteration Liu can represent several different surnames written in different Chinese characters:*劉 / 刘, pinyin: Liú...
(劉) and was changed into the 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...
clan's name Lingiya when she was made a 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...
, which was required in order to become the concubine of a Manchu prince.
He was born in Beijing
Beijing
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...
while his older half-brother reigned as the Guangxu Emperor
Guangxu Emperor
The Guangxu Emperor , born Zaitian of the Aisin-Gioro clan, was the eleventh emperor of the Manchurian Qing Dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, under Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, only from 1889 to 1898...
, having been chosen by Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
in 1875 to succeed the Tongzhi Emperor
Tongzhi Emperor
The Tongzhi Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro Dzai Šun, was the tenth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1861 to 1875. His reign, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother, the Empress...
. His branch of the imperial family had thus obtained the highest status, and was in a close relationship with Cixi. In January 1891, although he was not yet eight years old, his father, the 1st Prince Chun, died, and he was immediately made the new Prince of the First Rank Chun. In 1900, when the foreign powers entered Beijing, the fiancée of Prince Chun committed suicide reportedly to avoid the dishonor of rape.
Life in Government
At the end of February or the beginning of March 1901, he was appointed Army Inspector by the imperial court which had taken refuge in Xi'anXi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
following the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
and the intervention of foreign powers. Then, in June of that same year, at the insistence of the foreign powers which favored the brother of Guangxu over the other princes of the imperial family, the only 18-year-old Prince Chun was appointed ambassador extraordinary by the imperial court, in charge of conveying to the emperor of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
the regrets of the emperor of China for the murder of the German ambassador Baron von Ketteler
Klemens von Ketteler
Clemens August Freiherr von Ketteler was a German career diplomat. He was killed during the Boxer Rebellion.-Family and early career:...
at the beginning of the Boxer uprising. Prince Chun set out by sea in July, met the German Kaiser
Kaiser
Kaiser is the German title meaning "Emperor", with Kaiserin being the female equivalent, "Empress". Like the Russian Czar it is directly derived from the Latin Emperors' title of Caesar, which in turn is derived from the personal name of a branch of the gens Julia, to which Gaius Julius Caesar,...
Wilhelm II in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in September of that same year, then visited several European countries and returned to China. He was one of the first members of the Chinese imperial family ever to travel abroad.
Cixi was quite pleased with the way he handled his mission in Germany (allegedly he refused to kneel in front of the Kaiser, a custom mandatory at the Chinese imperial court and which the Germans had insisted on him following in Berlin), and so he was appointed to several important posts in Beijing
Beijing
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...
in the following years. At the same time, Cixi was anguished by the favor that Prince Chun enjoyed with the foreign powers. One of the reasons why Prince Chun was appointed to so many important posts after 1901 was the fact that he was a protégé of the foreign powers which Cixi was very careful not to displease. However, she was as intent as ever on thwarting any challenge to her power, and so Prince Chun clearly posed a problem for her. Cixi saw an opportunity in 1902, on his return from Germany. Cixi ordered Prince Chun to marry Youlan
Youlan, 2nd Princess Chun
Youlan , was the mother of the last Chinese emperor Puyi, also known as the Xuantong Emperor. She was married to Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun and also gave birth to another son, Puyi's younger brother Pujie, and three daughters....
(幼蘭), the daughter of the Manchu general Ronglu
Ronglu
Ronglu was a Manchu statesman and general during the late Qing dynasty. Born into the powerful Guwalgiya clan of the Plain White Banner in the Eight Banners, he was cousin to Yehenara Lan, who later became Empress Dowager Cixi...
(榮祿) (1836–1903), from the Guwalgiya clan, one of the leaders of the conservative faction at the court, and a staunch supporter of Cixi. Ronglu had played a leading role in the brutal ending of the Hundred Days' Reform
Hundred Days' Reform
The Hundred Days' Reform was a failed 104-day national cultural, political and educational reform movement from 11 June to 21 September 1898 in late Qing Dynasty China. It was undertaken by the young Guangxu Emperor and his reform-minded supporters...
, in 1898, and the internment of the Guangxu Emperor
Guangxu Emperor
The Guangxu Emperor , born Zaitian of the Aisin-Gioro clan, was the eleventh emperor of the Manchurian Qing Dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, under Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, only from 1889 to 1898...
that followed, and so Prince Chun greatly disliked him, and agreed to marry his daughter only because it was unthinkable to oppose Cixi. The marriage, however, was an unhappy one. With the 2nd prince Chun now firmly tied to her, Cixi saw no more danger, and when Puyi
Puyi
Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the...
was born in 1906 from the marriage, the infant became a likely heir to the throne. A second son, Pujie
Pujie
-External links:**...
, and three daughters, Wen Ying, Wen He, and Wen Wing, were also born of this marriage.
Regency
On 14 November 1908, the Guangxu Emperor died. On the same day, an edict from Empress Dowager Cixi proclaimed Prince Chun's eldest son, PuyiPuyi
Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the...
, the new emperor. At the age of 25, Prince Chun was made regent. The next day, Cixi died, ending her 47 years of almost continuous absolute power. Prince Chun was the regent of the Chinese empire for the next three years. His first concern was to punish Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived...
, the leader of the Beiyang Army
Beiyang Army
The Beiyang Army was a powerful, Western-style Chinese military force created by the Qing Dynasty government in the late 19th century. It was the centerpiece of a general reconstruction of China's military system. The Beiyang Army played a major role in Chinese politics for at least three decades...
, who had betrayed his brother, the late emperor Guangxu, and supported Ronglu in the bloody ending of the Hundred Days' Reform
Hundred Days' Reform
The Hundred Days' Reform was a failed 104-day national cultural, political and educational reform movement from 11 June to 21 September 1898 in late Qing Dynasty China. It was undertaken by the young Guangxu Emperor and his reform-minded supporters...
in 1898. Prince Chun was prevented from carrying out his plan of having Yuan Shikai assassinated, but Yuan was dismissed from his posts and sent back to his village in Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
province under the pretense of "curing his foot disease".
For the next three years, the regent carried out the economic and political reforms that had been initiated after the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
ended in 1901, but he was torn between the conservative Manchu factions at the court and the progressive Han 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...
officials in the provinces. Due to the regent's inexperience, he concentrated more power in the hands of a small ruling court which angered lower level bureaucrats. The regent promised a constitution by 1916 with preparatory steps in between. Beginning on February 5, 1909 China held its first provincial assembly and local council elections (Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
held a council election as early as 1907). Twenty-one provincial assemblies took their seats on October 14. The vast majority elected were constitutional monarchists with a few crypto-revolutionaries and they turned the assemblies into hotbeds of dissent. Alarmed, the national assembly, which convened in Beijing on October 3, 1910 had half of its 200 members appointed to balance the other half elected by the provincial assemblies. The provinces sent 98 members to the capital since Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
, the 22nd province, had yet to hold elections to form an assembly due to its extreme backwardness. The regent only appointed 96 members. Nevertheless, it was the elected members that dominated the floor and wooed the appointed ones to their side. The national assembly urged the regent to speed up the constitutional process and create a true parliament so Zaifeng responded by cutting the expected date to 1913.
The Grand Council
Grand Council
The Grand Council or Junjichu was an important policy-making body in the Qing Empire. It was established in 1733 by the Yongzheng Emperor...
was replaced by an Imperial Cabinet led by Prime Minister Yikuang
Yikuang, Prince Qing
Yikuang, the Prince Qing , was a Manchu prince of the late Qing Dynasty, who was the first premier of China...
on May 8, 1911. It dismayed constitutionalists as the cabinet was not responsible to the national assembly and contained seven imperial relatives with four token Han Chinese among its 13 members, breaking a long standing policy of appointing equal numbers of both ethnicity. More power was concentrated in the hands of the Manchu minority than at any time since the dynasty's early years. The next day, the government announced that it will nationalize major railroads. The nationalization infuriated many businessmen who invested heavily in rail and was told they would be compensated with only a portion of what they invested. This alienated many bourgeoisie and gentry and turned them towards revolution. They started the Railway Protection Movement
Railway Protection Movement
The Railway Protection Movement , also known as the "Railway Rights Protection Movement", was a political protest movement that erupted in 1911 in late Qing China against the Qing government's plan to nationalize local railway development projects and transfer control to foreign banks...
to oppose nationalization.
The period saw the revolutionaries attempting several insurrections to overthrow the dynasty, and there was even one attempt to assassinate the regent by Wang Jingwei
Wang Jingwei
Wang Jingwei , alternate name Wang Zhaoming, was a Chinese politician. He was initially known as a member of the left wing of the Kuomintang , but later became increasingly anti-Communist after his efforts to collaborate with the CCP ended in political failure...
in February 1910. Prince Chun did not have the maneuvering talent nor the lust for power of the late Cixi, and he proved often indecisive and probably unfit for this troubled period.
In 1910, he ousted the 13th Dalai Lama from Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
who would not return from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
until 1913, whereupon the Dalai Lama declared Tibet independent.
Eventually, on 10 October 1911, the Wuchang Uprising
Wuchang Uprising
The Wuchang Uprising began with the dissatisfaction of the handling of a railway crisis. The crisis then escalated to an uprising where the revolutionaries went up against Qing government officials. The uprising was then assisted by the New Army in a coup against their own authorities in the city...
started the Xinhai Revolution
Xinhai Revolution
The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China...
, which was to overthrow the Qing dynasty. The court was forced to call Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived...
back, despite the regent's deep aversion for him, as Yuan was the only one capable of defeating the revolutionaries. Yuan became prime minister on 16 November. Prince Chun, now deprived of any real power, and with his worst enemy in power, stepped down on 6 December 1911, and was replaced by Empress Dowager Longyu
Empress Dowager Longyu
Empress Xiao Ding Jing ; is better known as the Empress Dowager Longyu , . Also , she had the nickname was Xizi （喜子）. Empress Xiao Ding Jing was the Qing Dynasty Empress Consort of the Guangxu Emperor who ruled China from 1875 till 1908...
(隆裕太后) (his sister-in-law) as regent. As he returned to his home that day, he was quoted telling his family: "Now I am back among the family, and I can finally care for the children". The three years of the regency were certainly the most painful years in his life; he never relished power the way Cixi or Yuan Shikai did, and witnesses say he was relieved when he left office.
Life after the Qing Dynasty
After he returned to private life, the 2nd Prince Chun remained a respected figure, both among the republicansKuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
and later the communists
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
, who appreciated his peaceful stepping down from power and acceptance of the republic
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, in sharp contrast with Yuan Shikai or other warlords. Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
even paid him a visit in Beijing in September 1912, on which occasion he congratulated Prince Chun, and Prince Chun formally declared he accepted the new Republic of China.
At the death of Empress Dowager Longyu
Empress Dowager Longyu
Empress Xiao Ding Jing ; is better known as the Empress Dowager Longyu , . Also , she had the nickname was Xizi （喜子）. Empress Xiao Ding Jing was the Qing Dynasty Empress Consort of the Guangxu Emperor who ruled China from 1875 till 1908...
in 1913, he was put in charge of the small imperial court that remained around the now non-ruling emperor Puyi, and he managed all the affairs regarding the court until 1924 when Puyi was expelled from the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
. In 1917, when Puyi was briefly restored on the throne by the warlord Zhang Xun
Zhang Xun (Republic of China)
Zhang Xun was a Qing-loyalist general who attempted to restore the abdicated emperor Puyi in 1917. He supported Yuan Shikai during his time as president....
, the 2nd prince Chun played no significant role, as the slogan of Zhang Xun was "Do not allow the relatives of the emperor to participate in the government" ("不准親貴參政").
He lived in his palace in Beijing, the Northern Residence (北府), until 1928. He spent his time away from politics, spending his days in the large library of his palace, avidly reading historical books and newly published magazines. Sometime after 1911, as unhappy with his wife as ever, he married a concubine, with whom he had several children. His principal wife, the mother of Puyi
Puyi
Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the...
, committed suicide in 1921 by swallowing opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
after being scolded at a public audience by Dowager Consort Duankang (端康太妃) for the misconduct of the young emperor Puyi. Dowager Consort Duankang was the highest ranking woman in the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
since the death of Empress Dowager Longyu
Empress Dowager Longyu
Empress Xiao Ding Jing ; is better known as the Empress Dowager Longyu , . Also , she had the nickname was Xizi （喜子）. Empress Xiao Ding Jing was the Qing Dynasty Empress Consort of the Guangxu Emperor who ruled China from 1875 till 1908...
in 1913.
In 1928, he moved to Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
where he lived in the British and Japanese concessions. In August 1939, as Tianjin was devastated by flooding, he relocated to the Northern Residence in Beijing. He was not in favor of the idea of establishing a Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
state under Japanese control, and warned his son Puyi against the project, but he was not listened to. After Puyi became emperor of Manchukuo, he paid his son three visits, but ostensibly refused to take part in Manchukuo affairs. Puyi wanted to have him live close by in Manchukuo, but he refused and used the excuse of an illness to return to Beijing. At the end of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
recovered Beijing from the Japanese, a letter of sympathy was dispatched to him by the municipality of Beijing in recognition of his attitude during the Japanese occupation.
When the communists took control
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
of mainland China in 1949, he was again honored and party members took care of him. He sold the Northern Residence to the government out of financial needs. Then, thankful for the good treatment he received from the new government, he donated his library and his art collection to Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
. He also gave money for the relief of the victims of the terrible flooding of the Huai River
Huai River
The Huai River is a major river in China. The Huai River is located about mid-way between the Yellow River and Yangtze River, the two largest rivers in China, and like them runs from west to east...
(淮河) in 1950. At the start of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, he was prominent in the movement of subscription to the Chinese government Victory Bonds. He died shortly afterwards on 3 February 1951 in Beijing
Beijing
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...
.
Many of his descendants reside in Beijing, including Jin Youzhi
Jin Youzhi
Jīn Yǒuzhī , born Pǔrèn , is the fourth and youngest son of Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun, and is, at age , the only surviving brother of Puyi, the last Emperor of China and of Manchukuo....
, Jin Yuzhang
Jin Yuzhang
Jīn Yùzhàng is a descendant of the Qīng Dynasty , the Imperial Family of the Aisin-Gioro clan. He is the eldest grandson of Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun, and the eldest son of Jin Youzhi, formerly Pǔrèn, making Jin an heir to the Chinese throne. According to a succession law adopted in 1937, the...
and Jin Yulan. Many have changed their Manchu clan name Aisin-Gioro into the Chinese family name Jin
Jin (surname)
Jin is a Chinese family name. It literally means "gold" and is No. 29 of the Hundred Family Surnames. The surname is also used in Vietnam and Korea, where it is romanized as Kim and in Hong Kong, in Cantonese, Kam...
(金, meaning "Gold", a direct translation of Manchu aisin).
Opinion
Opinions vary on the second prince Chun and his regency. While some describe him as a conservative who tried to reassert Manchu grasp on power despite rapidly changing times, others insist on the reforms that he implemented while regent, reforms which might well have turned China into a liberalLiberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
had the Xinhai Revolution
Xinhai Revolution
The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China...
not occurred.
Issue
The 2nd Prince Chun had a total of eleven children with his two wives.He married his primary wife, the Lady Guwalgiya Youlan
Youlan, 2nd Princess Chun
Youlan , was the mother of the last Chinese emperor Puyi, also known as the Xuantong Emperor. She was married to Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun and also gave birth to another son, Puyi's younger brother Pujie, and three daughters....
, on 2 February 1902. They had two sons and three daughters:
| Name | Other names | Born | Died | Spouse | Issue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puyi Puyi Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the... 溥儀 |
Courtesy name Chinese style name A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect... : Yaozhi (耀之) Pseudonym Pseudonym A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym... : Haoran (浩然) Other: Pu Haoran (溥浩然) |
7 February 1906 Prince Chun Mansion Prince Chun Mansion The Prince Chun Mansion is a large residence mansion in the siheyuan style and garden located near the Shichahai in central Beijing. Originally it was the lavish residence house of Prince Chun, now the mansion is a public museum and opens to visitors all year around.... , Beijing Beijing 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... |
17 October 1967 Beijing Beijing 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... |
1st wife: Gobulo Wanrong, Empress Xiaokemin 1st concubine: Erdet Wenxiu, Imperial Consort Shu 2nd concubine: Tan Yuling, Imperial Noble Consort Mingxian Tan Yuling -External links:*... 3rd concubine: Li Yuqin, Honored Lady Fu Li Yuqin Li Yuqin , also known as the "Last Imperial Concubine" , was the fourth wife and last Imperial Concubine of Puyi, the last Emperor of China's Qing Dynasty.... 2nd wife: Li Shuxian Li Shuxian Li Shuxian aka Li Shu-Hsien was the fifth and last wife of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty in China.... |
none | Ascended the throne as the Xuantong Emperor Puyi Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the... on 2 December 1908; Abdicated on 12 February 1912; Restored as Emperor on 1 July 1917 by Zhang Xun Zhang Xun (Republic of China) Zhang Xun was a Qing-loyalist general who attempted to restore the abdicated emperor Puyi in 1917. He supported Yuan Shikai during his time as president.... ; Restoration failed on 12 July 1917; Created puppet Emperor of Manchukuo by the Japanese on 1 March 1934; Deposed on 15 August 1945 |
| Pujie Pujie -External links:**... 溥傑 |
Courtesy name Chinese style name A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect... : Junzhi (俊之) Other: Pu Junzhi (溥俊之) |
16 April 1907 Beijing Beijing 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... |
28 February 1994 Beijing Beijing 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... |
Tang Shixia Lady Hiro Saga Hiro Saga - External links :*... |
By Tang Shixia: none By Lady Hiro Saga Hiro Saga - External links :*... : Princess Huisheng Huisheng Aisin-Gioro Huisheng was a Princess of the Manchu ruling family. She was the elder daughter of Pujie and his Japanese wife, the noblewoman Hiro Saga. Her uncle, Puyi, was the last Emperor of the Qing Dynasty.... Princess Yunsheng |
|
| Yunying 韞媖 |
none | 1909 | 1925 | Gobulo Runliang (郭布羅 潤良) (younger brother of Empress Wanrong) |
none | |
| Yunhe 韞和 |
Jin Xinru (金欣如) | 1911 | 2001 | Zheng Guangyuan (鄭廣元) (son of Zheng Yu (鄭禹); grandson of Zheng Xiaoxu Zheng Xiaoxu Zhèng Xiàoxū . Chinese statesman, diplomat and calligrapher.-Early life and diplomatic career:Although Zheng traced his ancestral roots to Minhou, a small town near Fuzhou, he was born in Suzhou, Jiangsu... ) |
Zheng Yingcai (鄭英才) two other daughters one son |
|
| Yunyǐng 韞穎 |
Courtesy name Chinese style name A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect... : Ruixiu (蕊秀) Other: Jin Ruixiu (金蕊秀) |
1913 | 1992 | Gobulo Runqi (郭布羅 潤麒) (younger half-brother of Empress Wanrong) |
Gobulo Zongyan (郭布羅 宗弇) Gobulo Zongguang (郭布羅 宗光) Gobulo Manrong (郭布羅 曼若) |
By his concubine, Lady Dengiya, he had an additional two sons and four daughters:
- Yunian 韞嫻 (1914–2003), married Zhao Qifan (趙琪璠), had issue
- Puqi 溥倛 (1915–1918), died young
- Yunxin 韞馨 (1917–1998), married Wan Jiaxi (萬嘉熙), had three sons and one daughter
- Puren 溥任 (17 August 1918 -), also known as Jin YouzhiJin YouzhiJīn Yǒuzhī , born Pǔrèn , is the fourth and youngest son of Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun, and is, at age , the only surviving brother of Puyi, the last Emperor of China and of Manchukuo....
, pretender to the throne of Manchukuo, married firstly to Jin Yuting (金瑜庭) and had three sons and two daughters, married secondly to Zhang Maoying (張茂瀅) with no issue - Yunyu 韞娛 (1919–1982), married Wanyan Ailan (完顏 愛蘭), had one son and four daughters
- Yunhuan 韞歡 (11 September 1921 - 2004), married 12 February 1950 Qiao Hongzhi (喬宏志), had two sons and one daughter