Brief: This article explains how the Yongzheng Emperor secured the throne after Kangxi’s death. He subdued rival brothers, defended his legitimacy in the Dayi Juemi Lu, and launched key reforms: merging poll and land taxes, replacing tribal chiefs, and ending hereditary servitude. He also created the secret succession system to avoid future crises.
I. The Unexpected Succession
In the winter of 1722, the Kangxi Emperor passed away after a sixty-one-year reign. His fourth son, Yinzhen, ascended the throne as the Yongzheng Emperor. While many princes were shocked – expecting the more charismatic Eighth Prince (Yinsi) or the military hero Fourteenth Prince (Yinti) to succeed – Yinzhen had quietly secured his position. Unlike his brothers, he was reserved and observant, often showing filial piety when others did not. For instance, when the Crown Prince Yinreng was first deposed, Yinzhen alone expressed concern for his welfare, earning Kangxi’s trust. By keeping his ambitions hidden while handling key rituals like imperial sacrifices, Yinzhen won the succession game through patience rather than open conflict.
II. The Taming of the Princes
Upon ascending the throne, Yongzheng faced deep-seated hostility from his brothers, particularly the “Eighth Party” led by Yinsi. To stabilize his rule, he employed a strategy of “carrot and stick.” Initially, he elevated Yinsi to the rank of “Prince Lian” and put him in charge of vital departments, praising his talent publicly. However, this was a trap. Simultaneously, he stripped the Fourteenth Prince (his own full brother) of his military command in Qinghai under the pretext of mourning, placing him under house arrest at the imperial tombs. The Ninth Prince (Yintang) was exiled to Qinghai to neutralize his influence, while the Tenth Prince (Yin’e) was sent on a long, futile mission to Mongolia.
Once their power bases were dismantled, Yongzheng turned on Yinsi. Accusing him of forming a faction and displaying disrespect, the Emperor systematically stripped him of his titles. Yinsi, realizing his fate, named himself “Aqina” (meaning a frozen fish on a chopping block), while Yintang stubbornly refused to change his name and was mockingly called “Seshe” (meaning loathsome). Both princes eventually died in captivity under miserable circumstances – Yintang in a sweltering prison cell in Baoding, and Yinsi shortly after from illness. Yongzheng justified their deaths to the court as the will of his late father calling them back, but rumors of fratricide spread rapidly.
III. The Case of Zeng Jing and the Dayi Juemi Lu
The rumors of Yongzheng’s ruthlessness – accusing him of murdering his father, mother, and brothers – culminated in a bizarre incident involving a scholar named Zeng Jing. Influenced by anti-Qing sentiment, Zeng wrote a treatise attacking the Emperor and sent his student, Zhang Xi, to persuade the Governor-General Yue Zhongqi to rebel. Yue, loyal to the throne, arrested the student and reported the plot.
Instead of executing the conspirators, Yongzheng saw an opportunity to clear his name. He summoned Zeng Jing and Zhang Xi to Beijing for a public debate. He then compiled their confessions, his own rebuttals, and edicts into a book titled Dayi Juemi Lu Record of Great Righteousness to Awaken the Deluded). In this unprecedented text, Yongzheng personally defended his legitimacy, denied the accusations of patricide and fratricide, and detailed his virtuous governance. He even released Zeng and Zhang to tour the country and preach the truth of his benevolence, forbidding his successors from punishing them.
IV. Reform and Secret Succession
Beyond the political purges, the Yongzheng Emperor was a tireless reformer. He worked late into the night, personally reviewing memoranda. His administration implemented three major reforms that modernized the empire:
- Tan Ding Ru Mu: Merging the poll tax with the land tax, effectively abolishing the head tax on peasants.
- Gai Tu Gui Liu: Replacing hereditary tribal chieftains in the southwest with state-appointed officials.
- Abolition of Menial Status: Granting freedom and citizenship to hereditary outcasts and slaves.
To prevent future succession crises, Yongzheng established the “Secret Succession” system. Instead of naming an heir apparent, he would write the chosen successor’s name on a scroll, seal it in a box, and hide it behind the plaque of “Justice and Honor” (Zhengda Guangming) in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Upon his death in 1735, the box was opened, revealing the name of his fourth son, Hongli, who became the Qianlong Emperor.
Note
Yongzheng Emperor (Yinzhen)
The fourth son of Kangxi, he took the throne unexpectedly in 1722. He suppressed rival princes, launched sweeping reforms, and created the secret succession system.
Kangxi Emperor
Yongzheng’s father, whose long reign ended in a succession crisis among his many sons.
Yinsi (Eighth Prince)
Leader of the political opposition (“Eighth Party”). He was stripped of titles, renamed “Aqina,” and died in captivity.
Yinti (Fourteenth Prince)
Yongzheng’s full brother, a popular military general. He was placed under house arrest to neutralize his threat.
Yintang (Ninth Prince)
A key ally of Yinsi, exiled and renamed “Seshe,” died in prison.
Zeng Jing
A scholar who accused Yongzheng of tyranny; the emperor spared him to defend his legitimacy publicly.
Yue Zhongqi
A loyal Qing governor-general who exposed Zeng Jing’s rebellion plot.
Hongli
Yongzheng’s son, who succeeded as the Qianlong Emperor under the secret succession system.
Unexpected Succession
Yinzhen won the throne quietly through filial piety and patience, defeating more popular brothers.
Purge of Rival Princes
Yongzheng used “carrot and stick” to eliminate political enemies, securing his rule.
Zeng Jing Case & Dayi Juemi Lu
A political propaganda text written by Yongzheng to refute rumors of patricide and fratricide.
Secret Succession System
A groundbreaking system: the emperor wrote the heir’s name secretly, to be revealed only after death.
“Tan Ding Ru Mu”
Combined poll tax and land tax, easing burdens on peasants.
“Gai Tu Gui Liu”
Replaced hereditary tribal leaders with appointed officials in border regions.
Abolition of Menial Status
Freed hereditary underclass groups and granted them citizen rights.
Aqina
A derogatory Manchu nickname meaning “frozen fish on a chopping block.”
Seshe
A derogatory Manchu nickname meaning “loathsome.”
Dragon Throne
Symbol of the Chinese imperial throne and supreme power.
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