Empress Dowager Cixi , Empress Dowager Ci'an , Yixin , Zeng Guofan
54-401: [REDACTED] This disambiguation page is currently linked from a large number of articles . Please help direct these ambiguous links to articles dealing with the specific meaning intended. ( November 2024 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this message ) Beijing coup could be: 1861 Beijing Coup , which removed
108-550: A White Rainbow Sword (白虹刀) as a gift. Yixin was mentored by Zhuo Bingtian (卓秉恬) and Jia Zhen (賈楨), two eminent scholar-officials who obtained the position of jinshi (進士; successful candidate) in the imperial examination in 1802 and 1826 respectively. In 1850, when the Daoguang Emperor became critically ill, he summoned Zaiquan (載銓), Zaiyuan , Duanhua , Sengge Rinchen , Mujangga , He Rulin (何汝霖), Chen Fu'en (陳孚恩) and Ji Zhichang (季芝昌) to Shende Hall (慎德堂) in
162-530: A decree to praise Prince Gong for his effective leadership in the regency that led to the end of the rebellion – in addition to conferring more prestigious titles on his sons Zaicheng, Zaijun and Zaiying. As the longstanding leader of the Zongli Yamen , which he established in 1861, Prince Gong was responsible for spearheading various reforms in the early stages of the Self-Strengthening Movement ,
216-680: A failed attempt to remove Duan Qirui 1976 Beijing Coup [ zh ] , which removed the Gang of Four Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Beijing Coup . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beijing_Coup&oldid=1260090768 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Disambiguation pages with many incoming links from November 2024 Short description
270-467: A role model of loyalty that all Qing subjects should learn from. Primary Consort Secondary Consort Puwei ‘s Family PuRu ’s Family Yuli 毓岦 Yucen 毓岑 PuYou's Family Yujunyan 毓君彥 QiHui 啟芸 (Jinun) PuHui's Family Yuhuan 毓峘 Qiyuan 啟芫(Jinan) Qien 啟恩(Jinen) Prince Gong's former residence in Xicheng District , Beijing is now open to the public as a museum and garden park. It
324-515: A series of measures and policy changes implemented by the Qing government with the aim of modernising China. He also founded the Tongwen Guan in 1862 for Chinese scholars to study technology and foreign languages. Around April 1865, an official, Cai Shouqi (蔡壽祺), accused Prince Gong of "monopolising state power, accepting bribes, practising favouritism, behaving arrogantly, and showing disrespect towards
378-541: A thousand cuts"), but Cixi declined the suggestion and ordered that Sushun be beheaded, while the other two also marked for execution, Zaiyuan and Duanhua, were given pieces of white silk for them to hang themselves with. In addition, Cixi refused outright the idea of executing the family members of the regents, as would be done in accordance with imperial tradition of an alleged usurper. Ironically, Qing imperial tradition also dictated that women and princes were never to engage in politics. In breaking with tradition, Cixi became
432-610: Is best remembered for advocating greater constructive engagement between the Qing Empire and the great powers of that era, as well as for his attempts to modernise China in the late 19th century. His former residence, " Prince Gong's Mansion ", is now one of Beijing 's few AAAAA-rated tourist attractions . Yixin is the pinyin romanisation of the Mandarin pronunciation of his Manchu name I-hin. He shared his surname Aisin Gioro with
486-479: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Xinyou Coup Eight regents: Zaiyuan , Duanhua , Jingshou, Sushun , Muyin , Kuang Yuan, Du Han, and Jiao Youying Xinyou Coup ( simplified Chinese : 辛酉政变 ; traditional Chinese : 辛酉政變 ; pinyin : Xīnyǒu Zhèngbiàn ), also known as the Qixiang Coup (祺祥政變 or 祺祥之變) and Beijing Coup (北京政變),
540-509: Is known as the "Cabinet Change of Jiashen" (甲申易樞) or "Political Change of Jiashen" (甲申朝局之變) because it took place in the jiashen year according to the Chinese sexagenary cycle . In 1894, when the Japanese invaded Korea and the situation became dire, Empress Dowager Cixi summoned Prince Gong back to the imperial court, placed him in charge of the Zongli Yamen again, and tasked him with supervising
594-611: Is usually misunderstood as a name: Prince Kung in older sources and Prince Gong in newer ones. He was also sometimes known as the "Sixth Prince" or, less flatteringly, "Devil #6". He was posthumously known as "the Respectful and Loyal Prince of the Blood": Prince Kung-chung or Gongzhong. Yixin was born in the Aisin Gioro clan, the imperial clan of the Manchu -led Qing dynasty , as
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#1732840726049648-513: The Beiyang Fleet (the Qing navy) and military affairs. Although Prince Gong had been recalled to politics, Empress Dowager Cixi also decreed that since he had not yet recovered from illness, he was exempted from having to constantly attend court sessions. In 1898, Prince Gong was appointed as zongling again, but he became critically ill by the end of April. Empress Dowager Cixi visited him thrice during this period of time. He eventually died at
702-729: The Imperial Clan Court ) and zongling (宗令; Head of the Imperial Clan Court ). He was publicly praised in May 1855 after the Taiping rebels were driven out of Jinan. When Prince Gong's mother died in August 1855, the Xianfeng Emperor reprimanded Prince Gong for failing to observe court protocol and removed him from the Grand Council and his zongling and dutong appointments. However, Prince Gong
756-715: The Imperial Russian Army and stockpile military supplies. The generals Shengbao (勝保), Jingchun (景淳) and others were ordered to oversee training of Qing troops stationed in Beijing and northeast China . Before the Xianfeng Emperor died in August 1861 in the Chengde Mountain Resort , he appointed a group of eight regents – led by Zaiyuan , Duanhua and Sushun – to assist his underage son and successor, Zaichun . Yixin's flexible attitude towards dealing with
810-510: The Nian rebels approached the suburbs of Beijing, Prince Gong was tasked with mobilising troops and managing defence arrangements. He was also appointed as you zongzheng (右宗正; Right Director of the Imperial Clan Court ). In 1869, An Dehai , a court eunuch and close aide of Empress Dowager Cixi, was arrested and executed in Shandong Province by Ding Baozhen , the provincial governor. This
864-573: The Old Summer Palace , where he revealed to them a secret edict he wrote previously. According to the edict, the Fourth Prince, Yizhu, would become the new emperor while Yixin, the Sixth Prince, would be made a qinwang (first-rank prince) . He died on the same day. However, it is rumored that Yixin was the real successor emperor, and the secret decree have been tampered with. Yizhu ascended
918-483: The Prince Gong title/peerage ; an increment in salary to twice that of a normal qinwang (first-rank prince) ; exemptions from having to kowtow in the emperor's presence and having to write his name on memorials submitted to the emperor. Prince Gong firmly declined to accept the "iron-cap" privilege, and instead sought to be concurrently appointed as zongling (宗令; Head of the Imperial Clan Court ) and put in charge of
972-641: The Shenjiying (a firearms-equipped unit in the Qing army). The two empress dowagers also ordered Prince Gong to supervise Hongde Hall (弘德殿; a hall in the Forbidden City ), where the Tongzhi Emperor studied. In 1864, Qing forces finally suppressed the Taiping Rebellion after a war lasting more than a decade, and recaptured Jiangning (江寧; in present-day Nanjing ) from the rebels. The imperial court issued
1026-686: The British, French and Russians, signing the Convention of Beijing on behalf of the Qing Empire. Following the death of the Xianfeng Emperor, Prince Gong launched the Xinyou Coup in 1861 with the aid of the Empress Dowagers Ci'an and Cixi and seized power from a group of eight regents appointed by the Xianfeng Emperor on his deathbed to assist his young son and successor, the Tongzhi Emperor . After
1080-642: The Eight Regents of Xianfeng Emperor 1889 Beijing Coup , which ended the Hundred Days' Reform 1912 Beijing Coup [ zh ] , during which the Beiyang Army rebelled against the Qing dynasty 1917 Manchu Restoration , a failed attempt to restore the Qing dynasty 1924 Beijing Coup , which removed Cao Kun administration and the Qing house from Beijing 1925 Beijing Coup [ zh ] ,
1134-580: The Emperor". The Empress Dowagers Ci'an and Cixi publicly reprimanded Prince Gong and stripped him of his position as Prince-Regent. Yishen (奕脤), Yixuan , Wang Zheng (王拯), Sun Yimou (孫翼謀), Yin Zhaoyong (殷兆鏞), Pan Zuyin , Wang Weizhen (王維珍), Guangcheng (廣誠) and others pleaded with the empress dowagers to pardon Prince Gong and make him Prince-Regent again. Although the empress dowagers did not restore Prince Gong as Prince-Regent, they permitted him to remain in
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#17328407260491188-460: The French. As a consequence, Empress Dowager Cixi reprimanded Prince Gong and his colleagues for their dispirited and indecisive attitude towards the war, and removed them from their positions. Prince Gong stopped receiving his double salary and was ordered to retire to recuperate from illness. However, he started receiving his double salary again from November 1886 and was allowed to receive his share of
1242-544: The Western powers had put him at odds with the eight regents, who were politically conservative and opposed to Western influence. Upon request, Prince Gong was granted permission to travel to Chengde to attend the funeral. In Chengde, he met the Empress Dowagers Ci'an and Cixi and told them about how the eight regents monopolised state power. When the Xianfeng Emperor's coffin arrived back in Beijing in November 1861, Prince Gong and
1296-533: The Westerners as a result of his conduct. By the time of the death of the Xianfeng Emperor, Empress Dowager Cixi had become a shrewd political strategist . In Rehe Province , while waiting for an astrologically favourable time to transport the emperor's coffin back to Beijing, Cixi conspired with court officials and imperial relatives to seize power. Cixi's position as the lower-ranked empress dowager had no intrinsic political power attached to it. In addition, her son,
1350-502: The age of 67 (by East Asian age reckoning ) in May. The Guangxu Emperor personally attended Prince Gong's funeral and, as a sign of mourning, cancelled imperial court sessions for five days and ordered mourning attire to be worn for 15 days. The emperor also granted Prince Gong the posthumous name "Zhong" (忠; literally "loyal"), gave him a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple , and issued an edict honouring Prince Gong as
1404-520: The coup, he served as Prince-Regent from 1861 to 1865 and presided over the reforms implemented during the Tongzhi Restoration (1860–74). Despite his demotions in 1865 and 1874 for alleged corruption and disrespect towards the Emperor, Prince Gong continued to lead the Grand Council and remained a highly influential figure in the Qing government. The final decades of Prince Gong's career, under
1458-472: The eight regents for personal or political reasons. Among them was Prince Gong , who had been excluded from power, yet harboured great ambitions, and Prince Chun , the sixth and seventh brothers of the Xianfeng Emperor, respectively. While Cixi aligned herself with the two princes, a memorial came from Shandong asking for her to "listen to politics behind the curtains," i.e., to assume power as de facto ruler. The same memorial also asked Prince Gong to enter
1512-500: The eight regents. The verdict of the other five regents was: Jingshou, retained his honorary title efu (額駙) and banned from participating in political activities; Muyin, forced to serve at frontier military outposts in Xinjiang (軍臺效力); Kuang Yuan, Du Han and Jiao Youying, stripped of official positions. Prince Gong had suggested that Sushun, Zaiyuan and Duanhua be executed by the most painful method, known as slow slicing ("death by
1566-483: The empire. The eight regents, Sushun, Zaiyuan , Duanhua , Jingshou (景壽), Muyin , Kuang Yuan (匡源), Du Han (杜翰) and Jiao Youying (焦祐瀛) were stripped of official positions. Later, several of them were executed or forced to commit suicide. While most of the royal family fled the Western occupation of Peking in the Second Opium War , Prince Gong remained in the city to deal with the crisis. He would gain respect from
1620-561: The fifth son of the Shunzhi Emperor . The Chinese title 王 translates literally as "king" but is usually understood as a "prince" in terms of the imperial Chinese nobility . Because Changning's rank had not been given "iron-cap" status , each generation of his descendants were reduced in rank unless they somehow proved themselves anew and earned a new title of their own. Yixin, however, was given "iron-cap" status and his direct heirs inherited his full title as well. In English, however, it
1674-419: The inner imperial court and continue running the Zongli Yamen . Prince Gong personally thanked the empress dowagers and made a tearful apology. The empress dowagers issued a decree announcing: "The Prince practised favouritism. As we are bound by a common cause and have high expectations of him, we cannot show leniency in punishing him. He will still be allowed to oversee the Grand Council ." In March 1868, as
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1728-671: The inner imperial court, assigned him to be in charge of patrol and defence matters, and ordered him to continue carrying the White Rainbow Sword given to him by their father. In October 1853, as the Taiping rebels closed in on Jinan (畿南; the area south of the Hai River ), Prince Gong was appointed to the Grand Council , which was in charge of military affairs. The following year, he received three additional appointments: dutong (都統; Banner Commander), you zongzheng (右宗正; Right Director of
1782-418: The negotiations with British, French and Russian officials, signing the Convention of Peking on behalf of the Qing dynasty. He subsequently wrote a memorial to the Xianfeng Emperor, requesting to be punished for signing an unequal treaty . The emperor replied, "The responsibility assigned to Prince Gong to carry on peace negotiations is not an easy one to shoulder. I deeply understand the difficult situation he
1836-512: The offerings from ceremonial events. He remained in Jietai Temple in western Beijing for most of the time. Prince Gong's seventh brother, Yixuan (Prince Chun) , replaced him as the head of the Grand Council. Some officials such as Baojun (寶鋆), Li Hongzao , Jinglian (景廉) and Weng Tonghe , who previously served in Prince Gong's administration, were also dismissed from office. The incident
1890-513: The only empress dowager in the Qing dynasty to rule from "behind the curtains", a practice known as chuí lián tīng zhèng ( 垂帘听政 ) in Chinese. Prince Gong Yixin (11 January 1833 – 29 May 1898), better known in English as Prince Kung or Gong , was an imperial prince of the Aisin Gioro clan and an important statesman of the Manchu -led Qing dynasty in China. He
1944-564: The other members of the Qing imperial family. His courtesy or art name was "Master of the Yuedao Hall" or "Hall of the Way of Music". Kung is the Wade-Giles romanisation of Mandarin pronunciation of the same Chinese character 恭 , now spelt Gōng in pinyin . It is not really a name but a part of a descriptive title — " The Respectful Prince of the Blood " — previously borne by Changning ,
1998-496: The political arena as a principal "aide to the Emperor". When the Xianfeng Emperor's funeral procession left for Beijing, Cixi took advantage of her alliances with Princes Gong and Chun. She and the boy emperor returned to the capital before the rest of the party, along with Zaiyuan and Duanhua, two of the eight regents, while Sushun was left to accompany the deceased emperor's procession. Cixi's early return to Beijing meant that she had more time to plan with Prince Gong and ensure that
2052-434: The power base of the eight regents was divided between Sushun and his allies, Zaiyuan and Duanhua. In order to remove them from power, history was rewritten: the regents were dismissed for having carried out incompetent negotiations with the "barbarians" that had caused the Xianfeng Emperor to flee to Rehe Province "greatly against his will", among other charges. To display her high moral standards, Cixi executed only three of
2106-484: The practices of exempting Prince Gong from having to kowtow in the emperor's presence and having to write his name on memorials submitted to the emperor. Prince Gong was also appointed as zongling (宗令; Head of the Imperial Clan Court ). In 1884, when the French invaded Vietnam, Prince Gong and the members of the Grand Council were unable to arrive at a decision on whether or not to intervene in Vietnam and go to war with
2160-492: The reign of his nephew the Guangxu Emperor , were marred by his conflict with conservative elements in the Qing imperial court – In particular, his conflict with his former ally, Cixi, deepened his disillusionment with the court, and eventually opted to withdraw from politics and live in seclusion in the temple. Having established in 1861 the Zongli Yamen , the Qing government's de facto foreign affairs ministry, Prince Gong
2214-436: The same year, Prince Gong displeased Empress Dowager Cixi when he strongly opposed her plan to rebuild the Old Summer Palace . In August 1874, Prince Gong was reprimanded and punished again for failing to observe court protocol. This time, he was demoted from a qinwang (first-rank prince) to a junwang (second-rank prince) . Zaicheng, Prince Gong's eldest son, also lost his beile title. Despite his demotion, Prince Gong
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2268-576: The sixth son of the Daoguang Emperor . He was the third son of his mother, Imperial Noble Consort Jing , who was from the Khorchin Mongol Borjigit clan. He studied in the imperial library and practised martial arts with his fourth brother, Yizhu . He created 28 qiang (spear) movements and 18 dao (sword) movements, which were respectively named "Lihua Xieli" (棣華協力) and "Bao'e Xuanwei" (寶鍔宣威) by his father. His father also gave him
2322-474: The throne in 1850 after the death of the Daoguang Emperor and adopted the regnal title "Xianfeng"; he is thus historically known as the Xianfeng Emperor. In accordance with their father's secret edict, the newly enthroned Xianfeng Emperor granted Yixin the title " Prince Gong of the First Rank " (恭親王) in the same year. In 1851, the Xianfeng Emperor established an office for Prince Gong, gave him permission to enter
2376-497: The troops stationed there to enforce greater discipline and raise their morale. On one hand, Qinghui (慶惠) suggested to the Xianfeng Emperor to release Parkes and let Prince Gong continue negotiating. On the other hand, Yidao (義道) urged the emperor to surrender Beijing to the British and French. In the meantime, Anglo-French expeditionary forces captured the Old Summer Palace in the northwest of Beijing, which they proceeded to sack and burn. On 24 October 1860, Prince Gong concluded
2430-516: The two Empresses Dowager and the eight regents, who were led by Sushun . The regents did not appreciate Cixi's interference in political affairs, and their frequent confrontations with the Empresses Dowager left Empress Dowager Ci'an frustrated. Ci'an often refused to come to court audiences, leaving Cixi to deal with the ministers alone. Secretly, Cixi had begun gathering the support of talented ministers, soldiers, and others who were ostracized by
2484-400: The two empress dowagers launched a coup – historically known as the Xinyou Coup (辛酉政變) – to oust the eight regents from power. The regents were arrested and removed from their positions of power. Zaichun, who was enthroned as the "Tongzhi Emperor", appointed Prince Gong as Prince-Regent (議政王) and granted him some special privileges. These privileges included: "iron-cap" status awarded to
2538-420: The young emperor, was not a political force himself. As a result, it became necessary for her to ally herself with other powerful figures, including the late emperor's principal wife, Empress Dowager Ci'an. Cixi suggested that they become co-reigning empress dowagers, with powers exceeding the eight regents; the two had long been close friends since Cixi first came to the imperial household. Tensions grew between
2592-405: Was a regent of the empire from 1861 to 1865 and wielded great influence at other times as well. At a young age, Yixin was already noted for his brilliance and was once considered by his father the Daoguang Emperor as a potential heir. However, his older half-brother Yizhu eventually inherited the throne as the Xianfeng Emperor . During the Second Opium War in 1860, Prince Gong negotiated with
2646-419: Was a Chinese palace coup that occurred in November 1861 during the Qing dynasty . It was instigated by Empress Dowagers Cixi and Ci'an , and Yixin to seize power after the death of the Xianfeng Emperor . On his deathbed, the emperor had appointed a group of eight regents, led by Sushun , who were adjutants general and grand councillors , to assist his infant son Zaichun ( Tongzhi Emperor ) in governing
2700-516: Was because it was a capital crime for eunuchs to travel out of the Forbidden City without authorisation. The empress dowager became more suspicious of Prince Gong because she believed that he instigated Ding Baozhen to execute An Dehai. In October 1872, when the Tongzhi Emperor married the Jiashun Empress , he granted Prince Gong the "iron-cap" privilege again. He officially took over the reins of power from his regents in around February 1873. In
2754-546: Was put into. There is no need to punish him." Prince Gong settled the diplomatic affairs in Beijing by the end of 1860. In 1861, Prince Gong set up the Zongli Yamen , which functioned as the Qing government's de facto foreign affairs ministry, and placed Guiliang (桂良) and Wenxiang in charge of it. He wrote a memorial to the Xianfeng Emperor, proposing to enhance the training of Banner Troops in Beijing and let Qing troops stationed in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces train with
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#17328407260492808-428: Was still allowed to remain in the Grand Council. The following day, the empress dowagers ordered Prince Gong and Zaicheng to be restored as a qinwang and beile respectively. Towards the end of the year, the Tongzhi Emperor increased Prince Gong's salary by more than twice that of a normal qinwang , but died not long later in around December. The Guangxu Emperor , who succeeded the Tongzhi Emperor in 1875, continued
2862-620: Was still permitted to enter the inner imperial court and the imperial library. He was restored to his position as a dutong in June 1856, and further appointed as an Interior Minister (內大臣) in May 1859. In September 1860, during the Second Opium War , as British and French forces closed in on the capital Beijing , the Xianfeng Emperor ordered Zaiyuan and Muyin (穆廕) to negotiate for peace at Tongzhou with British and French officials. An Anglo-French delegation sent to negotiate with Chinese officials, which included Harry Smith Parkes and Henry Loch ,
2916-622: Was taken prisoner by soldiers led by Mongol general Sengge Rinchen during the negotiations. Rinchen then led mounted Mongol troops to attack a Franco-British force at the Battle of Palikao but was defeated. The Xianfeng Emperor recalled Zaiyuan and Muyin from Tongzhou, fled from Beijing with most members of his imperial court to Rehe Province , and appointed Prince Gong as an Imperial Commissioner with Discretion and Full Authority (欽差便宜行事全權大臣). Prince Gong moved to Changxindian (長辛店; in present-day Fengtai District , Beijing) and called for an assembly of
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