She is a magical woman. After her husband died and lost the barrier, she endured humiliation and dealt with various forces, turned over the storm of politics, made contributions to a great cause for an empire, and made her grandson the reputation of "the emperor of the ages".
This person is Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang . He was born in Korqin, Mongolia. His real name is Bumubutai and his surname is Borjijit. Her father Zaisang was the leader of the Korchin tribe, and it can be said that she was born into an aristocratic family.
Zaisang likes this daughter very much. When she was a child, she began to hire literacy to teach her to read and read. She was not only smart, but also diligent and studious.
Because Bumu Butai has had standardized teaching since childhood, he has been well influenced by culture and has played a positive role in promoting her later growth.
1. Coming from the grassland, marrying Huang Taiji
When Bumubutai was 13 years old, she was sent to Shengjing by her brother Wu Keshan and married Jin Beile Huang Taiji, who was 20 years older than him, as her concubine. He serves a husband with his aunt Zhezhe. He is both his former uncle and his current husband.
In the early Qing Dynasty, the marriage between Manchuria and Mongolia was an established national policy. In that era of war, killing and power disputes, their marriages could not be chosen independently because they all carried the mission of the family. The marriage of Xiaozhuang was a political marriage that sacrificed for the family.
BumuButai not only has outstanding appearance, but also has a smart and talented conversation. Huang Taiji was still favored by her at the beginning, otherwise he would not have given birth to three daughters for Huang Taiji in just 4 years.
But since her sister Hai Lanzhu entered the palace, Huang Taiji gave her full love and gradually became cold to Bumu Butai. In 1636, Huang Taiji officially ascended the throne as emperor. When he was enthroned by concubines, Bumubutai ranked last and was named the concubine of the second west palace, and was called the Concubine Zhuang of Yongfu Palace.
Later, Concubine Zhuang gave birth to the ninth son of the emperor Fulin , which is later Emperor Shunzhi . Although Concubine Zhuang's status has not been improved, the arrival of Fulin brought a turning point in the fate of Concubine Zhuang. It can even be said that Fulin's birth has pushed her to the forefront of the historical stage.
2. In 1643, after Huang Taiji died, he did not have time to establish his heir to the throne, and a fierce battle for the throne was caused between the brothers of the nobles of the Manchus and the nobles.
At that time, two people had the most fierce battle over the throne. One was Huang Taiji's eldest son, Prince Su Haoge, who began to follow Nurhaci . Huang Taiji fought south and north, with outstanding military achievements and extremely prominent among the princes.
The other is Huang Taiji's fourteenth brother Prince Rui Dorgon, who also has outstanding military achievements and extremely powerful military power in his hands, and his strength cannot be underestimated. The two of them are equal and dissatisfied with each other. If it is not properly resolved, then there is a possibility of internal strife and division in the Manchus.
Concubine Zhuang is smart and eloquent, and can observe his words and expressions. She cleverly dealt with the power struggle between Dorgon and Haoge and persuaded each other, forcing Dorgon and Haoge to compromise.
In the end, Zhuang Concubine proposed that Fulin, who was only 6 years old, ascended the throne, and agreed to the Eight Banners military forces, Dorgon and Prince Zheng, each with half of them, and assisted the government with the left and right. When Fulin grew older, he would return to power immediately.
In this compromise plan, Fulin successfully inherited the throne, and avoided the division caused by internal struggle of the Qing regime. Concubine Zhuang’s move is a killing of two birds with one stone. She will become the emperor first and then slowly get rid of the future. Anyway, the future will be long.
Dorgon's outstanding military achievements and his power grew stronger and stronger. He began to use the power of the Regent to constantly eliminate dissidents in the court, threatening the status of Shunzhi at all times.
As for Dorgon's step-by-step pressure and trying to usurp the throne, Xiaozhuang could only endure and give in. On the one hand, Xiaozhuang actively won over Dorgon and made him relax his vigilance as much as possible. Shunzhi even changed his name to Dorgon's "prince's father, regent." On the other hand, he also actively assisted his son in managing the government affairs and supported the use of Manchu and Han dynasties.
3. Assist Shunzhi and stabilize the overall situation
1650, Dorgon, who was in the prime of his life, suddenly died of illness, and Emperor Shunzhi finally took back his rights that originally belonged to him. Of course, when Shunzhi was in power, he was still a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy. Xiaozhuang was both his mother and his strong protector and mentor.
For a long time, the sound of " anti-Qing and restoring Ming " never stopped, and turmoil occurred all the time, threatening the Qing regime to a certain extent.
In order to win over a group of powerful upper-level Han forces, Xiaozhuang named Kong Youde's daughter as the princess, and married Huang Taiji's daughter Heshuo Princess to Wu Sangui's son Wu Yingxiong , and used marriage to win over and control it.
At the same time, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang attaches great importance to the suffering of the people, never favors oneself, and can severely punish corrupt officials, reduce taxes from the people, and do her best to promote the development of the country.
Emperor Shunzhi was a passionate emperor, and his temperament was very impulsive. However, Xiaozhuang always puts national affairs first, and takes the overall situation into consideration and properly handles the conflicts with his son.
The most famous ones are the two deposed emperors of Emperor Shunzhi, and the other is the crazy love of Emperor Shunzhi for Concubine Dong E. Xiaozhuang took a wise attitude towards this, and if the deposed person is irreversible, it will be remedyed.
After Shunzhi demoted the first empress (Xiaozhuang's niece) to Jingfei , Xiaozhuang then chose another empress (Xiaozhuang's niece) to consolidate its alliance with Mongolia.
Although the queen chosen by Xiaozhuang didn't like it, she did not ignore Shunzhi's feelings. She agreed to Dong Efei to enter the palace and agreed that she had been promoted from concubine to the level of imperial concubine in just 4 months. In order to stabilize the overall situation, Xiaozhuang showed a broad mind and foresight.
1657, Dong Efei gave birth to a son, and unfortunately died four months later. Dong Efei became depressed and became ill. Three years later, Dong Efei died of illness. Emperor Shunzhi was also depressed when he suffered this blow and became a monk, but it lasted only 8 days. He died of smallpox less than half a year later, at the age of 24.
4. Cultivate Kangxi , govern the country and assist in government
Losing his father in middle age and losing his son in old age. There are two major tragedies in life, and none of Xiaozhuang is spared. Xiaozhuang, in grief, had to devote all his energy to his grandson Xuanye.
After Shunzhi's death, under the auspices of Xiaozhuang, he announced the will of the late emperor, and Xuanye, who was only 8 years old, ascended the throne, and was Emperor Kangxi. Xiaozhuang was revered as the Empress Dowager from then on.
Kangxi's sorrow of losing his father had just passed, and he lost his biological mother at the age of 10. Xiaozhuang loved his grandson Xuanye very much. Seeing that his grandson had lost his parents one after another, he cared for him more and took on the responsibility of raising him without hesitation.
Xiaozhuang takes good care of Xuanye’s food, clothing, housing and transportation, and is very strict. While learning Manchu and Han culture, Xiaozhuang also instilled in his thought of "the ancestors riding and shooting to open the foundation, and the martial arts are not allowed to be prepared", allowing the guards to teach Xuanye the ability to riding and shooting.
is exactly this kind of "Since my ancestors, I have used my martial arts to determine riots and achieved peace in my literary and morality. How can I not do anything to teach for a day?" Xuanye worked hard to learn literature and martial arts, laying a solid foundation for his future pro-politics and country.
5. Smart and courageous, and achieved the "Eternal Emperor"
Because Kangxi ascended the throne at a young age, he arranged four old Manchu ministers loyal to the royal family, Sony, Ebilong, Suksaha and Oboi to assist in the government.
What people unexpectedly did not expect was that the Qing court once again encountered a crisis because of several auxiliary ministers. The four auxiliary ministers began to differentiate due to their interests and formed two factions.
, especially Oboi, soon exposed his tyrannical nature. With the fact that the emperor was young and could not rule the government, he was widely in charge of his party members and rejected dissidents in the court, like another Dorgon.
1667, Xuanye was fourteen years old, and it was logically the age to take power. But Oboi, who had already tasted the taste of power, obviously would not let go, but instead began to get worse. At this time, Oboi's wings have been formed. Allowing it to develop will bring great danger to the emperor's authority, but if there is a slight inappropriate treatment of it, it may cause drastic changes in the Qing court.
However, at this time, Xiaozhuang had accumulated a lot of experience in the struggle for power in the court.She quietly took care of Emperor Kangxi, asking him to endure for the time being, and then make arrangements without leaving any trace.
In the end, Emperor Kangxi captured Oboi wisely, ended his regent period and formally took power. Among them, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's calm analysis and careful arrangement, as well as her long-term teachings of Kangxi have irreplaceable effects.
After that, Xiaozhuang began to let Xuanye handle the government affairs, and he just often reminded him to be cautious in employing people, not forgetting danger, and diligent in martial arts preparations. Emperor Kangxi attached great importance to his grandmother's teachings, and he solicited opinions first and then implemented them.
As a result, the Qing Dynasty moved from turmoil to stability, and the economy moved from depression to prosperity, laying the material foundation for large-scale wars such as pacifying the Three Feudal Francisco and using troops on the frontier.
6. Safely passed away, and the will stumped Kangxi
1688, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was critically ill. Emperor Kangxi accompanied him day and night, presented medicine to the emperor, and personally led the princes and ministers to walk to the Temple of Heaven, praying that God would increase his grandmother's life at the cost of his life.
But despite this, Xiaozhuang was old after all. After three dynasties changed in the early Qing Dynasty, he devoted all his efforts to the Qing Dynasty and devoted his whole life, and finally passed away safely at the age of 75.
Xiaozhuang left a will during his lifetime, unwilling to be buried with Huang Taiji, saying that he would start work again and work hard and hurt money. Moreover, Emperor Taizong has been dead for so many years and is unwilling to disturb his purity. The only ones that Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang could not let go of in her life were Shunzhi and Kangxi. She only wanted to find a place to bury her near the Xiaoling of Emperor Shunzhi, so there would be no regrets.
This seemingly simple will stumped Kangxi. His grandmother had to obey his last wishes, but according to the ancestral system, the mother could not be buried in his son's tomb. Since ancient times, husband and wife have been in the same acupoints, so how could mother and son have the same acupoints? This is unreasonable.
In addition, Shunzhi has long been buried in the Xiaoling Mausoleum of the Eastern Qing Tombs, and Xiaoling Mausoleum is the main tomb of the Eastern Qing Tombs. The descendants and descendants are arranged with the Xiaoling Mausoleum as the center and are arranged on the left and right. If Empress Xiaozhuang Wen’s Zhaoxi Tombs is buried within the Fengshui wall of the Eastern Qing Tombs, she will be inferior to her son in the direction. Empress Xiaozhuang Wen has become the tomb for her son Emperor Shunzhi. This is the big deal about the world.
In a dilemma, Kangxi thought of a compromise solution and built a temporary tentative palace on the east side of the Great Red Gate of the Eastern Qing Dynasty tombs, and temporarily parked the coffin of Xiaozhuang. This was originally a temporary solution, but until Kangxi died, he could not solve the problem of the location of his grandmother's burial. This stopped the soul for 37 years.
7. The female hero who was in charge of the coup was not until Yongzheng ascended the throne, and then a tomb was set up on the original site of the temporary Feng Hall, called Zhaoxi Tomb, and Xiaozhuang was officially buried in the underground palace. The Zhaoxi Tomb is located outside the Fengshui wall of the Eastern Qing Tombs. It is precisely to distinguish the two belong to different imperial tomb systems. Only in this way can the tomb of Empress Wen of Xiaozhuang not be inferior to the Xiao Tomb of Emperor Shunzhi, but different from the sacrificial tombs of later emperors.
Perhaps the real reason why Xiaozhuang was unwilling to be buried with Huang Taiji has long been drowned in the torrent of history with her departure. Maybe it was because he was disappointed that Huang Taiji had never loved her, or maybe it was because he was guilty that he had not been able to take care of Emperor Shunzhi, so he died young. Who knows?
Xiaozhuang's life has had a lot and lost a lot. The smoke of love only stained a trace of filth on the corner of her clothes, but she did not comment. She waved her sleeves gently and threw herself into the bloody battlefield again.
As a woman who grew up in the harem of feudal society, it is not easy for her to do all the above, but Xiaozhuang did it and achieved remarkable results.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang is a great woman who can do what others cannot do, do what others cannot do, and endure what others cannot tolerate. The stability of the Qing regime was laid a good foundation due to Xiaozhuang's efforts. Emperor Kangxi was also deeply influenced by Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang. As for his later known as the "Eternal Emperor", Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang made an indelible contribution!
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