Kangxi Teaches His Son

Author: Kangxi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: Kangxi devoted himself wholeheartedly to his duties throughout his life, taking his personal cultivation, family harmony, and governance of the nation very seriously, dedicating his heart and energy to it. During his 60 years of ruling, Kangxi achieved remarkable accomplishments in consolidating the existing order and establishing new foundations, earning worldwide recognition for his achievements. He cherished his work and longed to pass it down to future generations, believing that every experience in his life would benefit those who came after him. All this compelled him to feel an irresistible urge to write it down and preserve it, like a silkworm spinning silk, unable to stop. This book was left behind by the emperor under such circumstances.
Exhortations and strict instructions. The descendants of Kangxi, both his sons and grandsons, were mostly skilled in both literature and martial arts. Especially the two outstanding emperors who followed him: Emperor Yongzheng, renowned for his illustrious achievements and extraordinary strategic prowess; and Emperor Qianlong, known for his scholarly elegance and cultural refinement, who called himself the "Ten Perfections Emperor." These two emperors laid the foundation for the "Tang-Qian Prosperity," establishing the achievements of the Manchu Qing Dynasty for over two hundred years. All of these were influenced by the moral legacy of Emperor Kangxi and his Hall Instructions and Sayings—a treasured imperial will that was kept within the Forbidden City and never made public.