The Life Story of Emperor Guangxu: A History of Blood and Tears

Author: De Ling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-03-01
Features: The Guangxu Emperor, Zaitian, was born on August 14, 1871, in the Chuntian Palace in Xuanwumen, Beijing, on the shores of Taiping Lake. His father, Yihuan, was the seventh son of Emperor Daoguang, and his mother was the younger sister of Empress Dowager Cixi. This unique family background led to his being designated as the emperor after the death of Emperor Tongzhi. He reigned for 34 years and died in the 13th year of the Guangxu era at the age of 38, with the posthumous title of Dezong. He was buried in the Chongling Mausoleum in Yi County, Hebei.
At the age of 19, the Guangxu Emperor began his personal rule. He was full of the spirit of youth and was willing to embrace new ideas. He declared, "I refuse to be a king of a fallen nation," and actively supported the reform movement, once becoming the "savior" in the hearts of the reformists. However, the reform movement threatened the interests of the feudal conservative forces and was obstructed by the Qing court nobility led by Empress Dowager Cixi. The failure of the Hundred Days' Reform crushed the last hope for the Qing Dynasty to change its old ways. The Guangxu Emperor lacked the courage to break free from the constraints of feudal ethics. "His expression was often sorrowful, as if displeased," and his heart was filled with grief throughout his life, leading to a tragic fate of humiliation and sorrow.
When the Eight-Nation Alliance occupied Beijing, Empress Dowager Cixi had no choice but to flee hastily to Xi'an with the Guangxu Emperor. After the Boxer Rebellion, uprisings against the Qing Dynasty broke out one after another across the country, and the tide of democratic revolution spread widely. The Qing Dynasty was on the brink of collapse.