Xushun and the political situation during the Xianfeng reign

Author: Gao Zhonghua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: Zoushun (1816—1861), a member of the imperial clan and a Manchu aristocrat of the Aisin Gioro clan, styled Yuting. He was a native of the Manchu Blue Banner. He held positions such as Imperial Preceptor, Chief Administrator of the Imperial Household Department, Minister of Revenue, and Vice Grand Secretary. To suppress the Taiping Rebellion, he advocated the appointment of Han Chinese officials and landlords such as Hu Linxi and Zeng Guofan. To address financial difficulties, he proposed issuing paper money and minting large coins. He harbored deep suspicion toward foreign aggressors, seeking to maintain the dignity of the "Celestial Empire" and refused to comply with their unreasonable demands, even resisting them. In 1857, when the Anglo-French forces invaded Guangzhou, Zoushun clashed with Yixuan in the presence of the Xianfeng Emperor: "(Yixuan) advocated peace, (Zoushun) advocated war, and they argued before the emperor without reaching a decision." In 1859, during negotiations with the Russian envoy Ignatiev, he condemned the aggressive demands of Russia, threw the text of the unapproved Treaty of Aigun on the table, and declared it a "worthless piece of paper, utterly meaningless." This book examines Zoushun's actions during the Xianfeng era with rigorous academic rigor, presenting a compelling and convincing argument. It provides valuable reference material for researchers of Qing history.