Kangxi Teaches His Son: Court Instructions and Sayings

Author: Kangxi (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: Kangxi devoted himself 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 made numerous achievements in governance, and his contributions to consolidating the empire and founding new dynasties are widely recognized. He cherished his legacy and longed to pass it down through generations, believing that every experience in his life would benefit future generations. All this compelled him to feel an irresistible urge to write and preserve his thoughts, 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: the Yongzheng Emperor, renowned for his remarkable achievements and extraordinary strategic prowess; and the Qianlong Emperor, 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 legacy of the Manchu Qing Dynasty for over two hundred years. All of this was influenced by the moral legacy of Emperor Kangxi and his Hall Teachings and Maxims—a rare imperial will that was preserved within the palace and never made public.