What is the relationship between Cixi and Daoguang, Xianfeng, Tongzhi, Guangxu and Puyi? Why is the relationship so complicated?

The relationship between Cixi and Daoguang, Xianfeng, Tongzhi, Guangxu and Puyi can be described in one sentence. The thing is this: Cixi is the daughter-in-law of Daoguang, the concubine of Emperor Xianfeng, the biological mother of Emperor Tongzhi, the menstruation of Emperor Guangxu, and menstruation of Emperor Puyi of Xuan Tong. Although the relationship is simple, the relationship between them is actually very complicated.

1, Daoguang Emperor

Daoguang was the eighth emperor of the Qing Dynasty. The decline of the Qing Dynasty began with Daoguang. During the reign of Daoguang, the famous Sino-British Opium War took place in A.D. 1840. After the defeat of the Qing Dynasty, European and American powers began to open the door of the Qing Dynasty, which also meant that the Qing Dynasty began to enter a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society.

In the same year, Niu Kelu, Queen of Daoguang, died. Niu Kelu was the third queen of Daoguang, and she gave birth to a son named Aisingiorro Yi, the later Emperor Xianfeng. 1850, 69-year-old Daoguang Emperor died of illness. According to the secret storage system of the Qing Dynasty, Daoguang Emperor made his fourth son Yi Kun his heir.

After the death of Daoguang Emperor 1 year, the Taiping Rebellion, the largest uprising in history of qing dynasty, broke out. Two years after the death of Emperor Daoguang, Ye Lashi (Cixi) entered the harem of Emperor Xianfeng with the champion. The Qing dynasty stipulated that all women in the Eight Banners had to go through the draft before they could get married, and the emperor chose one first. Those who are selected can enter the harem, and those who are not selected can marry others.

Although Cixi is the daughter-in-law of Daoguang Emperor, there is no direct relationship between them. Cixi's entry into the harem had nothing to do with Daoguang Emperor, and they never even met.

2. Emperor Xianfeng

Emperor Xianfeng was the ninth emperor and the most unlucky emperor in the Qing Dynasty. His ability is not worse than that of Emperor Jiaqing and Daoguang, and his reform efforts are also greater than that of Emperor Jiaqing and Daoguang. However, during the reign of Emperor Xianfeng, he not only experienced the largest Taiping Rebellion in Qing Dynasty, but also broke out the second Opium War led by the British and French allied forces. British and French forces invaded Beijing, plundered Beijing and burned Yuanmingyuan.

In addition to a series of internal and external troubles, the reign of Emperor Xianfeng, more importantly, took a fancy to Ye Lashi, which changed all the history of the Qing Dynasty, making all the emperors of the Qing Dynasty have no real power after Xianfeng, and politics are controlled by Ye Lashi, which is probably unexpected by Xianfeng anyway.

1852, 17-year-old Ye He Na entered the harem because of the draft. Two years later, Ye He Na Lashi, who was 19 years old, was given the title of righteous man by Emperor Xianfeng, showing Xianfeng's love for Ye He Na Lashi. Empresses in the Qing Dynasty had eight grades, namely: Empress, Imperial concubine and Imperial concubine. Four years later, she gave birth to Zai Chun, the only son of Daoguang. Five years later, she was promoted to Yi Guifei, second only to Niu Zhilu, the favorite queen of Emperor Xianfeng (later Empress Ci 'an).

The Qing Dynasty began with Emperor Xianfeng, and it became normal for the emperor not to have children. Emperor Xianfeng's father Daoguang had seven adult sons. When I arrived at Xianfeng Emperor, I only had an adult son, so I didn't need to choose an heir. Emperors after Emperor Xianfeng, including Tongzhi, Guangxu and Xuan Tong, had no sons.

It is precisely because Emperor Xianfeng has only one son, and this son is Ye He Na Lashi, and his mother is expensive, so Emperor Xianfeng has a special liking for Ye He Na Lashi. Not only that, Emperor Xianfeng was sickly in his later years, but also allowed Ye He Na Lashi to participate in politics and write the throne on his behalf, which increased Ye He Na Lashi's desire for politics and laid the fuse for the intervention of the harem.

In a sense, Emperor Xianfeng is somewhat similar to Tang Gaozong and Li Zhi in the Tang Dynasty. It is to let the queen or the favorite imperial concubine participate in politics, and then she is terminally ill, which provides conditions and platforms for the harem to intervene in politics. Although their original intention was not so, it aroused Cixi's ambition to intervene in politics.

Cixi is the concubine of Emperor Xianfeng. More specifically, Cixi is the biological mother of the only son of Emperor Xianfeng and the biological mother of the next emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Although Xian Feng's Empress Ci 'an is still alive, Ci 'an's position is not as good as Cixi's.

3. Tongzhi Emperor

Emperor Tongzhi is the biological son of Empress Dowager Cixi, whose name is Aisingiorro Zai Chun. A few days after the death of Emperor Xianfeng, Empress Dowager Cixi, together with Empress Ci 'an, Prince Gong and Yi Xuan, the king of Alcohol County, launched a Xinyou coup, overthrowing eight ministers who had been selected by Emperor Xianfeng before his death, and overthrowing the legacy of Emperor Xianfeng. From the year when 18 1 Xianfeng died, it lasted until the death of Cixi in 6544.

After the successful coup, Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci 'an began to listen to politics. At this time, the Tongzhi emperor who had just succeeded to the throne was only 6 years old. It was not until the Tongzhi Emperor 17 years old that the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Palace would let the Tongzhi Emperor get married and lead the state affairs. However, just over a year later, Emperor Tongzhi died at the age of 19. It is said that the cause of death was smallpox.

Cixi is such a son, and she certainly attaches great importance to it. When choosing a wife for the Tongzhi emperor to marry, Cixi and Ci 'an had different candidates. Cixi also gave the Tongzhi emperor a certain choice and autonomy, but at the same time Cixi and Ci 'an also intervened in some politics. For example, Emperor Tongzhi insisted on building Yuanmingyuan, dismissing all court officials who opposed him, or the Empress Dowager of Canyon Palace stepped forward to stop it.

However, Cixi never imagined that the Tongzhi emperor could only live to be 19 years old, and at this time, the Tongzhi emperor had no son, which was equivalent to choosing another heir. The successor chosen by Cixi was the later Emperor Guangxu.

4. Emperor Guangxu

Emperor Guangxu's name was Aisin-Gioro Zaitian, and his father was Yi Xuan, the prince of alcohol. He was also one of the people who helped Cixi in Xin You's coup. Emperor Guangxu's mother, Ye Henala Wanzhen, was the sister of Cixi, who was Guangxu's great aunt. Cixi has a younger sister and three younger brothers. She is the oldest.

Why did Cixi choose Zai Tian as her successor?

There are three main reasons: firstly, Zai Tian's father, Prince Yi Xuan, is the seventh son of Daoguang Emperor, and Zai Tian and Tongzhi Emperor are both grandsons of Daoguang Emperor, which is an authentic royal family; Secondly, Cixi's sister is Zai Tian's mother, and Cixi and Zai Tian are related, so it is better for relatives to be emperors than outsiders. Thirdly, Cixi wants to continue to control state affairs and establish a young emperor, which is easy to control. At that time, Zai Tian was only 4 years old.

Cixi personally chose Zai Tian, but it was useless for the Minister of Military Affairs to object. Even Zai Tian's father, Prince Yi Xuan, cried after hearing the news, but it still couldn't stop Cixi. This matter was settled in this way. Legally, Zai Tian was adopted as the son of Emperor Xianfeng and inherited the incense of Emperor Xianfeng. At the same time, in law, Zai Tian became the son of Empress Dowager Cixi.

After Guangxu ascended the throne as emperor, court affairs were still controlled by the Empresses of the two palaces. After the death of Empress Ci 'an 188 1, the court affairs were controlled by Empress Cixi alone. Empress Guangxu's control over Emperor Guangxu is very strict. Emperor Guangxu is almost equivalent to Cixi's puppet and has no independent power, although nominally Emperor Guangxu is 1887, 17 years old.

Therefore, although Emperor Guangxu tried to carry out a series of reforms, they almost failed as long as they did not meet the wishes of Cixi. For example, the famous Reform Movement of 1898 failed because of Cixi's intervention. Cixi controlled almost all aspects of Guangxu, and the empress of Guangxu was also chosen by Cixi, that is, the later Jade Dragon Empress, the daughter of Cixi's younger brother, and the niece of Cixi.

The death of Emperor Guangxu was also related to Cixi. After textual research, Emperor Guangxu was confirmed to have died of arsenic poisoning. Who will kill Guangxu with arsenic? As we all know, Emperor Guangxu and Cixi both died in 1908, and the date of their death was only one day apart, and Emperor Guangxu died first and Cixi died later.

5. Emperor Xuan Tong

Before her death, Cixi chose Aisin Giorro Puyi as the heir after Emperor Guangxu. Puyi was the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty-Xuan Tong. Puyi's father is Regent Zai Feng, and Zai Feng and Emperor Guangxu Zai Tian are half-brothers, so Puyi is the nephew of Emperor Guangxu.

Puyi's mother is Su Wan Guaerjia, her grandfather is Yi Xuan, the prince of alcohol, and her grandmother is Liu Jia. Empress Dowager Cixi's sisters Wan Zhen and Liu Jia are both wives and concubines of Yi Xuan. Well, Cixi is Puyi's nominal aunt. After Guangxu's death, Puyi was adopted by Tongzhi and Emperor Guangxu. Legally, Puyi is the son of Emperor Tongzhi and Guangxu and the grandson of Cixi.

This relationship looks quite complicated, which is artificially complicated by Cixi. Most importantly, Cixi made her niece Yulong the legal mother of Puyi, and then let Yulong follow her example and let her relatives continue to control the Qing Dynasty after her death. Finally, the abdication of the Qing Dynasty was also promulgated by Yulong.