Overview
Emperor Tongzhi was a Qing Emperor.
IdentityHistorical · Male
Life and dates
Attested activity
AD 1879 穆宗奉安惠陵
AD 1861 to AD 1875 穆宗朝
Places and affiliations
- Polity Qing 清 · Relation Ruled
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment most-sage-and-discerning-in-entrusting-right-man · Mode named-source-report Speaker Baoting (寶廷)
References in the histories
No matching passages.
Draft History of Qing, Chapter 444Volume 444 Biographies 231: Huang Tifang, Zong Shibaoting, Zong Shishengyu, Zhang Peilun, Deng Chengxiu, Xu Zhixiang · 10 passages
初，德宗繼統嗣文宗，懿旨謂將來生有皇子，即繼穆宗為嗣。
When Emperor Guangxu had first succeeded as heir to Emperor Xianfeng, an empress dowager's decree held that any son born to him in future would succeed Emperor Tongzhi as heir.
至是，穆宗奉安惠陵，主事吳可讀堅請為其立後，以屍諫，下廷臣議。
Now, when Emperor Tongzhi was interred at Huiling, Principal Clerk Wu Kedu insisted that an heir be named for him and remonstrated by suicide; the court ordered a ministerial debate.
寶廷謂：「恭繹懿旨之意，蓋言穆宗未有儲貳，即以皇上所生之子為嗣，非言生皇子即時承繼也，言嗣而統賅焉矣。
Baoting wrote: "Reverently construed, the empress dowager's decree means that because Tongzhi left no heir, the son the present emperor bears shall be his successor—not that any newborn son must succeed at once, but that 'heir' here embraces the whole line of succession.
引伸之，蓋言將來即以皇上傳統之皇子繼穆宗為嗣也。
Taken further, it means that in future the son who inherits the present emperor's own line will succeed Tongzhi as heir.
請將前後懿旨恭呈御覽，明降諭旨，宣示中外，俾天下後世咸知我皇太后至慈，皇上至孝至弟至仁至讓，且以見穆宗至聖至明，付託得人也。
I beg that the earlier and later decrees be presented for the emperor's review, that a clear edict be issued and proclaimed at home and abroad, so that all the world and posterity may know the empress dowager's boundless compassion, the emperor's supreme filial piety, brotherly duty, benevolence, and forbearance—and may see that Tongzhi, most sage and discerning, entrusted his line to the right man.
又奏：「廷臣謂穆宗繼統之議，已賅於皇太后前降懿旨之中，將來神器所歸，皇上自能斟酌盡善，固也。
He also wrote: "Ministers say the question of Tongzhi's succession is already covered by the empress dowager's earlier decree, and that when the throne passes in future the emperor can weigh every matter to perfection—so far, so good.
然懿旨意深詞簡，不及此引伸明晰，異日皇上生有皇子，將繼穆宗為嗣乎，抑不即繼乎？
Yet the decree's intent is deep and its wording brief; without this fuller explanation, when the emperor has a son, will that son succeed Tongzhi at once or not?
別傳之皇子，仍繼穆宗為嗣乎，抑不繼乎？
Would a prince from another line still succeed Tongzhi as heir, or not?
即使仍繼穆宗，是亦不廢立之廢立也，豈太平盛事乎？
Even if he did succeed Tongzhi, that would amount to deposing and enthroning without calling it so—hardly an age of great peace, would it?
然列聖垂訓，原言嗣統之常，今則事屬創局，可讀意在存穆宗之統，與無故擅請建儲者有間，文義之殊，不待言矣。
Yet the teaching of our sage forebears concerned the normal rule of heir and succession; today's case is unprecedented. Wu Kedup sought to preserve Tongzhi's line—quite unlike those who presumptuously demand a crown prince without cause. The difference in wording scarcely needs stating.