Prince Gong (恭親王)

Overview

The translated histories identify Prince Gong as an aristocrat, diplomat, official, and royal family member. This record brings together 21 passages from 8 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Prince Gong	恭親王	Gōng qīnwáng
Title	Prince Gong	恭親王
Title	Prince Gong	恭親王	Gōng qīnwáng
Title	Prince Gong	恭親王	Gong qinwang
Title	Prince Gong Yixin
Personal	Yixin	奕訢	Yixin
Personal name	Yixin	奕訢	Yixin
Personal	Yixin	奕訢

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · qingshigao:091:s0160, qingshigao:437:s0009
Sex: male
Explicit · qingshigao:387:s0029, qingshigao:436:s0042, qingshigao:441:s0017, qingshigao:441:s0019, qingshigao:445:s0120

Roles

Aristocrat
Diplomat
Official
Royal Family Member
Statesman

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 光緒二十年前後 · Western Interval: Start: AD 1894 · End: AD 1895
Strongly inferred · qingshigao:443:s0045
Source Date: Text: 光緒四年 · Western Year: AD 1878
Explicit event contextual date · qingshigao:445:s0120, qingshigao:445:s0118
Source Date: Text: 十一年 · Western Year: AD 1861
Explicit event contextual date · qingshigao:387:s0036, qingshigao:387:s0032
Source Date: Text: 十年 · Western Year: AD 1860
Explicit event contextual date · qingshigao:387:s0029, qingshigao:387:s0026
Source Date: Text: 同治七年 · Western Year: AD 1868
Explicit · qingshigao:436:s0052
Western Interval: Start: AD 1864 · End: AD 1865 · Source Date: Text: 同治三年至四年
Explicit · qingshigao:391:s0109, qingshigao:391:s0116
Source Date: Text: 同治十二年 · Western Year: AD 1873
Explicit event contextual date · qingshigao:091:s0149, qingshigao:091:s0160
Source Date: Text: 明年 · Western Year: AD 1865
Explicit · qingshigao:441:s0019, qingshigao:441:s0017
Source Date: Text: 榮祿言於恭親王 · Western Year: AD 1875
Explicit event contextual date · qingshigao:437:s0009

Family

Kin of Muzong Emperor (穆宗)
Kinship Term: Prince Gong / 恭親王 · Subject Role: emperor · Object Role: imperial-prince

Career and standing

Label: Superintendent of Affairs with Foreign Countries / 總理各國事務 · Action: held
Explicit · qingshigao:091:s0160
Label: Grand Council / 軍機 · Action: reentered
Explicit · qingshigao:443:s0045
Title: Prince Gong / 恭親王 · Action: held
Explicit · qingshigao:091:s0160
Action: impeached and withdrew from the Grand Council, then restored to duty · Date Context: Western Year: AD 1865 · Source Date: Text: 同治四年
Explicit · qingshigao:391:s0115, qingshigao:391:s0116
Status: reprimanded · Action: received
Explicit · qingshigao:441:s0019
Label: stripped of office but kept on duty / 褫職留任 · Action: suffered
Explicit · qingshigao:445:s0120

Places and affiliations

Polity: Qing / 清 · Relation: served
Explicit · qingshigao:091:s0160, qingshigao:387:s0029

Works and attributed material

Kind: memorial · Role: author · Action: requested-imperial-approval
Explicit · qingshigao:091:s0161
Kind: audience statement · Role: speaker · Topic: ruler and ministers mutually admonishing one another
Explicit · qingshigao:391:s0110

Events and relationships

Kind: diplomatic · Role: negotiator · Action: debated-kowtow-protocol · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 同治十二年 · Western Year: AD 1873
Explicit · qingshigao:091:s0160, qingshigao:091:s0161

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: strongly agreed with Tangjie's counsel · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · qingshigao:391:s0109

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 91Volume 91 Treatises 66: Rites 10, Bin Li · 1 passage

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時總理各國事務恭親王以拜跪儀節往復申辨，而各使堅執如初。 At the time Prince Gong, who supervised affairs with foreign countries, repeatedly debated the kneeling and kowtowing protocol back and forth, but the various envoys held firm to their original position.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 387Volume 387 Biographies 174: Zong Shisushun, Mu Yin, Kuang Yuan, Jiao Youying, Chen Fuen · 3 passages

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洎敵軍入京師，恭親王留京主和議，議即定，敵軍漸退。 When the enemy entered Beijing, Prince Gong stayed behind to lead the peace talks; once agreement was reached the allied forces gradually withdrew.

恭親王至行在，乃密定計。 When Prince Gong arrived at Rehe, a secret plan was laid.

自庚申議和後，恭親王為中外所繫望，肅順等不圖和衷共濟，而數阻返蹕。 After the 1860 peace Prince Gong was looked to at home and abroad; Sushun and his fellows sought no harmony but again and again blocked the emperor's return to Beijing.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 391Volume 391 Biographies 178: Wo Ren, Li Tangjie, Wu Tingdong · 4 passages

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棠階語恭親王及同直諸大臣，謂當設誠致行，久而不懈，勿徒以空言相文飾，王深然之。 Tangjie told Prince Gong and the other councilors on duty that they must act in earnest and keep at it, not dress one another in empty phrases. The prince strongly agreed.

翼日召對，王反复陳君臣交儆之義，棠階與同僚繼言之，兩宮改容嘉納。 At audience the next day the prince spoke again and again on how ruler and ministers must warn each other; Tangjie and his colleagues added their voices, and the two empress dowagers listened with changed faces and welcomed the counsel.

四年，恭親王被劾退出軍機，棠階謂王有定難功，時方多故，不當輕棄親賢，入對，力言王非有心之失。 In 1865 Prince Gong was impeached and left the Grand Council. Tangjie said the prince had saved the dynasty in crisis and must not be cast aside while troubles remained; at audience he insisted the fault was not deliberate.

會惇、醇兩王亦奏言奕訢不可遽罷，乃復命入直。 When the Princes of Dun and Chun also argued that Yixin must not be removed so hastily, he was ordered back to the council.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 436Volume 436 Biographies 223: Shen Guifen, Li Hongzao, Weng Tonghe, Sun Yuwen · 5 passages

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倭仁等亦代為陳請，仍命恭親王傳諭慰勉。 Woren and others petitioned on his behalf as well, but the court still had Prince Gong convey the edict and urge him to comply.

奏入，上遂命各路統兵大臣均歸恭親王節制。 When the memorial reached the throne, the emperor ordered all field commanders placed under Prince Gong's command.

廷臣多執此入諫，恭親王等尤力諍，上不懌。 Many officials used the case to remonstrate; Prince Gong and others argued especially forcefully, and the emperor was displeased.

於是命恭親王督辦軍務，同龢、鴻藻等會商辦理。 Prince Gong was then ordered to supervise military affairs, with Tonghe, Hongzao, and others to consult and handle matters jointly.

恭親王以毓汶世受國恩，首抗捐餉，深惡之。 Prince Gong deeply detested him, holding that a family long favored by the state should not have been foremost in resisting tax levies.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 437Volume 437 Biographies 224: Rong Lu, Wang Wenshao, Zhang Zhidong, Qu Hongji · 2 passages

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榮祿言於恭親王，乃請頒詔，俟嗣皇帝有子，承繼穆宗。 Rong Lu urged Prince Gong to seek an edict providing that when the new emperor should have a son, that son would carry on Emperor Muzong's succession.

日本構釁，恭親王、慶親王督辦軍務，榮祿參其事。 When Japan provoked war, Princes Gong and Qing were put in charge of military affairs, and Rong Lu assisted them.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 441Volume 441 Biographies 228: Pan Zuyin, Li Wentian, Sun Yijing, Xia Tongshan, Zhang Jiaxiang, Zhang Yinglin, Zhang Renfu, Zhang Hengjia · 4 passages

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明年，恭親王奕訢獲譴，下群臣議。 The following year, when Prince Gong Yixin was reprimanded, the matter was referred to the ministers for deliberation.

二十年，疏請起用恭親王奕訢及前布政使遊智開，依行。 In the twentieth year he memorialized to recall Prince Gong Yixin and the former provincial administer You Zhikai; both requests were granted.

未幾，復將詣恭親王府祀神，詒經再上疏，言：「聖學方新，宸修宜懋。 Before long the emperor was again to go to Prince Gong's mansion to offer sacrifices; Yijing memorialized again, saying: "Sacred learning has just been renewed; imperial self-cultivation should be redoubled.

乃與李文田等請起用恭親王奕訢，稱旨。 He then joined Li Wentian and others in asking to recall Prince Gong Yixin; the request pleased the throne.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 443Volume 443 Biographies 230: Sun Jianai, Zhang Baixi, Tang Jingchong, Yu Shimei, Shen Jiaben · 1 passage

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未幾，孫毓汶引疾歸，恭親王奕訢復入軍機，而百熙亦出督廣東學政。 Before long Sun Yuwen retired on grounds of illness, Prince Gong Yixin returned to the Grand Council, and Baixi was sent out to supervise education in Guangdong.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 445Volume 445 Biographies 232: Wu Kedu, Zhu Yixin, Tu Keshou, An Weijun, Wen Ti, Jiang Chunlin · 1 passage

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越日，命下，恭親王奕訢等五人並褫職留任，直聲震一時。 The next day orders came down; Prince Gong Yixin and four others were all stripped of office but kept on duty, and his upright reputation shook the age.