Jiaqing Emperor

The Jiaqing Emperor (13 November 1760 – 2 September 1820), personal name Yongyan, was the seventh emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the fifth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1796 to 1820. He was the 15th son of the Qianlong Emperor. During his reign, he prosecuted Heshen, the corrupt favorite of his father, and attempted to restore order within the Qing Empire while curbing the smuggling of opium into China.

Early years
Yongyan was born in the Old Summer Palace, 8 km (5 mi) northwest of the walls of Beijing. His personal name, "Yongyan" (永琰), was later changed to "Yongyan" (顒琰) when he became the emperor. The Chinese character for yong in his name was changed from the more common 永 to the less common 顒. This novelty was introduced by the Qianlong Emperor, who believed that it was not proper to have a commonly used Chinese character in an emperor's personal name due to the longstanding practice of naming taboo in the imperial family.

Yongyan was the 15th son of the Qianlong Emperor. His mother was Noble Consort Ling, the daughter of Wei Qingtai (魏清泰), a Han Chinese official whose family had been long integrated into the Manchu Eight Banners as part of a Han Banner. 

The Qianlong Emperor originally had two other sons in mind for succeeding him, but both of them died early from diseases, hence in December 1773 he secretly chose Yongyan as his successor. In 1789, the Qianlong Emperor instated Yongyan as "Prince Jia of the First Rank" (嘉親王; or simply "Prince Jia").

Accession to the throne
In October 1795, the 60th year of his reign, the Qianlong Emperor announced his intention to abdicate in favour of Prince Jia. He made this decision because he felt that it was disrespectful for him to rule longer than his grandfather, the Kangxi Emperor, who was on the throne for 61 years. Prince Jia ascended the throne and adopted the era name "Jiaqing" in February 1796, hence he is historically known as the Jiaqing Emperor. For the next three years however, the Jiaqing Emperor was emperor in name only because decisions were still made by his father, who became a Taishang Huang (emperor emeritus) after his abdication.

After the death of the Qianlong Emperor in the beginning of February 1799, the Jiaqing Emperor took control of the government and prosecuted Heshen, a favourite official of his father. Heshen was charged with corruption and abuse of power, stripped of his titles, had his property confiscated, and ordered to commit suicide. Heshen's daughter-in-law, Princess Hexiao, a sister of the Jiaqing Emperor, was spared from punishment and given a few properties from Heshen's estates.

At the time, the Qing Empire faced internal disorder, most importantly the large-scale White Lotus (1796–1804) and Miao (1795–1806) rebellions, as well as an empty imperial treasury. The Jiaqing Emperor engaged in the pacification of the empire and the quelling of rebellions. He endeavored to bring China back to its 18th-century prosperity and power. However, due in part to large outflows of silver from the country as payment for the opium smuggled into China from British India, the economy declined.

Renaming Vietnam
The Jiaqing Emperor refused the Vietnamese ruler Gia Long's request to change his country's name to Nam Việt. He changed the name instead to Việt Nam. Gia Long's Đại Nam thực lục contains the diplomatic correspondence over the naming.

Opposition to Christianity
The Great Qing Legal Code includes one statute titled "Prohibitions Concerning Sorcerers and Sorceresses" (禁止師巫邪術). In 1811, a clause was added to it with reference to Christianity. It was modified in 1815 and 1817, settled in its final form in 1839 under the Daoguang Emperor, and abrogated in 1870 under the Tongzhi Emperor. It sentenced Europeans to death for spreading Catholicism among Han Chinese and Manchus. Christians who would not repent their conversion were sent to Muslim cities in Xinjiang, to be given as slaves to Muslim leaders and beys.

Chinese nobility
The Jiaqing Emperor granted the title Wujing Boshi () to the descendants of Han Yu.

Death and burial
On 2 September 1820, the Jiaqing Emperor died at the Rehe (Jehol) Traveling Palace (熱河行宫), 230 km (140 mi) northeast of Beijing, where the imperial court was in summer quarters. The Draft History of Qing did not record a cause of death. Some have alleged that he died after being struck by lightning, but others prefer the theory that he died of a stroke as the emperor was quite obese. He was succeeded by his second son, Mianning, who became known as the Daoguang Emperor.

Renzong was interred amidst the Western Qing Tombs, 120 km (75 mi) southwest of Beijing, in the Chang (昌; lit. "splendid") mausoleum complex.

Family
 Father: Hongli, the Qianlong Emperor (; 25 September 1711 – 7 February 1799)
 Grandfather: Yinzhen, the Yongzheng Emperor (; 13 December 1678 – 8 October 1735)
 Grandmother: Empress Xiaoshengxian, of the Niohuru clan (; 12 January 1692 – 2 March 1777)
 Mother: Empress Xiaoyichun, of the Weigiya clan (; 23 October 1727 – 28 February 1775)
 Grandfather: Qingtai (), served as a fifth rank literary official () in the Imperial Household Department, and held the title of a third class duke ()
 Grandmother: Lady Yanggiya

 Consorts and Issue:
 Empress Xiaoshurui, of the Hitara clan (; 2 October 1760 – 5 March 1797)
 Second daughter (2 June 1780 – 6 September 1783)
 Minning, the Daoguang Emperor (; 16 September 1782 – 26 February 1850), second son
 Princess Zhuangjing of the First Rank (; 20 October 1784 – 27 June 1811), fourth daughter
 Married Manibadala (; d. 1832) of the Tumed Borjigit clan in November/December 1802
 Miscarriage at three months (18 August 1785)
 Empress Xiaoherui, of the Niohuru clan (; 20 November 1776 – 23 January 1850)
 Seventh daughter (2 August 1793 – July/August 1795)
 Miankai, Prince Dunke of the First Rank (; 6 August 1795 – 18 January 1838), third son
 Mianxin, Prince Ruihuai of the First Rank (; 9 March 1805 – 27 September 1828), fourth son
 Imperial Noble Consort Heyu, of the Liugiya clan (; 9 January 1761 – 27 April 1834)
 Prince Mu of the Second Rank (; 4 February 1779 – 10 June 1780), first son
 Princess Zhuangjing of the Second Rank (; 30 January 1782 – 4 April 1811), third daughter
 Married Sodnamdorji (; d. 1825) of the Khorchin Borjigit clan on 24 December 1801
 Imperial Noble Consort Gongshun, of the Niohuru clan (; 28 May 1787 – 23 April 1860)
 Eighth daughter (8 March 1805 – December 1805 or January 1806)
 Princess Huimin of the First Rank (; 18 February 1811 – June/July 1815), ninth daughter
 Mianyu, Prince Huiduan of the First Rank (; 8 March 1814 – 9 January 1865), fifth son
 Consort Shu, of the Wanyan clan ()
 Consort Hua, of the Hougiya clan (; d. 3 August 1804)
 Sixth daughter (2 August 1789 – 1790)
 Consort Zhuang, of the Wanggiya clan (; d. 9 March 1811)
 Consort Xin, of the Liugiya clan (; d. 26 November 1822)
 Concubine Jian, of the Guan clan (; d. 14 May 1780)
 First daughter (14 May 1780 – 24 November 1783)
 Concubine Xun, of the Shen clan ()
 Princess Hui'an of the Second Rank (; 31 December 1786 – June/July 1795), fifth daughter
 Concubine Chun, of the Donggiya clan (; d. 30 November 1819)
 Concubine Rong, of the Liang clan (; d. 15 June 1826)
 Concubine En, of the Uya clan (; 21 October 1791 – 7 March 1846)
 Concubine An, of the Gūwalgiya clan (; 1 March 1785 – 29 July 1837)

In fiction and popular culture
 Portrayed by Yu Yang in War and Beauty (2004)
 Portrayed by Xin Baiqing Legend of Jiaqing (2005)
 Portrayed by Shaun Tam in Succession War (2018)
 Portrayed by Tang Jiatong in Story of Yanxi Palace (2018)
 Portrayed in Throne of Jade (2006), a historical fantasy novel by Naomi Novik.

See also 
 Chinese emperors family tree (late)

References

Citations

Sources

External links 
 

Category:1760 births
Category:1820 deaths
Category:Qing dynasty emperors
Category:18th-century Chinese monarchs
Category:19th-century Chinese monarchs
Category:Emperors from Beijing
Category:Persecution of Christians
Category:1790s in China
Category:1800s in China
Category:1810s in China
Category:Qianlong Emperor's sons