The passing of Ronglu in 1903 marked the end of an era for Empress Dowager Cixi and the Qing Dynasty. As one of her most trusted advisors, Ronglu had been a stabilizing force during decades of political turmoil, foreign invasions, and internal rebellions. His death left a void in Cixi’s inner circle, triggering an outpouring of imperial grief and revealing the fragile state of Qing governance. This article explores Ronglu’s remarkable career, his final memorial to the throne, and the lasting consequences of his absence in China’s final imperial years.
The Rise of a Qing Dynasty Powerbroker
Ronglu’s career mirrored the tumultuous 19th century Qing court. Born in 1836, he rose through the ranks as a military officer before becoming indispensable to Empress Dowager Cixi during the Xianfeng Emperor’s reign. His early loyalty was proven during the 1860 escape to Rehe when Anglo-French forces occupied Beijing—an event Ronglu would later reference in his deathbed memorial as formative for both himself and Cixi.
What set Ronglu apart was his ability to navigate between conservative Manchu factions and reform-minded officials. As Superintendent of Trade for the Northern Ports (1885-1895), he gained rare firsthand experience dealing with foreign powers. This positioned him as Cixi’s go-between during crises like the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) and the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901). His appointments as Viceroy of Zhili and Grand Councillor gave him unprecedented influence over military and foreign affairs.
The Boxer Crisis and Ronglu’s Pragmatism
The Boxer Uprising became Ronglu’s defining challenge. While ultra-conservatives like Prince Duan pushed Cixi to support the Boxers against foreigners, Ronglu advocated restraint—a stance that temporarily cost him imperial favor. Historical accounts reveal he secretly protected foreigners in Beijing while publicly complying with court directives, demonstrating his characteristic balancing act.
When the Eight-Nation Alliance crushed the Boxers and occupied Beijing, Ronglu’s earlier warnings proved prescient. His rehabilitation came during the humiliating aftermath, as he helped negotiate the Boxer Protocol (1901). This catastrophe apparently shaped his final plea for gradual reform—a striking contrast to his earlier opposition to the radical 1898 Hundred Days’ Reform.
A Deathbed Memorial That Shook the Throne
Ronglu’s previously undisclosed final memorial, dated April 10, 1903, offers extraordinary insight into Qing politics. Written as he suffered respiratory failure (likely chronic pulmonary disease exacerbated by stress), the document blends personal narrative with statecraft advice:
1. Historical Justification for Reform: He frames modernization as continuity rather than revolution, citing the post-Boxer New Policies that Cixi herself had initiated. His call for administrative overhauls—especially regarding corrupt local officials—directly addressed systemic weaknesses exposed during recent crises.
2. Veiled Criticism of Court Factions: While praising Cixi, Ronglu subtly warns against the rising influence of Prince Qing’s faction. His emphasis on merit-based appointments targeted the rampant nepotism that would plague the dynasty’s final years.
3. The Foreign Policy Tightrope: Drawing on his diplomatic experience, he advocates maintaining the delicate balance between resisting foreign domination and adopting useful Western innovations—a middle path he had long personified.
Imperial Grief and Political Consequences
Cixi’s response was unprecedented. Beyond posthumous honors like the rare Dharani Sutra burial covering and the title “Wenzhong” (Cultivated Loyalty), she ordered:
– Removal of all negative records about Ronglu from official histories
– A second imperial sacrifice ceremony before his burial
– Hereditary privileges for his son, bypassing normal restrictions
This emotional display underscored Ronglu’s unique position. As the emperor’s former guardian and Cixi’s crisis manager, he had been perhaps the only official who could moderate the empress’s impulses. His death accelerated the court’s fragmentation, allowing Prince Qing’s faction to dominate the Grand Council—with disastrous consequences during the 1908 succession crisis.
The Unheeded Warning: Ronglu’s Legacy
Ronglu’s memorial anticipated many issues that would doom the Qing:
– Local Governance: His warning about corrupt magistrates foreshadowed the anti-Qing sentiment that fueled the 1911 Revolution
– Military Modernization: As former commander of the Hushenying (Beijing’s best-equipped troops), he understood China’s defensive weaknesses
– Foreign Relations: His nuanced approach contrasted with the court’s later vacillation between submission and defiance
Historians debate whether Ronglu could have steered China toward constitutional monarchy had he lived longer. His proposed reforms—gradual, top-down, and preserving imperial authority—might have been the dynasty’s last viable path. Instead, his death removed a crucial stabilizing force, leaving the court vulnerable to radical factions and revolutionary currents.
Conclusion: The Servant Who Shaped an Empire
Ronglu’s career spanned the Qing Dynasty’s most transformative decades—from the Opium Wars to the dawn of revolutionary republicanism. More pragmatist than visionary, his true significance lay in his ability to implement Cixi’s will while mitigating her errors. The emotional excess of his funeral rites revealed not just personal loss, but the regime’s deepening insecurity.
The unfulfilled recommendations in his final memorial became a road not taken for imperial China. As subsequent leaders ignored his warnings about governance and foreign relations, the Qing’s collapse became inevitable—making Ronglu’s death not just the passing of a statesman, but the fading of an approach that might have saved the dynasty.