A Dynasty at the Crossroads

The early 18th century marked a pivotal era for China’s Qing Dynasty. Following the 61-year reign of the Kangxi Emperor, his sudden death in 1722 triggered one of history’s most controversial successions. At the center stood two figures: the ambitious Prince Yinzhen (future Yongzheng Emperor) and his bright young son Hongli (future Qianlong Emperor). Their intertwined fates would determine China’s trajectory for nearly a century.

Court records present conflicting narratives about this transition. Official Qing documents claim Kangxi designated Yinzhen on his deathbed, while rumors persisted that the aging emperor actually favored his grandson Hongli. Korean diplomatic records noted: “Yinzhen’s second son has heroic bearing and will surely become crown prince.” This succession mystery became the first test of Yongzheng’s political genius—and his willingness to reshape imperial traditions.

The Shadow of the Nine Princes’ War

Yongzheng’s traumatic experience during Kangxi’s prolonged succession struggle (the infamous “Nine Princes’ War”) fundamentally shaped his approach. The bloody conflicts among Kangxi’s sons mirrored the ancient tragedy of Duke Huan of Qi (643 BCE), whose sons battled over his corpse for 67 days. Determined to prevent such chaos, Yongzheng pioneered an unprecedented solution in 1723—the secret succession system.

In a dramatic ceremony at the Qianqing Palace, Yongzheng placed an envelope behind the “Rectitude and Brilliance” plaque, declaring: “The heir’s name is written in Manchu and Chinese, sealed in this box as insurance against uncertainty.” This Persian-inspired method (recorded in the Wei Shu’s Accounts of the Western Regions) allowed Yongzheng to control succession while avoiding the pitfalls of public designation that had destroyed his father’s reign.

The Forgotten Prince: Hongshi’s Tragedy

The secret succession created unexpected casualties. Prince Hongshi, Yongzheng’s eldest surviving son, logically expected to inherit the throne. At 19, he had received elite education, married the daughter of a prominent minister, and participated in state ceremonies. Yet Yongzheng gradually revealed his preference through symbolic acts—notably assigning 13-year-old Hongli to conduct ancestral rites at Kangxi’s tomb, a privilege traditionally reserved for heirs.

When Hongshi publicly sympathized with Yongzheng’s political enemies (the disgraced Princes Yinsi and Yintang), the emperor reacted ruthlessly. In 1726, Hongshi was:
– Expelled from the Forbidden City
– Stripped of imperial status
– Given to his uncle as an adopted son
– Posthumously erased from records after dying at 24

This brutal treatment demonstrated Yongzheng’s absolute commitment to securing Hongli’s path, establishing a pattern Qianlong would later emulate with his own heirs.

Crafting the Perfect Emperor

Once secretly designated, Qianlong received meticulous grooming:

1. Intellectual Formation
Though delayed in formal education until age 9, Qianlong studied under luminaries like Zhu Shi and Zhang Tingyu. He developed into a prolific writer, producing over 40,000 poems—though later critics noted their quantity over quality.

2. Political Apprenticeship
Yongzheng involved him in state affairs, using the “treasure prince” title (Baogin Wang) as covert training. Qianlong later recalled: “I dwelled in the palace studying for twenty years without respite—I was truly a scholar.”

3. Strategic Marriage
The 1727 wedding to Lady Fuca wasn’t merely ceremonial. As descendant of early Qing heroes (her grandfather was Kangxi’s minister Mishan), this union bolstered Manchu identity while connecting to Han scholarly traditions—a balance Qianlong would perfect.

The Long Shadow of a Short Reign

Yongzheng’s 13-year rule (1722-1735) achieved what decades of Kangxi’s reign could not: a stable succession. His innovations—from the Grand Council to silver monetization—created foundations Qianlong expanded into China’s last golden age. Yet the methods haunted the dynasty:

– Secrecy’s Price: The opaque succession process encouraged factionalism, later contributing to the 19th century Heshen corruption.
– Precedent of Purges: Hongshi’s fate established that imperial sons were either heirs or threats—a dynamic that weakened subsequent generations.
– The Qianlong Template: Yongzheng’s successful grooming became the model for later emperors, though none replicated his pupil’s success.

When Qianlong finally opened the vermilion box in 1735, he inherited not just an empire, but his father’s relentless drive for control—a double-edged legacy that would define both his glorious reign and the dynasty’s eventual decline. The secret succession system, born from Yongzheng’s trauma, ultimately proved too dependent on individual ability rather than institutional strength, foreshadowing the challenges that would undo the Qing century later.