The Tongzhi Emperor (27 April 1856 – 12 January 1875),[1] also known by his temple name Emperor Muzong of Qing, personal name Zaichun,[2] was the ninth Emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. His reign, from 1861 to 1875, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother, Empress Dowager Cixi. Although he had little influence over state affairs, the events of his reign gave rise to what historians call the "Tongzhi Restoration", an unsuccessful modernization program.
The only surviving son of the Xianfeng Emperor, Tongzhi ascended the throne at the age of five under a regency headed by his mother and Empress Dowager Ci'an. The Self-Strengthening Movement began during his reign, in which Qing officials pursued radical institutional reforms following the disasters of the Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion. Tongzhi assumed personal rule over the Qing government in 1873 and immediately came into conflict with his ministers, but was outmaneuvered by the empresses dowager.
In 1875, Tongzhi succumbed to smallpox at the age of 18 following unsuccessful medical treatments, creating a succession crisis as he died without a male heir. In contravention of Qing's dynastic custom, the empresses dowager installed Cixi's nephew as his successor, who assumed the throne as the Guangxu Emperor.
TongzhiEmperor (27 April 1856 – 12 January 1875), also known by his temple name Emperor Muzong of Qing, personal name Zaichun, was the ninth Emperor...
Following the death of the TongzhiEmperor in 1875, Empress Dowager Cixi installed her four-year-old nephew as Guangxu Emperor, in contravention of Qing's...
succeeded by his surviving six-year-old son, who assumed the throne as the TongzhiEmperor. On his deathbed, Xianfeng appointed eight men to a regency council...
that as soon as the new emperor had a son, he would be adopted into the TongzhiEmperor's line. However, as the Guangxu Emperor died heirless too, Empress...
Guangxu Emperor at the death of the TongzhiEmperor in 1875. Ci'an continued as co-regent until her death in 1881. Cixi supervised the Tongzhi Restoration...
strengthen China. The Tongzhi Restoration was named for the TongzhiEmperor (r. 1861–1875), and was engineered by the young emperor's mother, the Empress...
Tongzhi (Wade-Giles: T'ung-chih) can refer to: TongzhiEmperor (1856–1875, reigned 1861–1875) of the Qing dynasty Tongzhi Restoration (c. 1860–1874),...
posthumous name bestowed to the wife and empress consort of Zaichun, the TongzhiEmperor. She was empress consort of Qing from 1872 until her husband's death...
regents appointed by the Xianfeng Emperor on his deathbed to assist his young son and successor, the TongzhiEmperor. After the coup, he served as Prince-Regent...
(1835–1908), the mother of the TongzhiEmperor (1856–1875) Paternal aunt: Wanzhen (1841–1896), the mother of the Guangxu Emperor (1871–1908) Mother: Lady Aisin...
sister First elder sister: Xingzhen (杏贞) (1835–1908), the mother of the TongzhiEmperor (1856–1875) The future primary consort was born on the 28th day of...
Daoguang Emperor and a younger half-brother of the Xianfeng Emperor. The Xianfeng Emperor was succeeded by his only son, who became the TongzhiEmperor (r....
settled in its final form in 1839 under the Daoguang Emperor, and repealed in 1870 under the TongzhiEmperor. It sentenced Europeans to death for spreading...
the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Fuca clan, was a consort of the TongzhiEmperor. Imperial Noble Consort Shushen's personal name was not recorded in...
one of the eight regents appointed by the Xianfeng Emperor to assist his successor, the TongzhiEmperor. Zaiyuan was born in the Aisin Gioro clan as a descendant...
day of the eighth lunar month in the 12th year of the reign of the TongzhiEmperor, which translates to 6 October 1873 in the Gregorian calendar. On 26...
Manchu Bordered Blue Banner Sirin Gioro clan, was a consort of the TongzhiEmperor. Imperial Noble Consort Dunhui's personal name was not recorded in...
ancestral worship rites. When the Xianfeng Emperor died on 22 August 1861, his first son and successor, the TongzhiEmperor, was still too young to rule. In the...
Tongzhi porcelain is Chinese porcelain from the reign of the Qing dynasty TongzhiEmperor (1862–1874), which saw the reconstruction of the Jingdezhen...
facto rulers are Empress Dowager Cixi of China (for son TongzhiEmperor and nephew Guangxu Emperor), Prince Alexander Menshikov (for his former lover Empress...
When the TongzhiEmperor came to the throne at the age of five in 1861, these officials rallied around him in what was called the Tongzhi Restoration...
were extended with the permission of the Chongzhen Emperor of the Ming dynasty, the TongzhiEmperor of the Qing dynasty, and the Ministry of Interior of...
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