Good Stories from China: Emperor Kangxi, a Wise and Benevolent Ruler
By Zhi Zhen Special to Epoch Times Sep 06, 2007
Aixin-Juelo Xuanye (1654-1722) was known as Emperor Kangxi, a title that means peace for all people and prosperity for all lands. Kangxi was honored in Chinese history as a noble, generous, and compassionate ruler. During his reign of 61 years China became the world's largest and strongest nation, with the largest population, the richest economy, and the most glorious culture. Emperor Kangxi was the architect of the period known as the "Prosperous Era of Kangxi and Qianlong" which lasted generations past his own life. Kangxi was an extraordinarily wise ruler whose example echoes to us through the ages.
United China with benevolence and tolerance
When Emperor Kangxi ascended to the throne, China was consumed with internal strife and foreign invasions. People lived in misery and many railed against the imperial court.
Grand Dowager Empress Xiao Zhuang asked Emperor Kangxi for his opinion on the nation's situation and he replied, "Those who are benevolent don't have enemies." He said to his ministers, "The way to end a rebellion is to be forgiving, generous, and noble. We can win people's hearts through leniency. To rule a nation one needs to be tolerant."
At the age of 16, Emperor Kangxi already possessed extraordinary wisdom and courage. He deposed the arrogant and controlling regent Oboi, defeated the rebels in southern China, pacified Taiwan, twice subdued the Dzungar Mongols,and stopped the invasion of the Russians at the northern border. He unified China and brought peace to the nation.
In dealing with the rebels in southern China, Kangxi told them firmly that the nation's territory was inviolable. He asked them to keep the nation's interests in mind and end the revolt. In return, he would grant them clemency. After he successfully crushed the rebellion, he treated everyone involved in the revolt with leniency so as to keep the losses to a minimum.
One of the southern rebels, Pingxi Prince Wu Sangui, bribed the commander-in-chief of Shanxi Province Wang Fuchen, who then dispatched troops and plotted an uprising. At the time, Wang Fuchen's son, Wang Jizhen, and family members lived in the capital Beijing, and ministers counseled Emperor Kangxi to immediately arrest them. Kangxi was concerned, but he remained calm. He sent Wang Jizhen to tell his father that the imperial court believed that the rebellion was not his original intention and that the Emperor was waiting for his return without punishment. Wang Fuchen was greatly moved, and bowed to the direction of the imperial court. Because of fear, however, he did not surrender.
Emperor Kangxi appointed Tu Hai as military general to fight Wang Fuchen. Tu Hai told his soldiers, "A benevolent and righteous army will heed to His Majesty's great virtue and love of life. We should appease the enemy first; attacking is only the second choice. No one may kill mercilessly." Tu Hai's troops were invincible and Wang Fuchen had to surrender. After that Emperor Kangxi offered Wang Fuchen the title of "Pacifying General" and asked him to assist Tu Hai in protecting the Hanzhong area. Wang Fuchen felt deep shame and regret for his actions. Many times, Kangxi asked Tu Hai to encourage him.
Kangxi adopted the policy of pacification in governing Mongolia in northern China. One of the tribal leaders of Khalkha Mongol (Outer Mongolia), Tosheetu Khan, started a war, giving Galdan (of Dzungar Mongol) the opportunity to invade and occupy Khalkha's land and forcing him to move south into China. Emperor Kangxi traveled beyond the Great Wall to preside over the Mongolian league conference. During the conference, Kangxi reprimanded Tosheetu Khan for his aggression, then said, "At such a grand gathering I do not have the heart to punish Tosheetu Khan." He pardoned his blunders in everyone's presence.
Kangxi resolved conflicts between the Mongolian tribes through benevolent instruction and guidance. He was successful in reunifying the Khalkha Mongols. The Mongols in turn surrendered willingly to Kangxi by kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times, following an ancient Chinese ritual of respect. Emperor Kangxi formally accepted the Khalkha Mongols as subjects into his empire.
In subduing Galdan, Kangxi said to his ministers, "To rule a nation, one should treat people with benevolence instead of coercion. Galdan is oppressive and violent, but I treat him with tolerance and mercy. Galdan is cunning and sly, but I show him honesty and trust."
Caring for the people
People were Kangxi's first priority. He observed them and was mindful of their hardships. During his reign, he constantly developed principles and policies that benefited the people. Kangxi was intent on restoring and expanding productivity so as to support the people. He forbid the seizure and occupation of people's lands. He exempted grain taxes 545 times at the cost of 1.5 billion liang of silver [each liang equals 37.3 gram]. Kangxi announced the policy of "no extra taxes on additional children," and froze the "population tax" to lessen the financial burden on peasants. He studied and investigated river management for more than ten years, and placed importance on managing and controlling the Yellow River to reduce damage and suffering brought by flooding.
One time, a part of the Great Wall in the area of Gubeikou collapsed. The ministry of public works discussed the reconstruction project. Kangxi said to the senior engineers, "When an emperor rules a nation, he relies on internal sources and does not solely depend on barricades. The Great Wall was built during the Qin Dynasty and constantly repaired during the Han, Tang, and Song Dynasties. Yet, this did not prevent foreign invasions. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, my ancestor led his army across it, destroying any obstructions. No one could stop them! To defend a nation is to cultivate one's virtue and treat the people respectfully. When people are happy, the nation is in harmony and the frontier is fortified. This is why we have a saying 'unity of the people with the same purpose is a formidable force.'"
Emperor Kangxi was a benevolent emperor. He instructed that all officials treat people the same as they wanted to be treated. Kangxi put in practice a "lenient punishment" policy. Records show, for example, in the 22nd year of his reign, less than forty prisoners received the death penalty.
Appointing officials according to their virtues
When selecting people for government positions Kangxi looked first at a person's virtue and character. He abided by the following principle when selecting an official, "A person's morality, fairness, and generosity of spirit come first, his talents and skills come last. It would be ideal if the person possessed virtue and talent. However, it is more important that he possesses virtue instead of talent. A person's talent must be grounded in his virtues. If he possesses more virtue than talent, he is a true gentleman. If he possesses more talent than virtue, he is a spiteful man."
Emperor Kangxi was from the Manchu ethnic group which was the rival to the Han Chinese. In order to reassure Han officials, Kangxi told them repeatedly, "The Manchus and the Hans are my ministers. The Manchus and the Hans are one body. All upright officials are my trusted aides regardless of their origin. Every official must be cautious, submit written reports, and take care of their responsibilities." Therefore, many scholars who had lived in seclusion came to serve the government. The barrier between the Manchus, Hans, and other ethnic groups gradually disintegrated and they all lived in harmony.
To foster an honest and upright environment among government officials, Kangxi asked honest officials to recommend other officials, and his court was known for having numerous honest and responsible officials. Wherever they served the people there benefited.
Yu Chenglong was the governor of Shanxi Province. He was loyal, responsible, and honest. Occupying a high position, he did not seek personal gain. He had two meals a day consisting simply of rice and vegetables. His diet earned him the nickname of "Vegetable Yu." He set a personal example and prohibited officials from offering or accepting bribes. He was deeply loved by the people. After he died, his subordinate generals and officials went to his house to offer their condolences. They saw that he only had one gown in his bamboo chest and several containers for salt and grain by the head of his bed. They were deeply touched by his discipline and virtue. People hung his portrait in their homes to commemorate him, and Kangxi praised him as "the number one honest official."
Kangxi paid particular attention to eliminating corruption in his government. He said, "The crime of a corrupt official is unlike any other crimes, so I must not be lenient. Otherwise, it would not serve as a deterrent." Once he personally presided over a court hearing and punished a handful of corrupt officials as a way of warning others. He was even stricter with high-ranking regional officials. For example, one governor of Shanxi Province was executed for taking bribes. Kangxi explained that if severe punishment was not used for such crimes, then how could officials be disciplined? Kangxi's strict discipline effectively deterred corruption among officials.
Ruled by moral discipline and self-cultivation
Kangxi was a disciplined student of China's great sages. He began his studies at the age of five and studied day and night, whether it was cold or warm. He even forgot to eat and sleep. He loved calligraphy and wrote more than a thousand characters a day. He studied the four classics (the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects of Confucius, and the Mencius ) so thoroughly that he could recite every single character and never cheated. Even during excursions or visits, he did not stop reading, composing poems, or writing essays. He was well versed in literature, history, geography, mathematics, medicine, and many other disciplines. Even scholars admired him for his profound knowledge. Kangxi directed scholars to compile The History of Ming, The Complete Book of Tang Poetry, and the Kangxi Dictionary. Precious cultural treasures were left behind from his reign.
Kangxi lived and ruled by the principles of Confucianism and Daoism. When he started to rule the country independently at the age of 14, he accepted the suggestion of the Han Chinese officials to honor Confucius. Hundreds of officials participated in the grand ceremony at the imperial college. He went to the Confucian temple in Qu Fu, Shandong Province, and paid honor to Confucius by kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times. He wrote on a banner four Chinese characters "wan shi shi biao" (praising Confucius as a "Paragon for All Generations"), and hung it in the palace to show his determination to rule the nation by Confucian philosophy. Han scholars and Confucian scholars were deeply moved. They said, "Your majesty highly honors Confucius as his teacher. This indicates that your majesty is wise, extraordinary, and noble. You are truly an Emperor mandated by heaven! We have been studying the books by the sages diligently. Now is the time for us to serve our country diligently."
Kangxi followed the principle of filial piety. He was very respectful of his mother and grandmother. Every day he visited his grandmother, Grand Dowager Empress Xiao Zhuang, in the Cining Palace. When Xiao Zhuang fell ill, he walked several times to the Altar of Heaven to pray for her and made a wish that he would give up his life in order for his grandmother to live longer. After Xiao Zhuang died, Kangxi was extremely sad. He personally placed his grandmother's body in the coffin. He cut his hair and wore mourning clothes. Later, he continued to visit Cining Palace every day where every item reminded him of his grandmother. When Kangxi issued the famous "Sixteen Rules of the Imperial Edict," filial piety was the most important.
Living a life of self restraint
Kangxi valued frugality. He said, "Ever since I ascended to the throne, I have encouraged frugality. I wear ordinary clothing and shoes that are made of cloth." Joachim Bouvet, a Frenchman who visited China, wrote to the King of France, "Kangxi's indifference to worldly gain and his plain and simple lifestyle are unprecedented in history. He eats two meals a day, which are very simple. He wears the most ordinary clothing. He only dresses up during special ceremonies. He does not have any extravagant desires. His indifference to worldly gain is unimaginable, and it is reflected in the clothes he wears and in his lifestyle."
From the day he ruled the country until he died, Kangxi insisted on going to the imperial palace and listening to administrative reports from the ministers. He administered state affairs almost daily, except on days when he was ill, when the nation celebrated important holidays, or when there was an unexpected crisis.
Since ancient times almost every Chinese ruler claimed to govern with benevolence and piety; but how many of them were truly "benevolent" and "pious?" Some spoke about virtues but acted just the opposite, such as Emperor Jie (Xia Dynasty) and Emperor Zhou (Shang Dynasty). Kangxi was a rare ruler who truly served the people and practiced what he preached. His virtue and achievements have been praised by the Chinese for generations. Just as the Chinese saying goes, "Rulers who follow the Dao with supreme virtue and benevolence will never be forgotten by the people."
5 comments:
How did Chin dynasty fall? Wealthy officials & eunuchs suppressed her own poor people...
How did Ming dynasty fall? Wealthy officials & eunuchs suppressed her own poor people...
How did Ching dynasty fall? Wealthy officials & eunuchs suppressed her own poor people...
Which dynasty is the next to fall? Also due to suppression of her own poor people by wealthy officials & eunuchs?
鸣金收乒待风雨，
唯望东风盖日月。
东边日出西边雨，
道是无晴还有晴。
曾淵滄：民主與民生有什麼關係？
2007-12-17
嚴格的分析，民主與民生是沒有任何絕對的關係，但仍有一些非絕對但看起來屬於多數情況的關係。我們若進一步分析目前世界上的富裕國家，其財富何來？是因為這些國家先走向民主才出現財富？還是先有財富才有民主？似乎，先有財富後有民主者居多。
有人說民主與民生有不可分割的關係？那是什麼關係？有民主就有民生？有民生就有民主？無民主就無民生？無民生就無民主？或者，有民主就無民生？無民主就有民生？有民生就無民主？無民生就有民主？以上八種可能已經概括了民主與民生之間的所有可能關係。但是，上述的種種關係，成立嗎？先看看「有民主就有民生」的立論，不必太遠，在香港附近的菲律賓就是一個活生生的例子。菲律賓推翻了馬科斯之後，奉行美式民主選舉，結果民生情況如何？香港大量的菲傭就是最好的見證，菲律賓的民生好的話，菲律賓人就不必漂洋過海當女傭。除了菲律賓之外，10年前的金融風暴也使到印尼的強人蘇哈托下台，印尼也走向一人一票的民主選舉，可是10年後的今天，印尼的民生是進步了還是退步？
南非黑人生活依然貧困
南非結束白人極權專政，改成一人一票的民主制度，從此黑人抬頭，當了總統，取得政權。可是，今日南非的黑人翻身了嗎？沒有，只有極少數黑人新貴當了官才富起來，餘者依然生活在水深火熱之中。到過南非開普頓的人都應該看到從機場到市區連綿數公里的貧民區，百萬人居住在無水無電的類似「難民營」的地方，民生改進了嗎？還有，那些由前蘇聯分離出來的所謂民主國家，今日民生水平如何？伊朗也是民主國家，但在西方列強打壓之下，民生也乏善可陳。
第二種有關民主、民生的立場是「有民生就有民主」。這是先民生後民主的立論，不少人以台灣為例子。台灣在蔣經國努力經營之下，雖屬獨裁政體，但民生大大改善，民生改善之後，人民開始要求民主，蔣經國也順應民情、推行民主。不過，今日台灣的民主是什麼？是兩大陣營勢不兩立，高度仇視對方，是「立法院」內議員大打出手。今日香港人投票的熱情減低、區選投票率偏低，台灣式的競爭是其中一個因素，提供反面教材。
不過，無論如何，有了民生，老百姓生活好了，就一定會增加要求，而民主是其中一項要求。但是，古今中外，先民生後民主的過程是漸進式的改善，不是一夜而成，時間過程也可能非常長，中國內地正在走這條道路。
香港過去沒民主仍繁榮
民主與民生的第三種立論是：「無民主就無民生」，這句話顯然也是錯誤的，最佳例子就是香港。英國人管治香港一百多年，何曾有民主？但是，香港是繁榮的，香港最窮的人，也有免費的公屋居住、有綜援金可拿，綜援金甚至足夠讓一些不負責任的男人到深圳包二奶。
中國歷代帝皇時代，絕對沒有民主，但是也有貞觀之治，也有康乾盛世……當然，沒有民主沒有民生的例子也很多，而且更多。「無民生就一定無民主」，這當然也錯。經濟情況一團糟而有民主的國家不少，這些國家民生水平差，於是不斷地經過民主方式換國家領導人，但是，選來選去，民生問題依然上不去。
現在，輪到反面立論，當然，所有的反面立論如「有民主就無民生」、「無民主就有民生」、「有民生就無民主」、「無民生就有民主」等等也會是廢話，我提出這些立論只不過是想比較民主與民生的各種可能的關係。當然，不否認香港也有一部分人反對民主，他們的立論就是「有
民主就無民生」。他們認為一旦香港有民主，民選政府為了選票會增加窮人的福利，向富人徵重稅導致人才、資金外流，最後破壞經濟與民生，這種立論有些賣點，但也是不正確的。我們看看西方國家，不少也曾經經歷過上述階段。當年我初到英國讀書時是工黨執政，的確是高福利高稅率，結果貧窮問題並沒有解決，反而導致社會共窮，最後保守黨上了台。今日的工黨與當年的工黨完全不一樣了，選民與政黨都會吸取高福利高稅率所帶來的災難的教訓。
日本財富並非民主帶來
嚴格的分析，民主與民生是沒有任何絕對的關係，但仍有一些非絕對但看起來屬於多數情況的關係。譬如，我們可以看到今日全球最富裕的國家中，絕大部分是民主國家，這就是為什麼有人會認為民主與民生有絕對不可分割的關係，認為沒有民主就沒有民生。的的確確，沒有民主而民生搞得好的地區與國家不多。
不過，我們若進一步分析目前世界上的富裕國家，其財富何來？是因為這些國家先走向民主才出現財富？還是先有財富才有民主？似乎，先有財富後有民主者居多。目前全球富裕國中，都有一個共同的特點：那就是人民的素質，人才多，教育程度高。而且，更重要的是市場經濟、自由市場。
日本在明治天皇維新之後，國家走向富裕，但是天皇的專制仍舊，是第二次世界大戰之後才奉美國的命令全面改變成為民主國家。日本人的財富不是民主帶來的，而是教育普及人才多等造成的，再加上市場經濟與自由市場解放了人們的積極性，人人努力賺錢創造財富。西方列強則先有文藝復興、工業革命、科技水平領先，再利用領先的科技水平創造財富，或者說剝削科技水平低的國家的人民，來換取自己的財富與生活享受。
Good Stories from China: Emperor Kangxi, a Wise and Benevolent Ruler
By Zhi Zhen
Special to Epoch Times
Sep 06, 2007
Aixin-Juelo Xuanye (1654-1722) was known as Emperor Kangxi, a title that means peace for all people and prosperity for all lands. Kangxi was honored in Chinese history as a noble, generous, and compassionate ruler. During his reign of 61 years China became the world's largest and strongest nation, with the largest population, the richest economy, and the most glorious culture. Emperor Kangxi was the architect of the period known as the "Prosperous Era of Kangxi and Qianlong" which lasted generations past his own life. Kangxi was an extraordinarily wise ruler whose example echoes to us through the ages.
United China with benevolence and tolerance
When Emperor Kangxi ascended to the throne, China was consumed with internal strife and foreign invasions. People lived in misery and many railed against the imperial court.
Grand Dowager Empress Xiao Zhuang asked Emperor Kangxi for his opinion on the nation's situation and he replied, "Those who are benevolent don't have enemies." He said to his ministers, "The way to end a rebellion is to be forgiving, generous, and noble. We can win people's hearts through leniency. To rule a nation one needs to be tolerant."
At the age of 16, Emperor Kangxi already possessed extraordinary wisdom and courage. He deposed the arrogant and controlling regent Oboi, defeated the rebels in southern China, pacified Taiwan, twice subdued the Dzungar Mongols,and stopped the invasion of the Russians at the northern border. He unified China and brought peace to the nation.
In dealing with the rebels in southern China, Kangxi told them firmly that the nation's territory was inviolable. He asked them to keep the nation's interests in mind and end the revolt. In return, he would grant them clemency. After he successfully crushed the rebellion, he treated everyone involved in the revolt with leniency so as to keep the losses to a minimum.
One of the southern rebels, Pingxi Prince Wu Sangui, bribed the commander-in-chief of Shanxi Province Wang Fuchen, who then dispatched troops and plotted an uprising. At the time, Wang Fuchen's son, Wang Jizhen, and family members lived in the capital Beijing, and ministers counseled Emperor Kangxi to immediately arrest them. Kangxi was concerned, but he remained calm. He sent Wang Jizhen to tell his father that the imperial court believed that the rebellion was not his original intention and that the Emperor was waiting for his return without punishment. Wang Fuchen was greatly moved, and bowed to the direction of the imperial court. Because of fear, however, he did not surrender.
Emperor Kangxi appointed Tu Hai as military general to fight Wang Fuchen. Tu Hai told his soldiers, "A benevolent and righteous army will heed to His Majesty's great virtue and love of life. We should appease the enemy first; attacking is only the second choice. No one may kill mercilessly." Tu Hai's troops were invincible and Wang Fuchen had to surrender. After that Emperor Kangxi offered Wang Fuchen the title of "Pacifying General" and asked him to assist Tu Hai in protecting the Hanzhong area. Wang Fuchen felt deep shame and regret for his actions. Many times, Kangxi asked Tu Hai to encourage him.
Kangxi adopted the policy of pacification in governing Mongolia in northern China. One of the tribal leaders of Khalkha Mongol (Outer Mongolia), Tosheetu Khan, started a war, giving Galdan (of Dzungar Mongol) the opportunity to invade and occupy Khalkha's land and forcing him to move south into China. Emperor Kangxi traveled beyond the Great Wall to preside over the Mongolian league conference. During the conference, Kangxi reprimanded Tosheetu Khan for his aggression, then said, "At such a grand gathering I do not have the heart to punish Tosheetu Khan." He pardoned his blunders in everyone's presence.
Kangxi resolved conflicts between the Mongolian tribes through benevolent instruction and guidance. He was successful in reunifying the Khalkha Mongols. The Mongols in turn surrendered willingly to Kangxi by kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times, following an ancient Chinese ritual of respect. Emperor Kangxi formally accepted the Khalkha Mongols as subjects into his empire.
In subduing Galdan, Kangxi said to his ministers, "To rule a nation, one should treat people with benevolence instead of coercion. Galdan is oppressive and violent, but I treat him with tolerance and mercy. Galdan is cunning and sly, but I show him honesty and trust."
Caring for the people
People were Kangxi's first priority. He observed them and was mindful of their hardships. During his reign, he constantly developed principles and policies that benefited the people. Kangxi was intent on restoring and expanding productivity so as to support the people. He forbid the seizure and occupation of people's lands. He exempted grain taxes 545 times at the cost of 1.5 billion liang of silver [each liang equals 37.3 gram]. Kangxi announced the policy of "no extra taxes on additional children," and froze the "population tax" to lessen the financial burden on peasants. He studied and investigated river management for more than ten years, and placed importance on managing and controlling the Yellow River to reduce damage and suffering brought by flooding.
One time, a part of the Great Wall in the area of Gubeikou collapsed. The ministry of public works discussed the reconstruction project. Kangxi said to the senior engineers, "When an emperor rules a nation, he relies on internal sources and does not solely depend on barricades. The Great Wall was built during the Qin Dynasty and constantly repaired during the Han, Tang, and Song Dynasties. Yet, this did not prevent foreign invasions. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, my ancestor led his army across it, destroying any obstructions. No one could stop them! To defend a nation is to cultivate one's virtue and treat the people respectfully. When people are happy, the nation is in harmony and the frontier is fortified. This is why we have a saying 'unity of the people with the same purpose is a formidable force.'"
Emperor Kangxi was a benevolent emperor. He instructed that all officials treat people the same as they wanted to be treated. Kangxi put in practice a "lenient punishment" policy. Records show, for example, in the 22nd year of his reign, less than forty prisoners received the death penalty.
Appointing officials according to their virtues
When selecting people for government positions Kangxi looked first at a person's virtue and character. He abided by the following principle when selecting an official, "A person's morality, fairness, and generosity of spirit come first, his talents and skills come last. It would be ideal if the person possessed virtue and talent. However, it is more important that he possesses virtue instead of talent. A person's talent must be grounded in his virtues. If he possesses more virtue than talent, he is a true gentleman. If he possesses more talent than virtue, he is a spiteful man."
Emperor Kangxi was from the Manchu ethnic group which was the rival to the Han Chinese. In order to reassure Han officials, Kangxi told them repeatedly, "The Manchus and the Hans are my ministers. The Manchus and the Hans are one body. All upright officials are my trusted aides regardless of their origin. Every official must be cautious, submit written reports, and take care of their responsibilities." Therefore, many scholars who had lived in seclusion came to serve the government. The barrier between the Manchus, Hans, and other ethnic groups gradually disintegrated and they all lived in harmony.
To foster an honest and upright environment among government officials, Kangxi asked honest officials to recommend other officials, and his court was known for having numerous honest and responsible officials. Wherever they served the people there benefited.
Yu Chenglong was the governor of Shanxi Province. He was loyal, responsible, and honest. Occupying a high position, he did not seek personal gain. He had two meals a day consisting simply of rice and vegetables. His diet earned him the nickname of "Vegetable Yu." He set a personal example and prohibited officials from offering or accepting bribes. He was deeply loved by the people. After he died, his subordinate generals and officials went to his house to offer their condolences. They saw that he only had one gown in his bamboo chest and several containers for salt and grain by the head of his bed. They were deeply touched by his discipline and virtue. People hung his portrait in their homes to commemorate him, and Kangxi praised him as "the number one honest official."
Kangxi paid particular attention to eliminating corruption in his government. He said, "The crime of a corrupt official is unlike any other crimes, so I must not be lenient. Otherwise, it would not serve as a deterrent." Once he personally presided over a court hearing and punished a handful of corrupt officials as a way of warning others. He was even stricter with high-ranking regional officials. For example, one governor of Shanxi Province was executed for taking bribes. Kangxi explained that if severe punishment was not used for such crimes, then how could officials be disciplined? Kangxi's strict discipline effectively deterred corruption among officials.
Ruled by moral discipline and self-cultivation
Kangxi was a disciplined student of China's great sages. He began his studies at the age of five and studied day and night, whether it was cold or warm. He even forgot to eat and sleep. He loved calligraphy and wrote more than a thousand characters a day. He studied the four classics (the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects of Confucius, and the Mencius ) so thoroughly that he could recite every single character and never cheated. Even during excursions or visits, he did not stop reading, composing poems, or writing essays. He was well versed in literature, history, geography, mathematics, medicine, and many other disciplines. Even scholars admired him for his profound knowledge. Kangxi directed scholars to compile The History of Ming, The Complete Book of Tang Poetry, and the Kangxi Dictionary. Precious cultural treasures were left behind from his reign.
Kangxi lived and ruled by the principles of Confucianism and Daoism. When he started to rule the country independently at the age of 14, he accepted the suggestion of the Han Chinese officials to honor Confucius. Hundreds of officials participated in the grand ceremony at the imperial college. He went to the Confucian temple in Qu Fu, Shandong Province, and paid honor to Confucius by kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times. He wrote on a banner four Chinese characters "wan shi shi biao" (praising Confucius as a "Paragon for All Generations"), and hung it in the palace to show his determination to rule the nation by Confucian philosophy. Han scholars and Confucian scholars were deeply moved. They said, "Your majesty highly honors Confucius as his teacher. This indicates that your majesty is wise, extraordinary, and noble. You are truly an Emperor mandated by heaven! We have been studying the books by the sages diligently. Now is the time for us to serve our country diligently."
Kangxi followed the principle of filial piety. He was very respectful of his mother and grandmother. Every day he visited his grandmother, Grand Dowager Empress Xiao Zhuang, in the Cining Palace. When Xiao Zhuang fell ill, he walked several times to the Altar of Heaven to pray for her and made a wish that he would give up his life in order for his grandmother to live longer. After Xiao Zhuang died, Kangxi was extremely sad. He personally placed his grandmother's body in the coffin. He cut his hair and wore mourning clothes. Later, he continued to visit Cining Palace every day where every item reminded him of his grandmother. When Kangxi issued the famous "Sixteen Rules of the Imperial Edict," filial piety was the most important.
Living a life of self restraint
Kangxi valued frugality. He said, "Ever since I ascended to the throne, I have encouraged frugality. I wear ordinary clothing and shoes that are made of cloth." Joachim Bouvet, a Frenchman who visited China, wrote to the King of France, "Kangxi's indifference to worldly gain and his plain and simple lifestyle are unprecedented in history. He eats two meals a day, which are very simple. He wears the most ordinary clothing. He only dresses up during special ceremonies. He does not have any extravagant desires. His indifference to worldly gain is unimaginable, and it is reflected in the clothes he wears and in his lifestyle."
From the day he ruled the country until he died, Kangxi insisted on going to the imperial palace and listening to administrative reports from the ministers. He administered state affairs almost daily, except on days when he was ill, when the nation celebrated important holidays, or when there was an unexpected crisis.
Since ancient times almost every Chinese ruler claimed to govern with benevolence and piety; but how many of them were truly "benevolent" and "pious?" Some spoke about virtues but acted just the opposite, such as Emperor Jie (Xia Dynasty) and Emperor Zhou (Shang Dynasty). Kangxi was a rare ruler who truly served the people and practiced what he preached. His virtue and achievements have been praised by the Chinese for generations. Just as the Chinese saying goes, "Rulers who follow the Dao with supreme virtue and benevolence will never be forgotten by the people."
Kangxi was indeed a rare and exceptional ruler.
But he made one bad mistake before he died. He left his problem (8th and 14th prince) to the next ruler (4th).
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