![]() The Guangxu Emperor had also reportedly begun to hold some audiences on his own as an act of necessity. During this time, the imperial eunuchs often abused their influence over the boy emperor. Weng too expressed his concern that Cixi was the one who had been suffering from chronic ill health, not Ci’an. In Weng’s diaries during those days, Guangxu was reportedly seen with swollen eyes, had poor concentration and was seeking consolation from Weng. In 1881, when the Guangxu Emperor was nine, Empress Dowager Ci’an died unexpectedly, leaving Empress Dowager Cixi as sole regent for the boy. ![]() ![]() Weng instilled in the Guangxu Emperor a duty of filial piety toward the Empress Dowagers Cixi and Ci’an. For her part, she remained as regent under the title “Holy Mother, Empress Dowager” (聖母皇太后) while her co-regent Empress Dowager Ci’an was called “Mother Empress, Empress Dowager” (母后皇太后).īeginning in 1876, the Guangxu Emperor was taught by Weng Tonghe, who had also been involved in the disastrous upbringing of the Tongzhi Emperor yet somehow managed to be exonerated of all possible charges. He was adopted by Empress Dowager Ci’an and Cixi. He ascended to the throne at the age of four and adopted “Guangxu” as his regnal name, therefore he is known as the “Guangxu Emperor”. Zaitian was named heir and successor to his late uncle, the Xianfeng Emperor, rather than his cousin and predecessor, the Tongzhi Emperor, so as to maintain the father-son succession law. Instead, Cixi nominated Zaitian (her nephew) and the imperial clan eventually agreed with her choice because Zaitian was younger than other adoptable children of the same generation. Empress Dowager Ci’an suggested choosing one of Prince Gong’s sons to be the next emperor, but was overruled by her co-regent, Empress Dowager Cixi. Breaking the imperial convention that a new emperor must always be of a generation after that of the previous emperor, candidates were considered from the generation of the Tongzhi Emperor. On 12 January 1875, Zaitian’s cousin, the Tongzhi Emperor, died without a son to succeed him. Zaitian was the second son of Yixuan (Prince Chun), and his primary spouse Yehenara Wanzhen, a younger sister of Empress Dowager Cixi.
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