Yongzheng Emperor

Yongzheng Emperor
The Yongzheng Emperor
5th Qing Emperor of China
Reign	27 December 1722 – 8 October 1735
Predecessor	Kangxi Emperor
Successor	Qianlong Emperor
Born	(1678-12-13)13 December 1678 Beijing, China
Died	8 October 1735(1735-10-08) (aged 56) Beijing, China
Burial	Tailing, Western Qing Tombs, China
Empress	Empress Xiaojingxian Empress Xiaoshengxian
Issue	Heshuo Princess Huaike Honghui, Prince Duan Hongfen Hongyun Hongshi Hongli, Prince Bao Hongzhou, Prince He Fuyi Fuhui, Prince Huai Hongyan, Prince Guo three other unnamed daughters three adopted daughters
Full name Chinese: Aixin-Jueluo Yinzhen 愛新覺羅胤禛 Manchu: Aisin-Gioro hala-i In-Jen Posthumous name Emperor Jingtian Changyun Jianzhong Biaozheng Wenwu Yingming Kuanren Xinyi Ruisheng Daxiao Zhicheng Xian 敬天昌運建中表正文武英明寬仁信毅睿聖大孝至誠憲皇帝 Temple name Qing Shizong 清世宗
House	Aisin Gioro
Father	Kangxi Emperor
Mother	Empress Xiaogongren

Yongzheng Emperor
"Yongzheng" in regular Chinese characters
Chinese name
Chinese	雍正帝
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Yōngzhèng dì Wade–Giles Yung1-cheng4 ti4 IPA [i̯ʊ́ŋ.ʈʂə̂ŋ tî] Wu Suzhounese Ion-tsěn tǐ Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Yūng-jing daih Jyutping Jung1-zing3 dai6
Personal name: Yinzhen
Chinese	胤禛
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Yìnzhēn Wade–Giles Yin4-chen1
Mongolian name
Mongolian	Nairalt Töv Khaan
Manchu name
Manchu script	ᡥᡡᠸᠠᠯᡳᠶᠠᠰᡠᠨ ᡨᠣᠪ
Romanization	Hūwaliyasun Tob hūwangdi

The Yongzheng Emperor (Chinese: 雍正帝) (13 December 1678 – 8 October 1735), born Yinzhen (胤禛), was the fifth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and the third Qing emperor to rule over China proper. He reigned from 1723 to 1735. A hard-working ruler, the Yongzheng Emperor's main goal was to create an effective government at minimal expense. Like his father, the Kangxi Emperor, the Yongzheng Emperor used military force to preserve the dynasty's position. His reign was known for being despotic, efficient, and vigorous.

Although the Yongzheng Emperor's reign was much shorter than that of both his father (the Kangxi Emperor) and his son (the Qianlong Emperor), the Yongzheng era was a period of peace and prosperity. The Yongzheng Emperor cracked down on corruption and reformed the financial administration. His reign saw the formation of the Grand Council, an institution which had an enormous impact on the future of the Qing dynasty.

Yinzhen was the eleventh son but the fourth prince of the Kangxi Emperor to survive into adulthood. His mother, who is historically known as Empress Xiaogongren, was originally a court attendant from the Manchu Uya clan. Around the time when Yinzhen was born, his mother was of low status and did not have the right to raise her own children. For most of his childhood, Yinzhen was raised by Noble Consort Tong, the daughter of Tong Guowei, the Kangxi Emperor's maternal uncle and an eminent official in the early part of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. She died when Yinzhen was just 9 years old. After the birth of more children, Yinzhen's mother was promoted to a pin and then to a fei, and became known as defei or "Virtuous Consort." However, the 'defei' refused to raise her first son at that time, so the Kangxi Emperor raised Yinzhen by himself. The Kangxi Emperor did not raise his children only inside the palace. He also exposed his sons (including Yinzhen) to the outside world and gave them a rigorous education. Yinzhen accompanied his father on several inspection trips around the Beijing area, as well as one further south. He became the honorary leader of the Plain Red Banner during the Battle of Jao Modo between the Qing Empire and the Mongol Dzungar Khanate led by Galdan Khan. Yinzhen was made a beile in 1689 and promoted to junwang (second-rank prince) in 1698.