Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/340

Rh of and a sister of. Hsüan-yeh was born when his father was seventeen sui and his mother fifteen sui. For a time during his childhood he lived with his nurses outside the Forbidden City in a court west of the Palaces—a place later converted into the Lama temple, known as Fu-yu ssŭ 福佑寺. When his father, Fu-lin, lay dying of smallpox (February 5, 1661) Hsüan-yeh, then eight sui, was designated heir-apparent and was given his Chinese name. The choice was influenced by the consideration that since he had survived an attack of smallpox he would be immune to that disease and thus would have a better prospect of long life. On February 17, twelve days after his father's death, he was proclaimed Emperor of China. After his mother's death in 1663 he was, for the most part, reared by the Dowager Empress,. During his minority control of the empire was vested in four regents: Soni (see under ), Suksaha (see under ), and. To these regents, or rather to Oboi, who gradually assumed the most power, the policy of the early K'ang-hsi period (1661–69) was due.

When Hsüan-yeh was fourteen sui he took over control from the regents (August 25, 1667), but found Oboi still very influential and still asserting his will at Court. In accordance with a carefully laid plan, the Emperor and Songgotu, the uncle of his Empress, had Oboi arrested and imprisoned (June 1669) and had his faction punished. The courage of the young ruler was again demonstrated in 1673 when the question arose whether the feudatories of South China under, , , and should be abolished. Against the advice of most of his high officials Hsüan-yeh—with determination and sagacity unusual in so young a ruler—decided to have the garrisons withdrawn. When these garrisons rebelled he met them with force, and finally after eight years of bitter fighting (1673–81), subdued them. Two years after this victory Taiwan was taken from the Chêng family (1683, see under ). These important military successes stabilized the new dynasty and gave the Emperor opportunity to turn his attention to other matters.

By the middle of the seventeenth century the Russians, after conquering most of Siberia, had become alarmingly active along the Amur River (see under ). After several years of careful preparation Hsüan-yeh undertook, in 1685, to clear them from the border by force—laying siege twice to Fort Albazin (1685, 1686, see under ). In 1689 envoys from both countries met at Nerchinsk to sign a treaty of peace (see under )—the first treaty between China and a Western power. Trade with Russia prospered and diplomatic correspondence was cordial. During the following years several Russian embassies reached Peking, and one Chinese mission to the Turguts on the Caspian Sea was well-received by the Russian authorities in Siberia (see under ).

Hsüan-yeh was eager to cease hostilities with Russia because of the rise of the powerful Eleuth king,, who in 1688 had invaded the Khalkas and occupied their territory, now known as Outer Mongolia. In 1690 Galdan was defeated at Ulan-butung (see under ) and retreated to the Ili valley. This victory served to convince the Khalka princes of the Emperor's power, and in 1691 they pledged allegiance to him and willingly recognized his suzerainty. Having to shelter and provide for the Khalka refugees during this period, Hsüan-yeh foresaw that there could never be peace unless the power of the Eleuths was completely crushed. Therefore, when Galdan invaded the Khalka territory again, Hsüan-yeh personally led an expedition into Outer Mongolia (1696) and defeated the Eleuths at Jao Modo (see under ). In 1697 he led still another expedition to Ninghsia and forced Galdan to commit suicide, thus stabilizing the borders on the north and northwest for more than eighteen years. In 1715 another war with the Eleuths broke out and continued off and on for about forty years until the Ili valley was conquered (see under and ). An expedition into Tibet in 1720 (see under ) insured suzerainty over that region also. Thus during his reign Hsüan-yeh, by foresight and military skill, stabilized most of the borders of north and west China, leaving only the far northwest region to be conquered during the reign of his grandson,.

The rule of Hsüan-yeh was, for the most part, tolerant and conciliatory. In comparison with the emperors of the late Ming period he was frugal, practical, and conscientious in the discharge of his responsibilities. During his reign the empire increased in wealth and most of the time enjoyed peace and prosperity. He always paid much attention to conservancy work on the Yellow River and its tributaries in order to minimize its dangers and to increase the navi- 328