Yongzheng Dynasty (雍正王朝) is a 1999 Chinese historical television series adapted from Eryue He's novel The Great Yongzheng Emperor (雍正大帝), which is based on the events during the reigns of the Kangxi and Yongzheng Emperors of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Starring Tang Guoqiang as the Yongzheng Emperor, the 44-episode series occupied the CCTV-1 prime time slot; after its premiere, there have been many re-runs of the show on television networks in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The series was followed by a 2001 prequel, Kangxi Dynasty, and a 2002 sequel, Qianlong Dynasty, both of which are also based on Eryue He's novels.
Yongzheng Dynasty was one of the most watched television series in mainland China in the 1990s and remains one of the "classics" among Chinese historical dramas. It is among the highest rated CCTV-1 prime time historical dramas in history. The series roughly covers Chinese history from 1705, some 15 years prior to the Yongzheng Emperor's accession to the throne, to the emperor's death in 1735. About one third of the content is devoted to the struggle among the Kangxi Emperor's sons for the succession to their father's throne.
Yongzheng Dynasty received critical acclaim. The major themes covered in the series include loyalty and betrayal, fratricide, political corruption, and the centralisation of power.
Contents
Synopsis
The series is set in 18th-century China, starting from towards the end of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. A power struggle takes place among the emperor's sons over the succession. Palace intrigue is rife as complex networks of loyalty develop between the princes and their supporters. Eventually, Fourth Prince Yinzhen emerges victorious and takes the throne as the Yongzheng Emperor.
Many people are surprised as to why the Kangxi Emperor chose Yinzhen over his other likely heirs: Second Prince Yinreng, who has been crown prince for almost 40 years; Third Prince Yinzhi, who excels in literary arts; Eighth Prince Yinsi, who has a reputation for being virtuous; 14th Prince Yinti, the warrior-prince favoured by his father.
Yinzhen, nicknamed "Stern Prince", was not seen as a strong candidate by the imperial court to succeed his father. Previously, he had incited victims of natural disasters in Jiangnan to create a disturbance. To help the victims, he had extorted over two million silver taels from rich merchants and provincial officials. In pursuing imperial treasury debts, he had forced a senior official to commit suicide and caused nobles to sell their assets on the streets. He had watched his brothers compete with each other until they were exhausted before he joined the fray. He had collaborated with Nian Gengyao to sabotage Yinreng in a corruption scandal while superficially maintaining good relations with Yinreng. In the ensuing power struggle after Yinreng is deposed, the Kangxi Emperor scolds Yinsi for vying for the throne, and orders Yinxiang to be imprisoned. The Kangxi Emperor then appoints Yinti as border pacification general-in-chief.
As the Kangxi Emperor lies on his deathbed, he summons seven of his sons to his side, including Yinsi and Yinzhen. Prior to their father's death, Yinzhen releases Yinxiang from captivity and sends him to take control of Fengtai Commandery on the outskirts of Beijing. The Kangxi Emperor speaks to Yinzhen in private, telling him he intends to pass on the throne to him, then dies. Longkodo reads the Kangxi Emperor's final edict and declares Yinzhen the new emperor.
The Yongzheng Emperor's rule is seen as authoritarian and vigorous but efficient. Upon taking the throne, he makes Yinsi and Yinxiang his top advisers. His first priority is to pursue debts owed to the state treasury by officials. He metes out harsh punishments to officials found guilty of corruption. He also uses the confiscated assets and properties from corrupt officials to finance disaster relief efforts and his military campaigns in northwest China. He grows distant to some of his most trusted advisers, including Nian Gengyao and Longkodo, who eventually fall out of his favour. The emperor's 13th brother Yinxiang dies while his eighth brother Yinsi and ninth brother Yintang are expelled from the imperial clan and become commoners.
In 1735, the hardworking Yongzheng Emperor dies suddenly from what appears to be over-exhaustion. He is succeeded by his son, Hongli, who takes the throne as the Qianlong Emperor. Before Hongli becomes emperor, the Yongzheng Emperor forces another of his sons, Hongshi, to commit suicide so as to prevent Hongshi from fighting with Hongli for the throne.
Historical accuracy
Yinsi-related
The series over-emphasised Yinsi in a villainous role, ostensibly for dramatic effect. The series showed Yinsi as much more "in control" of the situation than he actually was. Historically, the Yongzheng Emperor scapegoated Yinsi more than the other way around. Furthermore, Yinsi had fallen out of favour with the Yongzheng Emperor by the second year of the emperor's reign (1724), and died in captivity two years later, but in the series he was portrayed to have died shortly before the Yongzheng Emperor.
Historically, Yinsi did not propose an "Eight Princes Regency", nor did he propose to force the hand of the Yongzheng Emperor through controlling the military in the capital. He also did not liaise with iron-cap princes for the purpose of deposing the Yongzheng Emperor. All the "iron-cap" princes involved in the 'palace coup' episode are fictional, as their names do not appear in historical records.
The series made repeated references to Yinsi being created a qinwang (first-rank prince) by the Kangxi Emperor, when, in reality, he was only a beile until the Yongzheng Emperor came to the throne. Historically, the Yongzheng Emperor made Yinsi a qinwang on the day after his coronation.
Other princes
Yintang was sent to the northwest ostensibly to aid military activity on the frontiers shortly after Yinzhen's accession; in the series this move is portrayed as a means to check Nian Gengyao, but in reality the purpose of this trip was to distance Yintang from potential conspiracies with Yinsi.
Empress Xiaogongren, the mother of the Yongzheng Emperor and Yinti, died in June 1723, due to sudden illness, less than six months after her son became emperor. In the series it appears in the middle of the Yongzheng Emperor's reign.
Hongshi died at age 23 in 1727, likely due to being forced to commit suicide, though historians do not uniformly agree on the cause of his death. 1727 was the fifth year of the Yongzheng era, meaning that Prince Bao (Hongli) was heir presumptive for most of the Yongzheng era. In the series, Hongshi was shown to have died nearing the end of the Yongzheng era after having plotted to kill Hongli, none of which was backed by any historical evidence.
Soundtrack
The music for the series was composed by Xu Peidong.
"He Who Wins the Hearts of the People Wins the World" (得民心者得天下) by Liu Huan
"Cowherd Boy" (牧童) by Xu Peidong
"Inner Palace" (深宫)
"Emotional Debt" (情债)
"Attending Court" (上朝)
"Going to War" (出征)
"Predestined Romance" (情缘)
"Incident" (事件)
"Mysterious" (神秘)
"Dead Romance" (情殇)
"Popular Tradition" (民俗)
"Emotional Blame" (情怨)
"Action" (行动)
"Triumphant Return" (凯旋)
"Historical Perspective" (史观)