Empress Xiaozhuang Wen: Kangxi’s Mongolian Grandmother
Portrait of Empress Xiao Zhuang Wen
I’ve always been curious about how famous individuals, good or nasty or neither, are “made”. Hence when I encountered the biographies of Emperor Kangxi’s grandmother, Empress Xiaozhuang Wen, also honored as “Mother of the Qing Dynasty” by later generations, I thought to share it with readers of H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche’s blog.
Empress Xiaozhuang Wen’s full name was Bumbutai Borjigit, Borjigit being the name of the clan of Genghis Khan, one of the Khorchin Mongols.
Her father, Jaisang, was a “beile” (lord of an administrative division) of the Khorchin Mongols and a descendant of Qasar, a younger brother of Genghis Khan.
Bumbutai became a concubine of Hong Taiji, the second ruler of the Manchu Qing dynasty and was mother to the Shunzhi Emperor and grandmother to the Kangxi Emperor.
Bumbutai held the rank of a side chamber consort in Hong Taiji’s court. Hong Taiji had five primary consorts and they were all from the Borjigit clan, recorded to be the earliest Mongol allies of the Manchus. Two consorts (Bumbutai and Harjol) were sisters, and both were nieces of Jere or Jerjer, who married Hong Taiji in 1614 and became his empress in 1636.
Portrait of Shunzhi Emperor
Bumbutai bore Hong Taiji three daughters and a son between 1629 and 1638 and had strong influence in the Qing imperial court. She was highly respected for her political wisdom and insight.
Bumbutai was only 32 years old when Huang Taiji died, and her six-year-old son Fu Lin, enthroned Emperor Shunzhi, inherited the throne. Bumbutai kept a low profile during the reign of Emperor Shunzhi and kept out of politics.
The Shunzhi Emperor died in 1661 and was succeeded by his third son Xuanye, who was enthroned the Kangxi Emperor.
As the Kangxi Emperor was underage at the time of his enthronement (only eight years old), the Four Regents of the Kangxi Emperor (appointed by his father Emperor Shunzhi) ruled on his behalf until he reached adulthood.
Portrait of Kangxi Emperor
As grandmother of the reigning emperor, Bumbutai was honored as Grand Empress Dowager. This time around, Bumbutai took charge of the Emperor’s upbringing after his mother died, navigated her grandson through difficult and dangerous times and counselled him to learn from the regents.
When the Kangxi Emperor started personal rule as an adult in 1667, he felt threatened by the strong influence of Oboi, one of the four regents. Two years later, Bumbutai assisted her grandson in his plans to get rid of Oboi. Oboi was lured into a trap, placed under arrest, and removed from power.
Throughout her life, Bumbutai disliked living in the Forbidden City, despite its luxurious conditions. She was also known to refuse to hold any birthday celebrations as she felt that it would be too costly.
Official imperial portrait of the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang
Bumbutai fell sick in the autumn of 1687 and the Kangxi Emperor personally took care of his grandmother. She died at the age of 75 in 1688 and was buried in the Zhaoxiling Mausoleum in Shenyang, outside the Eastern Mausoleum of the Qing Dynasty.
Her biography is testament to her intricate links with Emperor Kangxi and the Qing dynasty throne. It was Empress Xiaozhuang who bore Emperor Shunzhi who fathered Emperor Kangxi, and who later raised and guided her grandson Emperor Kangxi to be one of China’s greatest emperors.
To me, she is no ordinary person.
Sources:
- “The Last Emperors: A Social History of Qing Imperial Institutions”, Evelyn S. Rawski, 2001, University of California Press.
- http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/33History209.html
- https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Empress_Dowager_Xiaozhuang
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Interesting story of Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang ,known as the Mother of the Qing Dynasty by many. She was the consort of Hong Taiji and was honoured as Empress Dowager Zhaosheng who was of the Khorchin Mongol Borjigit clan a Mongolian princess. She was a woman with intellectual and political interests, attaining the powerful position of Empress Dowager in Qing . She is credited in helping bringing Tibetan Buddhism to China. As empress dowager and grand empress dowager, she had significant influence in the Qing imperial court and was highly respected for her political wisdom and insight. Interesting read of the history behind this Empress who was also the grandmother of Kangxi.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Biographies of Empress Xiaozhuang Wen who was Emperor Kangxi’s Mongolian grandmother. Empress Xiaozhuang Wen, also known as “Mother of the Qing Dynasty by many. As the Empress Dowager and Grand Empress Dowager she had significant influence in the Qing imperial court and was highly respected for her political wisdom and insight. Interesting short biography though yet reading it , the Empress Xiozhuang Wen was one a special powerful lady at that time.
Thank you Rinpoche and Seow Choong Liang for this sharing.
Among some of the famous Chinese empresses such as Empress Lu Zhi, Empress Wu Zetian and Empress Dowager Cixi, they were driven by greed and power. Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang is an exceptional, who comes close to being the perfect Chinese empress.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang is the least well known. She was low profile and never interfered in imperial politics. She was also renowned for her frugality. Her lifestyle built a positive empire image in people’s mind. And most important, she was greatly respected for her wisdom and insight during her supervision of the young emperors.
In her lifetime, she assisted three emperors. During the crucial transition period, she tried her best to help the emperors mediate the conflicts in the royal court, keep order in the country and promote reunification of the empire. Under her guidance and care, Kang Xi grew into a wise and generous emperor whom loves by the people very much.
She definitely not an ordinary person. According to Kangxi in his own write up, He have said that Xiaozhuang Wen Empress have great influent to him on becoming a good emperor. Emperor Kangxi have been train strictly as a emperor when he was very young by his grandmother.
Empress Xiaozhuang Wen accomplished the change from Ming Dynasty to Qing Dynasty, let the prince with Mongolia blood hold the highest power and gave the world great examples of successful education. She not only promoted the integration of Mongolia culture and Han culture by let his grandson Kang Xi absorb Han culture. Even though the traditional party in the court are against Kang Xi’s study of Han culture. Xiao Zhuang didn’t compromise. She knew Han culture is necessary for governing a country filled with Han people. That’s why Kang Xi grew into a wise and generous emperor and been highly accepted by the people.
She insisted national reunification. She guided her 15 year-old grandson Kang Xi to negotiate with Taiwan and completed the recapture.
Xiao Zhuang insisted the austere lifestyle and never pursues luxuries. She never wears clothes made by rare materials or eats expensive food. She awarded soldiers by using the jewelries of her collection and relief disaster victims with her own savings. Her lifestyle built a positive empire image in people’s mind.
Xiao Zhuang also helped the spread of Tibet Buddhism. She was a Buddhist. She ordered to revise Tibetan Buddism scripture Lung Tsang Ching in order to get bless and protect from Buddha for the whole country’s peace and prosperity.
Without xiao zhuang’s interference, shunzhi couldn’t finish his era peacefully as a capricious emperor. Xuanye( Kang Xi) wouldn’t be taught so qualified to open the golden time of Qing dynasty. He might get killed at an early age. China would suffer more years in the war. As a result, china might lose lands from “sanfan”, and won’t be as diverse and colorful as today.Being a talented female politician at feudal society in China is remarkable because women were in a very low status at that time. Women barely get respect as xiao zhuang did.
Short and concise information about Emperor Kang Xi’s grandmother, yes when Kang Xi was 16 years old under the counsel of his grandmother, he orchestrated the all powerful Regent during a wrestling match. I suppose the Regent underestimated Kang Xi.
The Chinese have a saying each mountain can only have one tiger. Especially if the Emperor has already taken over the kingdom, Oboi was courting disaster.
Thank you Choong for sharing this article about Empress Xiaozhuang Wen. Although I don’t quite know about China’s history but by reading this article, I find that Empress Xiaozhuang Wen is a simple and capable lady during that era. Her qualities are truly admired by many.
With folded palms,
Vivian
Thank you Chong for the article of Empress Xiaozhuang Wen. Stories of Shunzhi and Kangxi were mentioned a lot in historical records, novels and even in movie or drama with Qing Dynasty background. The historical records and legend about Xiaozhuang Wen may is not as much but she is not doubt an important person with high status in Qing Dynasty history; for she assisted in her son and grandson to be enthroned as the emperor.
What is more important is she had the political wisdom, on when to get involved to assist her grandson for example, in removing Oboi from power; and when to let them be independent and rule. I believe many who know about that part of history about Oboi might be puzzled about how the young Emperor Kangxi able to get Oboi removed. It would be quite clear if one knew about the wisdom and how skilful Xiaozhuang Wen was. Not only that, Xiaozhuang Wen has shown she was a very caring grandmother, who raised up and groomed her grandson to be a great emperor. She did not hold on the power or controlling her son or grandson to fulfil her own needs. From this we can say Empress Xiaozhuang Wen must be someone with great motherly love and care, and insightful – who can see bigger picture and wider perspective.
This article did prompt me to read more about Xiaozhuang Wen by doing some research. Thank you.
Thank you Choong for this interesting article. I didn’t know Emperor Kangxi was so closed to Empress XiaoZhuang Wen. After reading this article I did a research on her, it was said that Empress XiaoZhuang Wen was a very smart and intelligent woman, she was a very great influence to Emperor Kangxi, she could have taken over the power of the ruler and commanded the people in China but she wasn’t power hungry at all. Instead she raised and taught Emperor Kangxi very well, as a result Emperor Kangxi was able to lead the Chinese people and bring harmony and wealth to China at that time.
We cannot deny that if we follow Buddhist teachings and apply them in our lives we will see good results. The most prosperous period in Chinese history was when Buddhism was very well accepted and practised. Examples are Tang Dynasty and Qing Dynasty.
Beautiful short biography of this powerful lady as Empress Dowager Zhaosheng. She was a royal Mongol Borjigin descendant was the mother of the Shunzhi Emperor and grandmother of the Kangxi Emperor. As Empress Dowager and Grand Empress Dowager , she had significant influence in the Qing imperial court. She was highly respected for her political wisdom and insight.She played an important role eliminating those rebellious ministers .She raised and groomed Emperor Kangxi into the most famous Emperor in China history.
KangXi was the third Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the second to rule all of China.
Thank you Seow Choong Liang for sharing.
Empress XiaoZhuang Wen was the Mongolian grandmother of Emperor Kangxi , one of the greatest emperors of China. She is a remarkable lady.Few in her well-placed situation would have resisted it, but she shunned being in the spotlight, and would not have her birthday celebrated because it would have been too costly.
Nonetheless, despite this ,she was highly respected for her “political wisdom and insight”. It was this wisdom and insight that she employed to great advantage for her grandson, whom she had raised and guided to be the great emperor that he became.One instance, when she proved to be an invaluable guide, was when she helped him adroitly remove one of the four regents of China ,Oboi, who was becoming a great threat to Emperor Kangxi. As a testimony to his love of his grandmother, Emperor Kangxi personally took care of her when she fell ill and died not long after.
Yes, I agree that there are some parallels in circumstances and situations between Tsem Rinpoche’s grandmother Dechen Minh and Emperor Kangxi’s grandmother, as have been pointed out.Both loved and cared for their grandsons greatly.
It is chronicled that Emperor Kangxi was one of China’s great emperors during whose reign China prospered and progressed. Therefore I am glad that Choong found the story of the “woman” behind this great emperor. His grandmother, Empress Xiaozhuang Wen.
As mentioned by Anne Ong, on reading this story also made me think of H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche’s relationship with His grandmother Dechen Minh, Queen of Xinjiang.
Amazing how events runs parallel among the historical noble dynasties and in this particular case of same Mongolian origins.
Very interesting story! Reminds me a bit of Tsem Rinpoche’s beloved loving and kind Grandmother,Dechen Minh. When we read such biographies we a glimpse of the kind of people and environment the person is being influenced by which would make a part of how they think and lead their lives. Real nice good read of the day. Thank you Choong for this nice and short story. Hope to see you write more great history in the near future! 🙂
Very interesting read indeed!
The Empress sounded like someone who is very wise and highly respected in the courts. This part about here makes me think that she is not only wise but also humble, simple and perhaps dharmic – this is probably why she is very close to Empress Kang Xi.
“Throughout her life, Bumbutai disliked living in the Forbidden City, despite its luxurious conditions. She was also known to refuse to hold any birthday celebrations as she felt that it would be too costly.”
When we read such biographies we a glimpse of the kind of people and environment the person is being influenced by which would make a part of how they think and lead their lives. So it a nice refreshing quick read for the day. Thanks Choong, hope you do write more stories like these 🙂
This is a refreshing read about someone behind the scene. This write-up shred lights to one of the key influences to the famous Emperor Kangxi. Women at that time and age had it hard; they are not equal to men in almost all aspects of life. One of a more significant role a woman can play at that time would probably be a concubine to noblemen or the Emperor himself. Therefore, Bumbutai must be outstanding in her era, holding the rank of a side chamber consort in Hong Taiji’s court, one of the five main consorts to Emperor Hong Taiji. Her close relationship to Emperor Kangxi had been built on overcoming adversary (Oboi) together, and it is evident by looking at how Emperor Kangxi took care of her when she felt ill at the age of 74.
The bond between grandmother and grandson is amazing here in the relationship between Empress Xiaozhuang Wen and Empeor Kangxi. Being the emperor and yet nursing his beloved grandmother back to health is a very unusual act that must have gone against convention. The emperor was thought to be the son of heaven and bow to no one. Thus, the Empress Xiaozhuang Wen’s influence would have been tremendous in the moulding of his character.
And, from her biography, Empress Xiaozhuang Wen has shown that she bore the Borjigit name well with knowledge in politics, though she was not keen in them. She must been a very intelligent and sharp woman to be able to help the Kangxi Emperor navigate difficult and dangerous times as Emperor.
A very strong woman indeed. Thank you for this background to a great Emperor.