Emperor Shunzhi 
Emperor Yong Zheng
Emperor Qian Long
How many times have I seen a movie or a TV serial on KangXi or Yong Zheng I wonder... Probably less than watching a movie or a TV serial on Chien Lung, I suppose. Kang Xi was this great emperor in China. He was from the Qing dynasty, a Manchu and not a Han who forms the bulk of the Chinese people. Kang Xi ascended the throne at age eight and only in 1667 did he really preside over court affairs. He was succeeded by Yong Zheng and the latter was himself succeeded by Chien Lung. Grandfather Kang Xi, son Yong Zheng and grandson Chien Lung have been favourite subjects in movies and TV serials and one that I remember well was a TVB serial on how Yong Zheng with a stroke of a brush, managed to alter the will of Kang Xi. It has been claimed that Yong Zheng had forged the will of Kang Xi. Yong Zheng was the 4th Prince and Yinti, the 14th Prince was said to be favoured as a succesor. This event which forms one of the four greatest mysteries of the Qing Dynasty has of course not been proven and it is not surprising at all that the event was enacted in the TV serials. Many of Chinese historical dramas especially those produced in Hong Kong have been altered one way or another for dramatic effects and to draw audiences, I suppose. One thing for sure about Kang Xi though is he contributed a great deal to ease conflicts between the Manchu and Han Chinese by allowing the Han Chinese scholars to be employed at all levels. He revoked an earlier policy by Emperor Shunzhi that reserved posts of local governors and prefects only to the Manchus. It surprises me that such policy of reserving plum posts to certain favoured people exists even in ancient time in ancient China...
Emperor Kang Xi
Emperor Yong Zheng
Emperor Qian Long
How many times have I seen a movie or a TV serial on KangXi or Yong Zheng I wonder... Probably less than watching a movie or a TV serial on Chien Lung, I suppose. Kang Xi was this great emperor in China. He was from the Qing dynasty, a Manchu and not a Han who forms the bulk of the Chinese people. Kang Xi ascended the throne at age eight and only in 1667 did he really preside over court affairs. He was succeeded by Yong Zheng and the latter was himself succeeded by Chien Lung. Grandfather Kang Xi, son Yong Zheng and grandson Chien Lung have been favourite subjects in movies and TV serials and one that I remember well was a TVB serial on how Yong Zheng with a stroke of a brush, managed to alter the will of Kang Xi. It has been claimed that Yong Zheng had forged the will of Kang Xi. Yong Zheng was the 4th Prince and Yinti, the 14th Prince was said to be favoured as a succesor. This event which forms one of the four greatest mysteries of the Qing Dynasty has of course not been proven and it is not surprising at all that the event was enacted in the TV serials. Many of Chinese historical dramas especially those produced in Hong Kong have been altered one way or another for dramatic effects and to draw audiences, I suppose. One thing for sure about Kang Xi though is he contributed a great deal to ease conflicts between the Manchu and Han Chinese by allowing the Han Chinese scholars to be employed at all levels. He revoked an earlier policy by Emperor Shunzhi that reserved posts of local governors and prefects only to the Manchus. It surprises me that such policy of reserving plum posts to certain favoured people exists even in ancient time in ancient China...
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