Qing Tombs

Guangxu Emperor - Ruled from 1875 to 1908
Lived August 14, 1871 - November 14, 1908

The Guangxu Emperor born Zaitian, was the tenth emperor of the Manchu Qing dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, under Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, from 1889 to 1898. He initiated the Hundred Days' Reform, but was abruptly stopped when Cixi launched a coup in 1898, after which he was put under house arrest until his death. His reign name means "The Glorious Succession".

was married to Empress Dowager Cixi's younger sister, and Zaitian was their son, therefore Zaitian was Cixi's nephew. In January 1875, the Tongzhi Emperor died without a son. The Empress Dowager Ci'an suggested Prince Gong's son as the new Emperor, but he was overruled by Cixi. Instead, breaking the imperial convention that a new emperor must always be a generation after that of the passing emperor, Cixi suggested Prince Chun's son, Zaitian, and the imperial family agreed with this choice.

Guangqu ascended the throne at the age of four and was adopted by Cixi as her son. For her part, she remained as regent with the title of the Holy Mother Empress Dowager. During his childhood, Guangxu was taught by Weng Tonghe, with whom he shared a fond relationship.

Even after he began formal rule, Cixi continued to influence his decisions and actions, despite residing for a period of time at the Imperial Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) which she had ordered Guangxu's father, the Prince Chun, to construct, with the official intention not to intervene in politics.