Emperor Yongzheng

The fifth emperor of the Qing Dynasty of China (reigned 1722-35). Fourth son of Emperor Kangxi. Named Yinzhen, his temple name Shizong, and known as Emperor Yongzheng based on the era name. Although he only reigned for 13 years, after 60 years of lax governance under Emperor Kangxi, he tightened discipline among the bureaucracy, strengthened the imperial dictatorship, reformed the finances, and established control over the Qing dynasty, a task he handed over to the next emperor, Emperor Qianlong, during his 60-year reign, and the historical significance of these efforts is highly regarded. After ascending to the throne, the emperor enacted the Law of Secretly Appointing a Crown Prince, which allowed him to secretly appoint a successor, putting an end to disputes between the princes over the position of crown prince. In domestic affairs, firstly, he encouraged the sosuri system, where local officials would directly report their opinions to the emperor, a method that could be described as a system of bureaucrats informing on others, and severely cracked down on party strife and corruption among bureaucrats, but on the other hand, he also established a new system of yorengin, which could be considered a work allowance for bureaucrats. Secondly, he implemented the ditinggin system, a major tax reform that had been started towards the end of the Kangxi era, nationwide. Thirdly, he carried out the Kaidokiryu reform, which was a change from the tusi and tuguan system of ethnic minorities living in border areas to the rule of local officials dispatched by the central government. Fourth, he liberated the low-class people such as the Lehu in Shanxi, the Damin in Zhejiang, the Danmin in Guangdong, and the Shibo in Anhui, and fifth, he severely suppressed the lingering anti-Manchu ideology through the use of language prisons.

In foreign relations, he first defeated Lobsang Tenzin and made Qinghai a vassal territory, and then appointed a Minister of State in Tibet and made Tibet a protectorate. Next, in Dzungar, the Mongolian Tseren did a good job of preventing the invasion of Galdang Tseren, so he divided the Toshet tribe and established the Sainnoyan tribe, and made Tseren Khan (Khan). At this time, he established the Military Affairs Bureau in the center, and thereafter, the Military Affairs Bureau became the highest political institution, including civil affairs, replacing the Cabinet. He also concluded the Treaty of Kyakhta with Russia, determining the borders of Siberia and opening up trade. Furthermore, he strengthened his crackdown on Western missionaries, who had been favored by Emperor Kangxi, and exiled them to Macau, except for a few who served in the imperial court.

[Kitamura Yoshinao]

"Emperor Yongzheng - China's Dictator Monarch" by Miyazaki Ichijo (included in "Asia History Essays, Volume 2", 1976, Asahi Shimbun)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、清(しん)朝第5代皇帝（在位1722～35）。康煕(こうき)帝の第4子。名は胤（允）禛(いんしん)、廟号(びょうごう)は世宗、年号により雍正帝とよぶ。治世わずかに13年であったが、康煕帝60年の放漫政治の後を受け、官僚の綱紀を引き締めて皇帝独裁権を強化し、財政を改革し、清朝支配権を確立して、次の乾隆(けんりゅう)帝60年の治世に引き継いだその事業の歴史的意義は、高く評価されている。即位後、帝は、後継者を秘密裏に指名する太子密建(たいしみっけん)法を定め、皇太子をめぐる皇子間の争いを封じた。内政ではまず第一に、地方官が皇帝に直接意見を奏上する奏摺(そうしょう)制度、すなわち官僚の密告制度ともいうべきやり方を奨励し、官僚の党争、腐敗を厳しく取り締まったが、反面、官僚に対する勤務手当ともいうべき養廉銀(ようれんぎん)の制度も新設した。第二に、康煕末年より始められた税制上の一大改革である地丁銀の制度を全国的に施行した。第三に、改土帰流(かいどきりゅう)を行った。これは、辺境地域に住む少数民族の土司・土官制を、中央派遣の地方官統治に改める改革であった。第四に、山西の楽戸(がくこ)、浙江(せっこう)の惰民(だみん)、広東(カントン)の蛋民(たんみん)、安徽(あんき)の世僕(せいぼく)など賤民(せんみん)の解放を行い、第五に、文字の獄により、根強く残る反満思想を厳しく弾圧した。

　対外関係では、まずロプサン・テンジンを討伐して青海を属領とし、チベットには駐蔵大臣を置いて保護領とした。次にジュンガルでは、ガルダン・ツェレンの侵入をモンゴルのツェレンがよく防いだので、トシェト部を割いてサインノヤン部を新設し、ツェレンをハン（汗）に封じた。このとき中央に軍機処(ぐんきしょ)を設けたが、以後、民政も含めて軍機処が内閣にかわる政治の最高機関となった。またロシアとキャフタ条約を結んで、シベリアの国境を定め、貿易を開いた。さらに、康煕帝が優遇した西洋人宣教師の取締りを強化し、宮廷に仕える一部の者を除いてマカオに追放した。

［北村敬直］

『宮崎市定著「雍正帝――中国の独裁君主」（『アジア史論考　下巻』所収・1976・朝日新聞社）』

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