The Qing Dynasty, as the last feudal dynasty in Chinese history, is the closest to today, and the historical materials preserved are also the most detailed.
In addition to the records of the emperors of the Qing Dynasty court historians and the numerous Qing Historical Manuscripts, the poems and writings of important historical figures also provide rich materials for researchers.
Among them, the Qianlong Emperor is particularly represented by more than 10,000 poems, from his pen and ink we can get a glimpse of his ideological changes, and have a new understanding of some historical events. What is particularly striking is the change in Qianlong's mentality before and after the Zen position.
In Chinese history, it was not uncommon for the Emperor Taishang to have expectations for Chan Rang, but an Emperor like Qianlong, who retained actual power after the Zen throne, was unique.
Many people think that Qianlongchan's location in Jiaqing is just a political ploy, fulfilling his promise that he will not want to exceed the length of Kangxi's reign, but in fact he did not really delegate power.
However, Qianlong's view of Chan Rang was not as generally believed. From the age of forty-five, he had physical problems, could no longer pull the strong bow, and it became extremely difficult to sleep. In one of his poems, he wrote: "Yin Si is lazy to sleep, Yin Zheng is awake all the time", which is a true portrayal of his insomnia.
As he grew older, Qianlong became tired of high-intensity political work. In the forty-eighth year of Qianlong, he expressed his intention to return to Jiaqing in a poem. Approaching the age of seventy, he sighed, "For the king's troubles, there is no ease, and there is encouragement for a long time."
Seventy-eight Weng is approaching, and he has returned to politics for seven years. For Qianlong, the Zen position is not only to fulfill his promise, but also the only way to realize the leisure life in his later years.
Qianlong's admiration for Song Gaozong also influenced his attitude towards Chan. Although he complained about Gojong's political ability, he deeply admired his choice to give in early and enjoy his old age.
The "Gaozong" temple name given by Emperor Jiaqing also reflects Qianlong's mentality.
Qianlong's preparations before and after the Zen position are obvious. He built the Ningshou Palace, preparing to leave the palace for Jiaqing to use.
Qianlong even wrote poems in the residence he built in his later years, expressing his yearning for a happy life in his old age. In order to pave the way for Jiaqing's ascension to the throne, he successively opened the Enke examination, gave preferential treatment to the long-lived elderly, exempted the people from arrears, rewarded the soldiers of the Eight Banners, and cultivated talents for Jiaqing in advance.
However, Qianlong's obsession with power prevented him from smoothly transitioning power to Jiaqing as planned. After the Zen throne, he still lived in the Yangxin Temple, holding the appointment power of the local and ** ministers in his hands. He demanded that the Emperor Taishang be higher than the emperor in the ritual system, and that the position of the Emperor Taishang in the edict should also be above the emperor.
All this shows the importance that Qianlong attaches to his identity.
After the Zen throne, Qianlong did not completely relinquish political power. The people still circulated Qianlong Tongbao, and Jiaqing's authority was dwarfed.
Qianlong's insistence on handling the affairs of foreign envoys and his refusal to intervene in Jiaqing showed his strong desire for control in the political field.
Qianlong's favor to He Shen also exposed problems after the Zen position. After Jiaqing ascended the throne, he liquidated Heshen and discovered a large amount of wealth, exposing the corruption of the imperial court.
In addition, Qianlong's political decision-making on the White Lotus uprising also had problems, which eventually led to the continuous expansion of the White Lotus Sect's power, leaving Jiaqing with a lot of difficulties.
Although the coexistence of Qianlong and Jiaqing seemed to be harmonious, in fact, Qianlong's excessive control of power had a negative impact on the political situation of the Qing Dynasty.
His final choice in his later years was even inferior to that of Song Gaozong, whom he once looked down on. In the face of power, Qianlong failed to be relieved, which became a major regret during his reign.