Exemplary Emperors

[flemmings]

Am reading Emperor of China by Jonathan D. Spence. Passages from edicts, letters, and what-all of the Kangxi Emperor, third of the Manchu dynasty, pieced together by Spence to make a kind of memoir.

Must say, in this and in Spence's later book, Treason by the Book, the earlier Manchu emperors come across as rational, reasonable, and dear *god* hard-working people. I gather that the Kangxi Emperor got more paranoid in later years, but then, who didn't?

Comments

[paleaswater.livejournal.com]

But I always thought most emperors were actually really hard-working. They seem to all get up at 5 am and then burn the midnight oil, and only get a day off every ten days.

But mostly, I like Kangxi because he was played by Uncle Ming. :DD and as the most sasoi uke as well when he was young and trying to '聚贤', i.e attract the support of capable officials for his cause.

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

I thought emperors lounged about with their beautiful favourites and left administration to their eunuchs, after which the empire fell again.

Oh, right! *that's* what 康熙帝國 was about!