Emperor Yongzheng (1722 AD - 1735 AD)

Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty, often referred to as Emperor Shizong, was the fourth Emperor of the Qing dynasty to dominate China. He was in power from 1722 until 1735. Emperor Yongzheng was a diligent ruler whose primary objective was to establish a government that was cost-effective and effective. Like his father, Emperor Kangxi, Emperor Yongzheng employed the military to maintain the dynasty's status.

In it, Yongzheng is frequently portrayed as a throne-hungry monster who first killed his father (Emperor Kangxi) to seize the throne and then murdered the majority of his brothers to guarantee its dominance. Even worse, he was charged with using a horrific method of execution to mercilessly murder several Ming supporters.

He was murderous, violent, and savage, yet we still have to admit that he was more influential than other emperors of the dynasty in bringing about a century of prosperity for pre-modern China. In particular, like his long-reigning father, Yongzheng was a hardworking emperor. He has successfully reduced corruption, strengthened budgetary policies, and improved administrative efficiency thanks to his managerial acumen. Such rationalization of the imperial bureaucracy paved the way for the Qing to reach the pinnacle of development under Yongzheng's son, Qianlong. In addition, his reign also saw the formation of the Grand Council, an organization that had a tremendous impact on the future development of the Qing dynasty.

In short, Emperor Yongzheng of Qing:

• was the fourth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and was in power from 1722 AD until 1735 AD.
• is portrayed as a throne-hungry monster, but was a diligent ruler.
• he eliminated corruption, consolidated the budget, and improved administrative efficiency by streamlining the bureaucracy.
• paved the way for the Qing Dynasty to reach the pinnacle of development.