Emperor  (April 27, 1856 AD～January 12, 1875 AD)

Last Name：	爱新觉罗
First Name：	载淳
Web/Pen/Nick Name：	清穆宗
Start End Reign 1862 AD 1875 AD 同治 1862 AD 1874 AD 

　　The Tongzhi Emperor (27 April 1856 – 12 January 1875), born Zaichun of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the tenth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign, from 1861 to 1875, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother Empress Dowager Cixi. Although he had little influence over state affairs, the events of his reign gave rise to what historians call the "Tongzhi Restoration", an unsuccessful attempt to stabilise and modernise China.
　　
　　BiographyThe only surviving son of the Xianfeng Emperor and Empress Dowager Cixi, Tongzhi attempted political reform in the period of the Tongzhi Restoration. His first regnal name was Qixiang (祺祥; Manchu: Fengšengge Sabingga), but this name was later abandoned by Cixi in favour of Tongzhi, a contraction of the classical phrase tonggui yu zhi (simplified Chinese: 同归与治; traditional Chinese: 同歸與治), which means "restoring order together". An alternate interpretation reads it as "mother and son co-emperors" (Chinese: 母子同治天下), which fits the state of affairs, as the empress dowager wielded real power and ruled behind the scenes. The traditional Chinese political phrase "attending audiences behind a curtain" (simplified Chinese: 垂帘听政; traditional Chinese: 垂簾聽政; pinyin: chuí lián tīng zhèng) was coined to describe Cixi's rule through her son.
　　
　　Tongzhi became emperor at the age of five upon the death of his father, the Xianfeng Emperor. His father's choice of regent, Sushun, was removed in favour of a partnership between his mother Empress Dowager Cixi, Empress Dowager Ci'an, and his uncle Prince Gong.
　　
　　Tongzhi married Empress Xiaozheyi, who was from a Mongol clan. He died of smallpox at the age of 18. He was buried in the Huiling Mausoleum, Eastern Qing Tombs, Hebei. He had no sons to succeed him. Folklore says that Tongzhi died from a sexually transmitted disease (specifically syphilis), due to his alleged affairs with prostitutes outside of the palace, and that the smallpox diagnosis was given only because the mere discussion of sexually transmitted diseases in China was taboo. However no credible evidence exists to substantiate the rumours.
　　
　　Tongzhi's mother Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an resumed regency after enthroning Zaitian, son of Prince Chun, as the Guangxu Emperor. Empress Xiaozheyi died a few months after Tongzhi's death. Popular stories suggest that she either committed suicide or that Empress Dowager Cixi starved her to death by cutting off her food supply.
　　
　　 FamilyFather: Xianfeng Emperor
　　
　　Mother: Noble Consort Yi (Empress Dowager Cixi)
　　
　　 Consorts1.Empress Xiaozheyi, (Chinese: 孝哲毅皇后) of the Alute clan (1854–1875)
　　
　　2.Imperial Noble Consort Shushen, (Chinese: 淑慎皇贵妃) (1860–1905) née Fuca.
　　
　　3.Imperial Noble Consort Zhuanghe, (Chinese: 庄和皇贵妃) (1857–14 April 1921) née Alute was the aunt of Empress Xiaozheyi.
　　
　　4.Imperial Noble Consort Jingyi, (Chinese: 敬懿皇贵妃) (1856–1932) née Heseri.
　　
　　5.Imperial Noble Consort Ronghui, (Chinese: 荣惠皇贵妃) (1854–1933) née Silin Gioro.