Xü Daoguang

Place: Beijing

Born: 1782

Death: 1850

Biography:

Xü Daoguang (1782-1850), also known by his temple name Emperor Xuanzong of Qing, was the seventh emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the sixth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. His reign was marked by 'external disaster and internal rebellion.' The Daoguang Emperor was born in Beijing, China, and his personal name was Mianning. He was the fourth son of the Daoguang Emperor. His ability in literature and administration impressed his father, who therefore decided to make him his successor. He succeeded the throne in 1850, at age 19, and was a relatively young emperor. He inherited a dynasty that faced not only internal but also foreign challenges. The Taiping Rebellion began in December 1850, and the Nian Rebellion started in North China. The Qing imperial forces suffered repeated defeats at the hands of both rebel movements. The Xianfeng Emperor dispatched several prominent mandarins, such as Zeng Guofan and the Mongol general Sengge Rinchen, to crush the rebellions, but they only obtained limited success. The Xianfeng Emperor died in 1861 in Jehol at the age of 30 and was succeeded by his surviving six-year-old son, who assumed the throne as the Tongzhi Emperor.