Did Emperor Guangxu live in Yangxin Hall after returning from Xi'an in 1902?

1. Emperor Guangxu lived in Yingtai from 1902 to 1908. It's just that he is no longer simply imprisoned, but has begun to exercise puppet powers.

2. On the afternoon of November 28, 1902 (the twenty-seventh year of Guangxu), Cixi took Emperor Guangxu back to the Forbidden City after an absence of nearly a year and a half. Cixi was very happy to see that there was no major damage to the palace and that the remaining family members were safe. While she was talking rhetorically to the widows of Tongzhi who came to pay their respects, she ordered that the emperor be immediately arranged to live in Yingtai. In the few days after returning to Beijing, Emperor Guangxu and Cixi were very busy. Emperor Guangxu, in particular, had to go to various temples to burn incense and salute to thank the ancestors for their blessings; he also had to meet with foreign ministers and apologize for Cixi's attack on the embassy. With the passage of time, after all aspects gradually got on the right track, Emperor Guangxu became leisurely. Although he escaped from the dangerous situation of being deposed, the fate of the puppet did not change. Every morning, Cixi sent someone to Yingtai to take Emperor Guangxu to the Forbidden City. She asked Guangxu to accompany her to summon the ministers, and then sent Guangxu back. During the summons, Guangxu basically put on a show. Although Cixi sometimes asked Guangxu to ask questions or symbolically sought his opinions, Guangxu didn't say much and tried to figure out Cixi's meaning and try his best to cater to her. Cixi held on to the power of the country with a clear conscience and did not mention returning to power at all. It is said that Guangxu "looked haggard, and if he was seriously worried, he never seemed cheerful for a moment or even forced himself to laugh; he was cautious in his words and deeds, fearing that disaster would strike him at any time." Apart from accompanying Cixi in governing the country, he is not recorded as having done anything. In fact, his political life ended long after the 1898 Coup. Emperor Guangxu did not forget the humiliation he suffered during this escape. According to "The Legacy of Dezong", during the Eight-Power Allied Forces' invasion of China, the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower was destroyed by artillery fire. Shortly after returning to Luan, Cixi discussed repair matters with ministers. Guangxu once suggested "leave this trace of ruin as a warning to me." "It is a resource for vigilance", which was rejected by Cixi. There was a tattered little gown hanging in his bedroom in Yingtai. The eunuch wanted to take it for cleaning. Guangxu stopped him and said, "This is the little gown that I haven't changed for several months since I came to Beijing. It has depended on me in times of need, so I keep it here." To commemorate. "

Besides accompanying Cixi to attend the court, Emperor Guangxu spent endless time in Yingtai. He asked for gongs and drums from the Shengping Administration, which was in charge of palace performances, and beat them in Yingtai to pass the time and vent his depression. According to the relevant content in Ding Ruqin's "History of Acting in the Inner Court of the Qing Dynasty", there is such a record in the Qing Palace archives: "In the future, if the emperor wants to ring the instrument, he must first ask for an order and then pass it on." "Long live the Lord, you are not allowed to speak." It can be seen that Cixi's control was very strict. Guangxu also asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs to buy many new books and read them carefully. Later, when his health became poor, he studied medicine again. Cixi did not interfere with Guangxu's studies.

Zhou Jingtao, the magistrate of Funing County in northern Jiangsu, was proficient in medicine. He once entered the palace to diagnose and treat Emperor Guangxu. He saw some books placed in the emperor's room, including "Summary of the Complete Collection of Siku", "Zhenguan Politicians", "Taiping Yu" "View", "Explanation of University", "Financial Management", etc. Emperor Guangxu read, wrote, kept a diary every day, and also learned English. Cixi was aware of Emperor Guangxu's every move through her ears and eyes. When she learned that Emperor Guangxu was learning English, she wanted to learn it on a whim, but gave up before he could master the alphabet. Emperor Guangxu began to study law in his last days. For example, in the 33rd and 34th years of Guangxu's reign, the "Submitted Book Files" of the Ministry of Internal Affairs recorded records of Emperor Guangxu's request for book purchase orders. Among them, 40 kinds of books were listed in the ink pen of Emperor Guangxu handed over by the Proceedings Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on December 26, the 33rd year of Guangxu (January 29, 1908): The Political Official News Bureau published each book: "Japan" "Instructions on the Constitution", "Japanese Statistical Explanations", "A Brief Essay on Japanese Constitutionalism", "Summary of Translation Books", "Report of the Embassy in Austria"; the Commercial Press newly printed books: "Montesquieu's Legal Meanings" and "Political Lectures" (Yan Fu Collection of Lectures) "General Theory of Law", "Comparative Law", "Political Science", "National Law", "Principles of Civil Law", "Political Theory", "Constitutional Theory", "General Theory of Administrative Law", "Japan's Preparatory Constitution", "On National Debt" "Police Lecture Notes", "Japanese Police Lecture Notes", "Japanese Police Law Narrative", "Autonomy Compilation", "Constitutional Research Book", "Japanese Prison Law Detailed Explanation", "Comparison of National Power of Nations", "Politics in General", "Examination of Political Similarities and Differences among Countries", "Europe "Recent Political History", "History of the European New Deal", "European Fiscal History", "General Economics", "New Meanings of Financial Management", "Essentials of Japanese Legal System", "Japanese-Russian War Chronicles", "Latest War Law", "German School System", "Constitutional Outlines of Various Countries", "British "On the Constitution", "The Map of All Nations", "European and American Political and Religious Records". Most of the above books are translations, introducing various aspects of European and Japanese political systems, especially books on constitutionalism. According to the request of Emperor Guangxu, four volumes of each of the above were submitted. From now on, any newly printed book will be submitted to the official newspaper bureau at any time. The above 40 kinds of books were designated by Emperor Guangxu to read. Two days later, the Ministry of Internal Affairs submitted 27 of them. The other 13 kinds were not submitted yet because they were "currently inconsistent" or because they had not yet been published. More than twenty days later, on the sixteenth day of the first month of the thirty-fourth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu (February 17, 1908), the Ministry of Internal Affairs added five more types, leaving only eight types of books that had not been included. Emperor Guangxu read these books carefully. 4. Emperor Guangxu who was killing time. Emperor Guangxu accepted the situation and lived a lonely and miserable life indifferently. He studied in Yingtai, kept diaries, wrote big characters, and walked on the shore. The eunuch followed him with a stern look on his face, and no one said a word. During the New Year and the festival, Yingtai was deserted. Guangxu cleaned the room by himself, picked up the spider webs in the hall with a bamboo pole, then wrote a few Spring Festival couplets with his pen, and led the eunuchs to paste them on the door.

After admiring myself for a while, I just stared blankly at the setting clouds in the sky, listening to the sound of firecrackers in the folk market, without saying a word.

Old photos of Yingtai