Back الأمير جونغ (الصين) Arabic الامير جونج ARZ Айсіньгёро Ісінь BE Prins Gong Danish Yixin German Yixin, Príncipe Gong Spanish Gong (prinssi) Finnish 恭親王奕訢 GAN Pangeran Gong (Dinasti Qing) ID 愛新覚羅奕訢 Japanese
| Yixin | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Gong of the First Rank | |||||||||
 Photograph of Prince Gong, shortly after the signing of the Convention of Peking, 1860 | |||||||||
| Prince Gong of the First Rank | |||||||||
| Tenure | 25 February 1850 – 29 May 1898 | ||||||||
| Successor | Puwei | ||||||||
| Chief Grand Councillor | |||||||||
| In office | 1853 – 1855 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Qi Junzao | ||||||||
| Successor | Wenqing | ||||||||
| In office | 1861 – 1884 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Muyin | ||||||||
| Successor | Shiduo | ||||||||
| In office | 1894 – 1898 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Shiduo | ||||||||
| Successor | Shiduo | ||||||||
| Born | 11 January 1833 Beijing, China (Qing Dynasty) | ||||||||
| Died | 29 May 1898 (aged 65) Beijing, China (Qing Dynasty) | ||||||||
| Consorts |
Lady Gūwalgiya
(m. 1848; died 1880) | ||||||||
| Issue | Zaicheng Zaiying Princess Rongshou of the First Rank | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| House | Aisin Gioro | ||||||||
| Father | Daoguang Emperor | ||||||||
| Mother | Empress Xiaojingcheng | ||||||||
Yixin (11 January 1833 – 29 May 1898), better known in English as Prince Kung[1] or Gong, was an imperial prince of the Aisin Gioro clan and an important statesman of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty in China. He was a regent of the empire from 1861 to 1865 and wielded great influence at other times as well.
Yixin was a man of great talent, excelling in both literature and martial skills, and was among the most capable members of the imperial family. However, he was never favored by his father, the Daoguang Emperor, to succeed to the throne, which meant he spent his life in the role of a political aide rather than a ruler. In 1860, during the Second Opium War, when the British and French forces invaded Beijing, Yixin was entrusted with negotiating peace and signed the Treaty of Beijing on behalf of the Qing court. In 1861, after the death of his elder brother, the Xianfeng Emperor, Yixin, in collaboration with Empress Dowager Cixi, launched the Xinyou Coup, seizing power from the eight regents appointed in the late emperor's will. He and Empress Dowager Cixi jointly took charge of the state affairs. In 1881, after the death of his supporter, Empress Dowager Ci'an, Yixin's position began to weaken. In 1884, Cixi removed him from all his positions, forcing him into political retirement. In 1894, during the First Sino-Japanese War, Yixin was called back into service, but he in 1898.
Yixin was a key figure and leader of the Self-Strengthening Movement during the late Qing period. He supported figures like Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang, and Zeng Guofan in their efforts to modernize military industries, procure advanced weaponry, and promote the development of modern military infrastructure. He also helped establish the Zongli Yamen, which was responsible for foreign affairs, and set up Chinese embassies abroad. His diplomatic and modernization efforts gained the recognition of foreign powers. Yixin played a significant role in resolving the crises of the Second Opium War and the Taiping Rebellion, and he actively promoted modernization, which led to a brief period of political stability and revitalization for the Qing government. However, his considerable influence and abilities often made him a target of the ruling elites and conservatives, leading to repeated conflicts with Emperor Xianfeng, Emperor Tongzhi, and Empress Dowager Cixi. As a result, his political career was marked by a series of ups and downs, ultimately ending with his complete dismissal.
Yixin's tomb is located in Changping District, Beijing. After his death, the title of Prince Gong was passed on to his eldest grandson, Puwei.
- ^ Official site, Beijing: Prince Kung's Palace Museum, 2014, archived from the original on 2018-08-29, retrieved 2017-11-08.