The Qing Dynasty flourished from the beginning, why did it develop to three generations of emperors

There is not enough adopted son, and the family is ruined

The end of the Qing Dynasty was closely linked to the decline of the descendants of the royal family

The Qing Dynasty was a dynasty founded by ethnic minorities, and the founding emperors, Nurhachi, and Huang Taiji expanded their territory on horseback, establishing an unprecedented unified empire. They were physically strong and had proliferation, laying a solid foundation for the Qing Dynasty.

However, with the continuation of the hegemony of the past dynasties, the fertility of the Qing royal family gradually declined. From Kangxi, Yongzheng to Qianlong, the heirs flourished, and when they arrived in Tongzhi and Guangxu, there was a tragedy of three generations without children. This seemingly abrupt shift actually has deep historical roots and biological mechanisms.

From a genetic point of view, the Qing rulers have always pursued a policy of maintaining the authenticity of the bloodline, choosing mates among the Eight Banners. However, the genetic hidden dangers brought about by inbreeding eventually manifested themselves in the later emperors. At the same time, the aesthetic concepts and lifestyles of the Qing rulers also exacerbated this trend to a certain extent.

From a political point of view, the emperors of the early Qing Dynasty laid a brilliant foundation for the dynasty by expanding their territory and governing the country diligently. But in the later period, the imperial court gradually became a chess game controlled by the empress dowager, and the emperor became a puppet and lost his due autonomy and responsibility. In turbulent times, it is difficult for offspring to grow up healthily, and children are naturally becoming scarcer.

In this way, the process of the Qing Dynasty's slide into decline became irreversible. From the majestic atmosphere of the founding of the country to the decay and fall of court politics in the end, the decline of the Qing Dynasty is a microcosm from prosperity to decline.

The founding feats of the world

The establishment of the Qing Dynasty began with the two founding fathers, Nurhachi and Huang Taiji. They used to be nomads on horseback, living in the cold zone between the white mountains and black waters, and their physical fitness was naturally outstanding.

Nurhachi rebelled that year, unified the Jurchen tribes, and established the Later Jin Dynasty. With great courage and great force, he defeated the Ming Dynasty and finally occupied Beijing in 1644 and established the Qing Dynasty.

Huang Taiji inherited his father's business and further expanded his territory, covering Inner Mongolia, Northeast China, Hebei, Shandong and other regions. He himself was also a generation of brave and warlike generals, who did not hesitate to sacrifice on the battlefield and made tremendous contributions to the great cause of reunification.

Such a character must be full of vitality, and there will naturally be no shortage of heirs. From Nurhachi to Shunzhi, the emperors of the early Qing Dynasty were all brave and energetic, and the reproduction of children was not a problem.

Emperor Kangxi had many heirs

The most typical is the Kangxi Emperor. He reigned for 61 years and had many children, according to statistics, there were 42 princes and 15 princesses, of which 15 princes survived for a long time. Among this huge heir, Kangxi carefully selected Yongzheng as the heir, which shows how much he attaches importance to the heir.

Although Kangxi himself is not an iron-blooded man, he is burly, healthy, and energetic. He fought abroad all the year round, personally practiced martial arts, and trekked with his ministers among the lofty mountains and mountains. Such a way of life will inevitably enhance the physique and be conducive to the continuation of the heirs.

Moreover, Kangxi is lustful by nature, and he accepts beauties into the palace and seeks pleasure, which can be seen in the happiness index of his harem. In such an environment, he was able to give birth to many children and satisfy his father's heart.

After Emperor Yongzheng succeeded to the throne, he also paid great attention to the issue of heirs. He treats his children equally, has no preference, and reuses them as long as they are capable. Such a governance style also provides a good development environment for the excellent genes accumulated by Kangxi.

It can be seen that the rulers of the early Qing Dynasty were all energetic, healthy and fertile, which accumulated a large number of excellent genetic resources for the Qing Dynasty and laid the foundation for sustainable development.

The gradual emergence of genetic hidden dangers

However, after Qianlong, the fertility of the Qing royal family began to decline sharply. Tongzhi, Guangxu, and even the last Puyi, couldn't even leave an heir. The gradual emergence of this genetic hidden danger is one of the important reasons for the decline of the Qing Dynasty.

The crux of this problem was the policy of consanguineous marriage practiced by the Qing rulers in order to maintain the purity of the bloodline. Choosing a mate in the Eight Flags can certainly ensure the legitimacy of the bloodline, but it also brings serious genetic risks.

As we all know, consanguineous marriages can easily lead to genetic defects and cause various diseases. There are cases of "hemophilia" in the British royal family, a genetic disease that is widespread among the royal family as a result of consanguineous marriage.

The same was true of the Qing Dynasty. From Tongzhi, Guangxu to Puyi, the princes' physical condition deteriorated, until they finally lost their fertility completely. While there are some external factors, such as the effects of political struggles and social unrest, the root cause is a growing genetic problem.

It is undeniable that in the early Qing Dynasty, this kind of inbreeding did not immediately lead to a decline in fertility. However, with the change of generations, this hidden danger gradually accumulated and amplified, and finally exploded in the later emperors, making it difficult for the foundation of the Qing Dynasty to continue.

The influence of aesthetic concepts and lifestyles

In addition to genetic hidden dangers, the aesthetic concepts and lifestyles of Qing emperors also had a certain negative impact on their fertility.

As we all know, most of the emperors of the Qing Dynasty liked flowers and pursued extravagance and pleasure. Whether it is Kangxi, Yongzheng or Qianlong, they are all keen to enjoy a leisurely life in summer resorts such as the Summer Palace, immersed in the sound of dogs and horses.

Such a lifestyle is not good for physical fitness. Long-term lack of necessary physical exercise, even if you can maintain good fertility in the early stage, will eventually lead to a decline in physical fitness. Moreover, overindulgence can also lead to sexual performance

As we mentioned above, the fertility decline of the Qing imperial family was not only affected by genetic hidden dangers, but also exacerbated by its aesthetic concepts and lifestyles to a certain extent.

Qing emperors were generally immersed in the sound of dogs and horses, and were keen to enjoy a leisurely life in summer resorts such as the Summer Palace. Such a lifestyle makes them lack the necessary physical exercise, which will inevitably lead to a decline in physical fitness in the long run, which will affect fertility. What's more, excessive indulgence can also cause sexual dysfunction, which undoubtedly exacerbates the decline of the royal family's descendants.

It is worth mentioning that the Qing emperors' pursuit of beauty may also affect their concept of mate selection to a certain extent. They often prefer to choose women with outstanding appearance and graceful figure to enter the palace, while ignoring more important factors such as physical fitness and family genetics. Such an aesthetic orientation is undoubtedly an important reason for the problems of future generations.

The fertility of the Qing royal family gradually declined, and in addition to the influence of genetic factors, their unique aesthetic concepts and lifestyles also exacerbated this trend to a certain extent. A royal family that attaches great importance to the sound of dogs and horses and pursues extravagance and pleasure is difficult to cultivate healthy and upward offspring. This also reflects the internal logic of the Qing Dynasty from prosperity to decline from another side.

However, it is clear that there is still something lacking in explaining the decline of the Qing Dynasty purely from the perspective of fertility. Political factors are also an important reason for this historical outcome.

From Tongzhi to Guangxu, the Qing court fell into serious political turmoil. Emperor Tongzhi died at a young age, and Emperor Guangxu became a pawn in the hands of the Empress Dowager Cixi, unable to dominate the overall situation at all. In such a turbulent political environment, it is difficult for the descendants of the royal family to grow up healthily, and the heirs are naturally becoming scarcer.

In addition, the corruption of the military aristocracy of the Eight Banners and the failure of reform measures such as the Westernization Movement also cast a heavy shadow on the Qing Dynasty. The power struggles within the royal family and the turbulent changes in society have undoubtedly had a great adverse impact on the growth of future generations.

It can be said that the decline of the Qing Dynasty is not only due to biological factors, but also to a complex political and social background. Fertility decline is one of the main causes, but it is not the only one. The eventual collapse of the Qing Dynasty was actually the inevitable result of the accumulation of multiple contradictions and problems to a certain extent.

From this point of view, the fall of the Qing Dynasty also showed the general law of a great power turning from prosperity to decline. A powerful dynasty that once dominated the world could not escape the torrent of history after all, and finally fell into a lamentable situation that is not what it used to be. This is certainly emotional, but it will undoubtedly give us future generations a profound historical enlightenment.