Values & Virtues
38 MARCH 20 - APRIL 2, 2015
Epoch Times
A Day in the Life of a
Chinese Emperor
Emperors of the Qing Dynasty led lives of
diligence, as can be seen in their focused,
disciplined daily schedule. Their business
was early, intense, and effective, and
their leisure was enriching.
Sleep
9 p.m.
5 a.m.
Worship and
Reflection
While imperial officials
would get ready for court
at 4 am, the emperor
himself was no slouch.
Every day he would be
up at 5 am to worship
Buddha and study
ancestral teachings.
Morning and evening
worship was a custom
introduced by Shunzhi,
the first Qing ruler.
Ritual and Faith
Early Qing emperors were
devout believers and pursued
strict personal cultivation.
They held shamanistic rituals
practiced by their Manchurian ancestors as well as
Buddhist rites.
5 p.m.
7 a.m.
Breakfast and
Briefings
Education and Entertainment
Emperors of the Qing Dynasty received
a rich classical education. The afternoon
would thus be spent reading or on cultured
activities such as poetry or music, often in the
company of concubines.
2:30 p.m.
Lunch and Paperwork
Between lunch and a nap, using a vermilion ink pen
designated for his exclusive use, the Son of Heaven could
expect to spend this time reviewing and annotating
administrative texts and policies.
By Leo Timm
Epoch Times Staff
C
hina’s last imperial dynasty,
the Qing, was founded with
a shock. In the 17th century,
Manchurian warriors, hailing
from the chilly northeast, breached the
Great Wall and conquered the waning
Ming Dynasty.
For the next 250 years, these foreigners
managed to rule over hundreds of
millions of Chinese by adopting Chinese
culture. Under their rule, China’s territory
increased threefold and the empire was
widely held in awe by great thinkers of the
European Enlightenment.
Early Risers and Workers
The Manchu ethnic group, comprising
but a tiny portion of China’s massive
population, went to great lengths to rule
efficiently and harmoniously. Ruling from
the Forbidden City in China’s northern
capital of Beijing, Qing emperors led lives
of painstaking diligence. Particularly the
three greats—Kangxi, Yongzheng, and
Qianlong—who presided over a 140-year
period of prosperity are remembered for
their personal discipline and measured
dedication.
At 5 a.m., the emperor rose to be dressed.
His robes were selected in accordance
with the varying seasons, months,
occasions, and even different times of
day. Once dressed, the ruler would pray
to Buddha, then spend his morning
vigorously absorbing lessons in historical
records passed down by his ancestors.
Through constant learning, he aspired to
streamline his own governance.
At 7 a.m., the emperor finished his
studies and went to have his breakfast.
In accordance with Manchu custom, the
Qing monarchs took two major meals
daily, one in the morning, the other in the
early afternoon. Two departments—the
Office of Palatial Affairs and the Imperial
9:30 a.m.
11 a.m.
Court Meetings
For 90 minutes, the emperor would meet in the court
with imperial officials to discuss state affairs and make
executive decisions. Many advisory bodies existed to
assist the monarch in managing his empire.
Household Department—tended to the
emperor’s diet.
Focused Policymaking
Over breakfast, the
emperor read official
reports delivered
to him by eunuchs
and decided which
officials to meet.
This would segue
into the morning’s
session at the
imperial court.
The greatest Qing emperors held court
early, quickly, and frequently. It was
during this time the emperor announced
policy and gave his orders.
Officials representing different advisory
bodies and government agencies would
submit imperial reports, or memorials, to
the emperor, which he read at breakfast.
He would then choose which men to
meet individually from a list of available
officers provided by a eunuch, and then
head to court for a one and a half hour
session.
Court was only mandatory on a few
days of the lunar month, but diligent
emperors would hold more frequent
sessions, typically starting at 9:30 a.m.
Emperor Kangxi (r. 1654−1722) saw his
officials almost daily.
Following the meetings, the emperor,
retreating to his palace quarters, would set
himself upon his paperwork. A vermilion
ink pen, designated for his exclusive use,
was sign of the annotations and notes he
would make to imperial documents. On
busy days, an emperor might stay up late
into the night reviewing his executive
policy.
Meditative Bearing
Provided the emperor was not swamped
in state affairs, he would likely spend
the afternoon reading or enjoying some
cultured leisure—painting, poetry, or
operas. The emperors slept early—9 p.m.,
so that they could wake up before dawn
the next day.
Education and religion were integral to
the worldview of the enlightened Qing
monarchs starting from the first emperor,
Shunzhi, who established the tradition of
daily Buddhist worship.
Continued on the next page