The Kangxi Emperor wrote this valedictory edict five years before his death, when he had ruled China for half a century. According to what criteria does he evaluate his accomplishments? In what sort of historical context does he seek to place himself? What qualities does he cite as his personal virtues and shortcomings, and how does he link them to the quality of his rule as emperor? Finally, what role (if any) does his Manchu background play in this edict?

     The 1717 document known as Kangxi's Valedictory Edict is an effort on the part of the Qing emperor Kangxi to gather, clarify, and communicate his thoughts to his officials in preparation for the end of his reign. Kangxi evaluates both his own accomplishments and those of his dynasty according to the concept known as the Mandate of Heaven.
     A dynasty which posesses the Mandate has been entrusted by Heaven with the governance of the Chinese nation. It is the task of the rulers of such a dynasty to maintain harmonious relations between Heaven and earth by demonstrating righteous behavior and enacting the proper rituals. If the dynasty's emperors fail to propitiate Heaven and neglect to lead upright lives, or if natural disasters portend Heaven's displeasure and create suffering among the people, then the Mandate may be considered to have been withdrawn. Without the Mandate of Heaven, a dynasty will fall and may thereafter be replaced by a more virtuous lineage.
     In his Valedictory Edict, Kangxi claims that the Qing dynasty holds the Mandate of Heaven. He demonstrates this by relating the Manchu version of China's transition from Ming rule to Qing control. Kangxi places the blame for the fall of the Ming in the hands of Ming rebel Li Zicheng, and claims Manchu credit for suppressing the rebel armies. "...The roving bandit Li Tzucheng stormed the city of Peking, [and] the Ming Emperor Ch'ung-chen hanged himself... Then we exterminated the violent bandits and inherited the empire." (1) Kangxi feels that it was right for the fallen Ming empire to pass into the control of its Manchu rescuers. He interprets the peace which pervades his realm as a token of Heaven's approval of the Qing: "The forebears of our dynasty were men who obeyed Heaven and lived in harmony with other men; and the empire was pacified. From this we can tell that all the rebellious officials and bandits are finally pushed aside by truly legitimate rulers." (2)
     Kangxi also claims the Mandate of Heaven for himself as an individual. He believes that the length of his life and his rule are proof of Heaven's goodwill. "I am now close to seventy, and have been over fifty years on the throne - this is all due to the quiet protection of Heaven and earth and the ancestral spirits." (3) He seeks to explain why he holds the Mandate: "What man am I, that among all those who have reigned long since the Ch'in and Han Dynasties, it should be I who have reigned the longest?" (4) In answer, he states that he has been both industrious and frugal. "...I have worked with unceasing diligence and intense watchfulness, never resting, never idle... Unless it was for military matters or famine relief, I didn't take funds from the Board of Revenue treasury, and spent nothing recklesly, for the reason that this was the people's wealth." (5)
     Kangxi views himself first and foremost as an emperor of the Qing dynasty. In emphasizing Qing possession of the Mandate of Heaven, he is defending his own position as heir to the Qing empire. His identity is closely bound with that of his dynasty. Kangxi also seeks to place himself as the most recent of a list of Chinese emperors stretching back two thousand years to the Qin dynasty. He numbers himself "among all those who have reigned long since the Ch'in and Han dynasties" (6), and by doing so stresses that he is not only Manchu but also Chinese. Kangxi portrays himself as the keeper of a dual heritage: in particular, he is a Manchu emperor; in general, he is an emperor of the vast, diverse and ancient Chinese nation.
     In the Valedictory Edict, Kangxi explains to his officials why he feels the need to write such a piece. As he does so the aging emperor communicates a profound awareness of his own mortality. "I fear that in the future if some accident happened to me I would not be able to say a word, and so my real feelings would not be disclosed. Wouldn't that be regretful? Therefore I am using this occasion when I feel clear-headed...to complete my life by telling you all that can be revealed." (7) Kangxi has become elderly and utterly tired. He says that "the ruler in all his hard-working life finds no place to rest... Whenever I read an old official's memorial requesting retirement, I can't stop the tears from flowing. You all have a time for retiring, but where can I find rest?" (8) The emperor wishes for time to compose himself and prepare to meet a calm, dignified death; he desires to meet death on his own terms, with all his affairs in order. As Kangxi places himself within the historical contect of the Qing dynasty and within the greater dynastic history of China, then, he offers reassurance to both himself and his officials that all will be well even after he is gone. His dynasty is righteous and possesses the Mandate of Heaven, he himself has been an upright, diligent and careful ruler and has enjoyed the protection of Heaven, and he remains determined to identify a capable heir to succeed him.

The Search for Modern China, A Documentary Collection
1999, W. W. Norton and Company
Pei-Kai Cheng and Michael Lestz

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4) p. 60 line 1
5) p. 60 line 32
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6) p. 60 line 1
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8) p. 61 line 7
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