The Four Regents of the Kangxi Emperor were nominated by the Shunzhi Emperor to oversee the government of the Qing Dynasty during the early reign of the Kangxi Emperor, before Kangxi came to of age. The four were Sonin, Ebilun, Suksaha, and Oboi.
| Guwalgiya Oboi 瓜尔佳·鳌拜 |
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|---|---|
| Oboi portrait. Qing Dynasty. | |
| Regent of the Qing Dynasty | |
| In office 1661–1669 Serving with Sonin, Ebilun, Suksaha |
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| Monarch | Kangxi Emperor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1610 |
| Died | 1669 |
| Cabinet | Four Regents of the Kangxi Emperor |
| Posthumous name | Zhaowu 超武 |
| Military service | |
| Years of service | 1637-1646 |
| Battles/wars | Defeated Zhang Xianzhong |
| Nara Suksaha 納喇·蘇克薩哈 |
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|---|---|
| Regent of the Qing Dynasty | |
| In office 1661–1667 Serving with Sonin, Ebilun, Oboi |
|
| Monarch | Kangxi Emperor |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 1667 |
| Niohuru Ebilun 鈕祜祿·遏必隆 |
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|---|---|
| Regent of the Qing Dynasty | |
| In office 1661–1667 Serving with Sonin, Suksaha, Oboi |
|
| Monarch | Kangxi Emperor |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 1673 |
| Relations | Princess Mukushen (mother) Nurhaci (maternal grandfather) Lady Giyamuhut Gioro (maternal grandmother) |
| Children | Empress Xiaozhaoren |
| Noble Rank | 1st class Duke |
| Posthumous name | Kexi 恪僖 |
| Heseri Sonin 赫舍里·索尼 |
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|---|---|
| Regent of the Qing Dynasty | |
| In office 1661–1667 Serving with Ebilun, Suksaha, Oboi |
|
| Monarch | Kangxi Emperor |
| Appointed by | Empress Xiao Zhuang Wen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1601 |
| Died | 1667 |
| Relations | Empress Xiaochengren (granddaughter) Yinreng (great-grandson) |
| Children | Songgotu |
| Noble Rank | 1st class Duke |
| Posthumous name | Wenzhong 文忠 |
Contents |
The Shunzhi Emperor died in 1661 and was succeeded by a six year old Kangxi Emperor. Before Shunzhi died, he appointed four interior ministers - Sonin, Suksaha, Ebilun and Oboi - to assist Kangxi as regents. This period of regency in the Qing Dynasty was known as the "Four Regents period". The Kangxi Emperor only took full control of the government in May 1669.
In the initial stage of the regency, the four regents oversaw the government together and provided assistance towards each other in accordance with the Shunzhi Emperor's dying wishes. They continued the war against resistance forces loyal to the Ming Dynasty (the dynasty before the Qing Dynasty). In April 1662 the last ruler of the Southern Ming Dynasty, the Yongli Emperor, was killed by Wu Sangui on the orders of the four regents. Within the next two years the Qing government had suppressed all anti-Qing armed forces within China. The Qing Dynasty then moved on to a stable development phase as the society and economy had been badly devastated by war. The four regents devised policies to aid in the recovery and development of China.
During the early years of the regency, tension between the two Yellow Banners faction and Suksaha was kept in check by Sonin, and the four regents managed to maintain a relatively peaceful and efficient working relationship. However the dynamics of the regency began shifting as Sonin's health gradually deteriorated due to old age. As Sonin took more time off to recuperate, Oboi started monopolising state power by making decisions without consulting the other regents (taking advantage of Ebilun's indecisiveness) and sidelining Suksaha during discussions, especially on issues concerning the welfare of the Eight Banners.
By 1667 when Sonin realised that he did not have long to live, he attempted to restore balance to the regency and neutralise Oboi's rapidly expanding power clique. He wrote a memorial to the 14 year old Kangxi Emperor, requesting that the emperor assume personal rule ahead of schedule. The Kangxi Emperor thus formally took over the reins of power in a ceremony on August 25, a month after Sonin's death. Following this, Kangxi issued an imperial decree to reduce the power of the three surviving regents, stating that their roles had been reduced to that of assisting ministers (佐政大臣). However even after officially taking full control of the government, Kangxi found it difficult to curb Oboi's growing influence.
In 1669, with help from Grand Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, the Kangxi Emperor had Oboi arrested and stripped off his power.[1] Since then Kangxi began taking personal control of the government. Ebilun was dismissed from office and Oboi's clique disbanded. This marked the end of the Four Regents period.