Compare and Contrast the reigns of Kangxi and Yongzheng Essay

Compare and Contrast the reigns of Kangxi and Yongzheng - Essay Example Yongzheng Emperor was born Yinzhen between December 1678 and October 1735 was an emperor of Manchu Qing Dynasty and ruled China between 1722 and 1735.2 He was nurtured by his father Kangxi in his childhood. This document explores similarities and different challenges Kangxi and Yongzheng emperors faced during their reign and their responses to the differences. Both emperors were religious and followers of Confucianism. They dedicated their lives to serve their people. They were careful to practice virtues because they believed such practices could bring good luck. For example, Kangxi believed that all present issues should be resolved in the present time to avoid the piling up of issues that may turn onto impediments in the future. He avoided being reckless with the public resources and ensured he spend the public wealth carefully.3 They both emphasized on morality and set the moral standards for their people to ensure they lived morally upright. For example, Kangxi established a version of moral standards known as Shengyu guangxun based on sixteen maxims. Later, his son Yongzheng expanded the sixteen maxims in another version known as Shengyu guangxun zhijie in literary Chinese order to make it easier for the people to follow. Kangxi and Yongzheng viewed well-organized clans and families as the prototypes of orderly states.4 Both emperor s experienced resistances from the central government and the followers of other regions such as Daoism, Buddhism, Catholicism and the folk religion. In his practices Kangxi promoted discrimination by abolishing â€Å"musical households of Yangzhou during his reign.† However, Yongzheng brought reforms that eliminated legal discrimination which gradually diminished the harsh social discrepancies of the former regime he considered evil. For example, he eradicated the â€Å"hereditary status of household slave and retainers in Nigguo and Huizhou prefectures in Anhui in 1727.†5 During the reign of