Emperor K'ang Hsi in DOMD: a better emperor, or a better buddy?

[Ken Cheng]

In DOMD, Emperor K'ang Hsi often needed to weigh his duties as ruler of his nation against his friendship with Wai Siu Bo. Ultimately, do you believe that K'ang Hsi was a better emperor or a better friend?

[charbydis]

Kang Xi had too much of a burden on him at a young age when the hopes of the Qing Dynasty landed on his shoulders. I think he cherishes his friendship with WSB very much, but if he had to choose between friendship and the nation with no compromise or alternative, he would choose to betray WSB for the sake of his nation. He might feel terrible about it afterwards, but Kang Xi is born to be emperor, in both status and personality.

[pannonian]

When he could spare the sentiment, Kang Xi was a friend to Wei Xiaobao. Other than that, he always used Wei Xiaobao as an emperor should use his officers. A choice between his responsibilities as emperor and friend to Wei Xiaobao is no choice at all. Kang Xi would regret his choice, but he'd throw Wei Xiaobao to the wolves without hesitation. Wei Xiaobao knew it too, and had no problem with it.

[Ace High]

Kang Xi even put the nation first against his personal desire to meet his dad at Mt. Wutai.

[pannonian]

Thinking about the objection of hardcore Confucians to the rule of the Manchu over the Chinese, one would have thought, looking at his actual strictures, Kang Xi would have been close to Confucius's ideal model for a ruler, with Confucius's central rule ("Do not raise taxes") being identical with that of Kang Xi.

[smurf120]

I don't think there was ever a question of Kangxi putting country and nation first. By the same token I never thought that WXB ever directly opposed him so he never really had to make that decision. At most he only need to "contain" or "quarantine" WXB.

[Ken Cheng]

One of the great scenes in DOMD '84 (which I hope was also in the original novel) was an argument between Wai Siu Bo and the One-Armed Nun. The former Princess Cheung Ping of the Ming Dynasty was ranting about how she would murder that "Manchu dog" K'ang Hsi to avenge her ancestors, and Wai Siu Bo retorted that although K'ang Hsi was a Manchurian, he was a much more benign emperor than any of the Ming emperors (including Ming Dynasty founder Chu Yeun Cheung) had been. Wai Siu Bo had a point: even the One-Armed Nun was hard pressed to name a single Ming ruler who had demonstrated the character, benevolence, and wisdom of K'ang Hsi, and K'ang Hsi was still just a kid.

[Ian Liew]

One of the great scenes in DOMD '84 (which I hope was also in the original novel) was an argument between Wai Siu Bo and the One-Armed Nun. The former Princess Cheung Ping of the Ming Dynasty was ranting about how she would murder that "Manchu dog" K'ang Hsi to avenge her ancestors, and Wai Siu Bo retorted that although K'ang Hsi was a Manchurian, he was a much more benign emperor than any of the Ming emperors (including Ming Dynasty founder Chu Yeun Cheung) had been. Wai Siu Bo had a point: even the One-Armed Nun was hard pressed to name a single Ming ruler who had demonstrated the character, benevolence, and wisdom of K'ang Hsi, and K'ang Hsi was still just a kid.

Chu Yeun Cheung, or the Hongwu Emperor, was hardly a good example of a benign emperor even by the Ming standards, although he was one of the more efficient ones. The famous Ming emperors tend to be the ruthless ones like Hongwu and Yongle, wastrel ones like Zhengde and Wanli, the irresponsible ones like Tianqi and Taichang, and the tragic ones like Jianwen and Chongzhen. There were some really good ones mixed in there somewhere, but I can't remember a single one of their names. None of them lasted long enough to match Kangxi's achievements, though - the Ming Dynasty lasted slightly longer than the Qing (276 years compared to 267) but had more than twice (almost 3 times) the number of Emperors. While Kangxi was undoubtedly a really good Emperor, it was the stability of his reign and that of Yongzheng and Qianlong which left him such a great legacy in Chinese history. At the point where Wei Xiaobao and Jiunan had their talk, Jiunan should have been able to name one of her better ancestors to compare with the achievements of the young Kangxi.

[Ken Cheng]

Chu Yeun Cheung, or the Hongwu Emperor, was hardly a good example of a benign emperor even by the Ming standards, although he was one of the more efficient ones. The famous Ming emperors tend to be the ruthless ones like Hongwu and Yongle, wastrel ones like Zhengde and Wanli, the irresponsible ones like Tianqi and Taichang, and the tragic ones like Jianwen and Chongzhen. There were some really good ones mixed in there somewhere, but I can't remember a single one of their names.

The Ming Dynasty had at least one good *fictitious* emperor in wuxia: the one in LUK SIU FUNG. Too bad he was a fictitious emperor only.

[Ian Liew]

The Ming Dynasty had at least one good *fictitious* emperor in wuxia: the one in LUK SIU FUNG. Too bad he was a fictitious emperor only.

He could have been based on a real emperor, even if the scene was fictitious. Good emperors tend to face death quite bravely in wuxia novels - even Chongzhen in Sword Stained with Royal Blood didn't look like the type who would beg for his life. None of them had lines as cool as the Luk Siu Fung emperor, though - he completely put Ye Gucheng in his place, and even Ye Gucheng felt regret that he had to kill him. It takes a great man to earn Ye Gucheng's respect.

[smurf120]

This sounds like it could be its own thread but according to historical fiction did Kangxi have a harder job in creating stability in DOMD or Qin Shihuang unification of the Chinese 6 kingdoms according to A Step into the Past?

[Ace High]

The Ming Dynasty had at least one good *fictitious* emperor in wuxia: the one in LUK SIU FUNG. Too bad he was a fictitious emperor only.

How about Hongzhi who reigned from 22 September 1487 – 8 June 1505? He was a very capable and brilliant emperor.