ABSTRACT

The greatest unanimity seemed to prevail amongst the nobles and leading men, both in the army and the state in and around the capital, to acknowledge the new dynasty, and the regent must have been surprised at the easy victory that brought to his family an empire so renowned as that of China. Quarrels and divisions having arisen between the four regents that Shun Chih had deputed to care for his son whilst in his minority, K'ang Hi, in A. D. 1667, took the government into his own hands, and from this time forth ruled China in his own name. K'ang Hi was greatly distressed at the large number of serious cases that were reported to him by the Board of Punishments. K'ang Hi became so suspicious of his intentions that he kept them there for upwards of two years, and when he did withdraw them he simply put them in garrison in Tsing-hai, to be ready for any emergency.