Emperor Kangxi Was a Wise Ruler and a Paragon of Benevolence (3 of 3)
 
3) Virtue and morality were of utmost importance, starting with self-discipline and the cultivation of oneself
 
Kangxi adhered to the principle "Honor Confucianism and value Daoism." When he assumed the administration of the government at the age of 14, he accepted the idea of the Han Chinese officials. Hundreds of officials participated in the grand ceremony at the imperial college to honor Confucius. When he first went south to inspect the area, he visited the Confucian temple in Qu Fu, Shandong Province, and paid honor to Confucius by "kneeling three times with the head touching the ground nine times." He personally wrote four Chinese characters "wan shi shi biao" (meaning "Confucius--a Paragon for All Generations") and hung it in the palace to show his determination to rule the nation by Confucian philosophy. Later he praised Zhu Xi, who promulgated the philosophies of Confucius and Mencius. Han scholars and Confucian scholars were deeply moved. They said, "Your majesty highly honors Confucius as his teacher. This indicates that your majesty is wise, extraordinary, and noble. You are like a Han Chinese Emperor, and are not from a foreign race from the north nor a head of a barbarian tribe. You are truly an Emperor mandated from heaven! We have been studying the books from the sages diligently. Now is the time for us to serve our country diligently."
 
Kangxi was very strict with himself. He began his studies at the age of five and studied day and night, winter and summer. He even forgot to eat and sleep. He loved calligraphy and wrote more than a thousand characters a day. He studied the Four Books: the Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects of Confucius, and the Mencius, was able to recite every single character and never cheated. During inspection tours, whether riding the boat late in the evening or living at a special designated place away from the palace, he was always reading, composing poems, or writing essays. Even at the age of 60, he read constantly. He was well versed in literature, history, geography, mathematics, medicine, and many other disciplines. Even the scholars admired him for his deep knowledge. Kangxi directed scholars to compile The History of Ming, The Complete Book of Tang Poetry, and the Kangxi Dictionary. He left behind precious cultural treasures. From the day he took over the administration of the government until he died, he insisted on going to the imperial palace and listening to administrative reports from the ministers. He administered state affairs almost daily, except on days when he was ill, when the nation celebrated the three important holidays, or when there was an unexpected crisis.
 
Kangxi promoted frugality. He said about his attire, "Ever since I acceded to the throne, I have encouraged frugality. I wear ordinary clothing and shoes that are made of regular cloth." Joachim Bouvet, a Frenchman who visited China, wrote to the King of France, "Kangxi's indifference to worldly gain and his plain and simple lifestyle are unprecedented in history. He eats two meals a day, which are very simple. He wears the most ordinary clothing. On rainy days we sometimes see him wearing a felt jacket, which is considered plain and coarse clothing in China. During the summer, we see him wearing an ordinary linen short coat, which is also worn by ordinary people. Except during holidays and special ceremonies, the only luxurious item he wears is a large bead. The bead is what the Manchus wear on their hats during the summertime. He does not have any extravagant desires. His indifference to worldly gain is unimaginable, and it is reflected in the clothes he wears and in his lifestyle."
 
Kangxi followed the principle of filial piety. He was very respectful to his mother and grandmother. Not only did he visit Ci Ning Palace every day to pay his respects, but when Xiao Zhuang Grand Dowager Empress fell ill, he walked several times to the Altar of Heaven (in Beijing, where the emperors used to worship) to pray for her and made a wish that he would give up his life in order for his grandmother to live longer. After Xiao Zhuang Grand Dowager Empress died, Kangxi was extremely sad. He personally placed his grandmother's body in the coffin. He cut his hair and wore mourning clothes. He also stood outside of Ci Ning Palace during Chinese New Year's Eve. His ministers pleaded with him to return to his palace but he refused. Later, he continued to visit Ci Ning Palace every day where every item reminded him of his grandmother. He issued the famous "Sixteen Rules of the Imperial Edict," which provide guidelines for officials and civilians. And of the sixteen rules, filial piety was the most important.
 
Since ancient history, there was rarely anyone in power who did not declare his intent to govern the nation with benevolence and filial piety. But how many of them were truly "benevolent" and "filial?" Even if they constantly talked about the four cardinal virtues (propriety, justice, honesty, and sense of shame) they still behaved like scoundrels. We just need to remember Emperor Jie (Xia Dynasty) and Emperor Zhou (Shang Dynasty). During their reigns, "to govern a nation with virtue" was a complete lie.
 
Kangxi served the people well and practiced what he preached. From the way he governed the nation, the government officials, the military, the prison, and the river system, we can see nobility and true "virtue" in everything he did. He bequeathed his benevolent virtue and meritorious contribution in heaven and on earth. He left behind his goodwill for future generations and improved humanity for centuries! The proverb "The people will never forget a ruler who governs the nation with magnificent virtue and utmost benevolence" holds absolutely true.
 

康熙皇帝: 一代明君　仁者风范 (下)
 
三、道德至上、自律修身
 
康熙遵循「崇儒重道」的政策。他十四岁亲政时，就采纳汉官建议，率领百官在太学举行了隆重的祭孔大典。他首次南巡就去山东曲阜孔庙祭孔，行三跪九叩大礼，并亲书「万世师表」四字悬于殿中，表明自己以儒家学说治理国家的决心。后来又表彰了弘扬孔孟之道的朱熹。汉族士大夫和天下儒生们感动万分，他们涕泣说：「皇上敬奉孔圣人为师，说明皇上英明奇伟，心胸博大，和汉人皇帝自无区别，不是甚么北方异族、夷狄之主，实真命天子啊！我们这些人苦读圣贤之书，现在该努力报效国家了。」
 
康熙对自己要求很严。他五岁入书房读书，昼夜苦读，不论寒暑，甚至废寝忘食。又喜好书法，「每日写千余字，从无间断」。他读「四书」──《大学》、《中庸》、《论语》、《孟子》，「必使字字成诵，从来不肯自欺」。他在出巡途中，深夜乘舟，或居行宫，读书赋诗著文习以为常。直到花甲之年，仍手不释卷。他精通文学、历史、地理、算学、医学等诸多学科，丰富的学识使很多学者难望其项背。他组织人编纂了《明史》、《全唐诗》、《康熙字典》等，为后人留下了宝贵的文化财富。康熙从亲政之日起，到去世之前，每天坚持御殿听政，一年四季，无论严寒酷暑，从不间断。除因生病、三大节、重大变故外，几乎是没有一天不听政的。
 
康熙崇尚节俭。他说到自己的衣着：「我从即位以来，办一切事，都提倡节俭。我身上穿的是普通的衣服，脚上著的是一般的布袜。」其实真是如此。来中国的法国人白晋，在给法国国王的信里写道：「他那种恬淡素朴简直是没有先例的。每日两餐最普通的菜肴，从未有丝毫过度。他的衣着，在中国算是最普通的服装。逢到雨天，人们有时看到他穿一件毡制外套，这在中国被视为一种粗制的衣服。夏天，我们看见他穿一件普通的麻布短褂，这也是一般人家常穿的衣服。除了节日大典的日子，我们从他身上发现的华丽物品就是一颗大珠子，那珠子在夏天便照满族人的风俗佩在他的帽沿上。他无任何奢求，他的淡泊超过人们所能想像的成度，这在他的衣着和他的一切生活用品上都能看到。」
 
康熙一生恪守孝道，对其祖母、母亲皆极为尊敬，不但每日前往慈宁宫问安，还在孝庄太皇太后生病时几次步行至天坛，为其祈祷，言愿以己之寿命换祖母万寿。孝庄太皇太后去世后，康熙悲痛万分，亲视其入殓，断发著服，庐次于慈宁宫外，正值除夕佳节，群臣请其回宫，他没有同意。回宫后，仍然每日去慈宁宫，睹物思人。康熙颁发了著名的《圣谕十六条》，以之作为士民行为准则，十六条中，以孝悌为重。
 
自古以来执政者罕有不标榜以仁孝治天下者，但有几人真「仁」且「孝」？如果满口礼义廉耻，而骨子里男盗女娼，如夏桀商纣类，那么所谓的德治只能是弥天谎言。康熙一心为民，躬自力行，从其治国、治吏、治军、治狱、治河等言行中，我们都可以看到大大的「德」字贯穿始终。其仁德在干，功勋于坤，流芳百世，光照千秋！正如后人所赞颂的：「道盛德至善，民之不能忘！」