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| Home / College Guide / Empress Tiancui (Great Zheng) |
| Posted on Wednesday, July 10 @ 00:00:09 PDT |
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=== Public Image ===
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=== Public Image ===
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[[File:Screenshot 2024-05-25 11.27.43 AM.png|thumb|278x278px|Empress Tiancuis famous 9th Year Portrait which is popular and hangs prominently in buildings throughout China. ]]
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[[File:Screenshot 2024-05-25 11.27.43 AM.png|thumb|278x278px|Empress Tiancuis famous 9th Year Portrait which is popular and hangs prominently in buildings throughout China. ]]
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Tiancuis image is prominent in places associated with public transportation, especially her 9th Year portrait released in 1994, which hangs at every Chinese train station, post office, provincial legislature, airport, and often in the homes of
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Tiancuis image is prominent in places associated with public transportation, especially her 9th Year portrait released in 1994, which hangs at every Chinese train station, post office, provincial legislature, airport, and often in the homes of Chinese who credit her with Chinas substantial progress. Her official portrait is also placed prominently near the border crossings between China and its surrounding nations. As stateswoman,Tiancui distinguished by her patriotic attitude, whether in economic matters or in her efforts to galvanize the once atrophied machinery of the Empire effective federal government China.
The Empress frequently performs symbolic acts that associate her with the personality cult surrounding the Zheng Imperial Bloodline. Like her predecessors, Tiancui regularly tours the Empire to get closer with her people and ceremoniously with local political leaders. Tiancuis reign as Empress is seen as having greatly improved public education, established non-profit organizations for general education, and brought about prosperity.
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Although a modest person who
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Although a modest person who simply, she expanded and remodeled much of the Forbidden City into a magnificent palace and there. She is chiefly remembered for the political and economic reforms she has spearheaded during her reign as the Empress of the Empire of China. These reforms shifted China towards a more free market-oriented economy with a democratically formed Government, resulting in significant economic expansion, improved living standards for hundreds of millions, broadened personal and cultural liberties, and the Empire into the global economy. She is celebrated by the Chinese establishment for having lifted more people out of poverty than at any other point in Human History. She is often called the Mother of Chinese Democracy and the First Imperial Democrat.
The period of Chinese history most dominated by the Empress, shortly after her accession, and her policies (particularly on democracy, taxes, welfare, defense, and the independence of the federal judiciary) is known as the High Tiancui era, which suggests that the Tiancui Reformation has had and will have a lasting impact on the China in both the realms of domestic and foreign policy.
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=== Personality ===
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=== Personality ===
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As per her own
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As per her own implemented by the Forbidden City it is against Imperial Protocol for the Chinese Press to ever directly quote the Empress unless it is from an official speech given by the Empress. The Empress is somewhat reserved in personality, but is internationally known for having a strong presence. She makes speeches and announcements when required, but she has never been a noted orator debater. Tiancui rarely allows interviews, and as such little is known of her political opinions other than that she is a strong democrat, supporter of Federalism, and state capitalism, which she has made clear through her expansive reforms. It is against convention to ask or reveal the monarchs personal views. It is known that the Empress is a naturally quiet, self-effacing, introspective, and a highly secretive person, however, throughout her reign she has tried to combat this image by instead selling herself as and .
The Empress is said to be a massive fan of foreign film and TV, in particular Korean and Japanese game shows, animes, and docudramas. She also consumes a of British and Indian Media, with a particular fondness for Bollywood productions. Tiancui has a soft voice, speaking slowly, carefully choosing her phrasing. It is known that Empress Tiancui dislikes public oration, thus she rarely speaks in front of large audiences- instead preferring to express herself through writing.
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Her writing style often avoids Classical Chinese instead being filled with understandable terms and often focusing on mainstream Chinese concerns, however, her writings tend to be intentionally
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Her writing style often avoids Classical Chinese instead being filled with understandable terms and often focusing on mainstream Chinese concerns, however, her writings tend to be intentionally vague and are expressly forbidden from being negatively politicized under Chinas lèse-majesté laws. During speeches she is known to remain serene and calm, even in the midst of using angry or impassioned rhetoric. Former American Abassador to China, Lisa Foghrey noted that when meeting with people, the Empress often displayed an warmth and was known for her .
Elaine Vang of the ChineseExpat Repatriation Front, worked with in the early , that the Empress was very likeable and really nice. She is quite friendly, and everything she says seems as though it is an absolute, undeniable truth, regardless of what it is.
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As Empress of the Chinese Empire, she typically wakens around 11 am (although the time is flexible according to the Empresss mood). She often has lunch served between 5-6 pm and dinner no earlier than 9:30 pm; she often works until the wee hours of the morning with no set bedtime. She and the Prince Consort often dine with other Grand Secretariat members and/or their families. Empress Tiancui often describes herself as having a complex mind and an excellent memory. Former Prime Minister Situ Jieping, has
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As Empress of the Chinese Empire, she typically wakens around 11 am (although the time is flexible according to the Empresss mood). She often has lunch served between 5-6 pm and dinner no earlier than 9:30 pm; she often works until the wee hours of the morning with no set bedtime. She and the Prince Consort often dine with other Grand Secretariat members and/or their families. Empress Tiancui often describes herself as having a complex mind and an excellent memory.
Former Prime Minister Situ Jieping, has the Empress as a notoriously hard worker, and displaying a unquenchable thirst for knowledge and a peculiar sense of leadership wherein she sees herself as a cog in greater machine that is the Chinese nation. Throughout her reign she is known to have scrutinized many Chinese domestic details, from the production of military uniforms and recruitment, to architectural plans and postal service equipment. According to Situ Jiepings daughter Situ Guangmei, Her Majestys private life and imperial works are one and the same; she does not take days off from Imperial duties. The Empress is known to possess considerable control over her emotions and has in the past deliberately used them in order to stir up Chinese nationalist sentiments.
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== Relationship & Issue ==
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== Relationship & Issue ==
Latest revision as of 01:14, 10 July 2024
|Empress Tiancui|
????
Great Khatan of Mongolia
Prince Yuanzhu Weijin
Prince Yuanzhu Weitao
Princess Yuanzhu Meitang
[House](/wiki/Royal_house)
Zhongnanhai
Taoism
Buddhism
Empress Tiancui (Chinese: ????; pinyin: Ti?ncuì huángdì; born 20 May 1964) , also known by her personal name Yuan Wu (??), is the fifth monarch of the Zheng dynasty and the second female emperor (Empress regnant) to rule over China since the year 705, almost 1300 years prior to her accession and the second Monarch of Mongolia post-Independence.
She acceded to the Dragon Throne on 11 June 1985, beginning the Tiancui era, following the death of her father, Emperor Jinlong.
Tiancui was born into the House of Yuan, during the first year of the reign of her father. Prior to her accession she was Princess of the First Rank, holding her own unique peerage. As she was not initially expected to inherit the throne, she never held the title Crown Princess (???). She is the only child of Emperor Jinlong and Empress Xiaohua. She became heir presumptive to her father in 1977, when a constitutional amendment allowed women to inherit the throne. When her mother Empress Xiaohua died following complications arising from a miscarriage, it became apparent that the Emperors next wife- the Empress Rouwan, would not produce any more male children. This resulted in Emperor Jinlong announcing by Decree his intent to use the 1947 Imperial Act of Authority to enable his eldest daughter to succeed him. To avoid this, the Legislative Yuan acted quickly and passed a Constitutional Amendment allowing for the Monarch to enact a system of Male Preference Primogeniture, thus by default making Princess Wu the Heiress Presumptive.
In 1980, Wu made her first representative journey overseas and represented China at the 1980 Olympics, and later that year she accompanied her father before the newly christened independent Great Khural of the Crowned Republic of Mongolia.
She received her Diploma in 1981. In 1980, she took Zhu Liang as her consort. They have had four children, Crown Prince Yuanzhu Sen (???) and Princes; Yuanzhu Weijin (????), Yuanzhu Weitao (????), and Princess Yuanzhu Meitang (????). Due to Emperor Jinlongs declining health, Wu first began periodically acting as Chinas head of state (without the title) in the summer of 1984. In June the following year, Jinlong died and Wu succeeded him taking the name Empress Tiancui.
Tiancui was instrumental in the formation and drafting of the Constitution of 1989. The Chinese government remained structurally the same, however, the government was drastically democratized and the powers of the Empress, although still vast, were reduced including the Empress voluntarily giving up the power of Imperial Assent and Veto, trading it for Imperial Attestation instead. Tiancui was expected to continue the Imperial legacy of a strong Emperor with vast nearly autocratic powers and a highly rigid command economy, but instead she introduced sweeping reforms to dismantle the prior imperial order and to begin the Chinese transition to democracy soon after her accession. This led to the approval of the Chinese Constitution of 1989 by a referendum which established a more limited constitutional monarchy.
In May 1988, Tiancui played a major role in ending an attempted coup detat that attempted to revert the government back to Yuntaism in the Empresss name. By 2010, she was considered the most popular leader across all East Asia and she is often hailed for her role in Chinas transition to democracy. She often called the Mother of Chinese Democracy.
Early Life & Education
Empress Tiancui was born on 20 May 1964, in Zhongnani, as Princess Yuan Wu, and was known as Princess Wu until her accession. She was the first child of Emperor Jinlong, and his wife, Empress Xiaohua. Her father was the oldest son of Emperor Shengjun (????) and Empress Li Mao (????). Her mother was the daughter of Jin Moyu and Jin Yuzhang who themselves were both members of the Qing Dynasty Imperial Family of Aisin Gioro. For the first ten years of her life, she was educated in Zhongnanhai by Dr. Lin Meiyu, a Chinese-Australian Educator and strong advocate for the Waldorf-Steiner form of Education.
Her childhood was reported to be happy, and she enjoyed activities such as gardening, swimming, painting and writing. She and her younger sister often played with the children of members of the Legislative Yuan and palace staff.
When Wu turned ten, she was sent to England whre she was sent to TASIS The American International School in England. She was educated in England from age 10 until 17. As a potential heir to the throne, the Emperor likely wanted her to receive an education that would prepare her for a role on the world stage, particularly in a time when Western influence was increasing in China and thus chose to send her to an American Boarding School in the United Kingdom so that she would receive a well rounded western education. English boarding schools were considered prestigious at the time and provided a comprehensive education that included subjects like history, literature, mathematics, and languages. This type of education was believed by her father and stepmother to have the ability to equip Princess Yuan Wu with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the complexities of Chinese politics and diplomacy, as well as to help her engage with foreign dignitaries and representatives in the future.
While at TASIS The American School in England, Wu received her diploma, certifying the completion of her K-12 education. The Princess Yuan Wu then enrolled in the SOAS University of London studying East Asian Studies and History where she was awarded her Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in East Asian Studies and Economics in early July 1984.
In 1987, Empress Tiancui became one of the first reigning monarchs to actively complete a masters degree post accession publicly announcing such, having earned her Master of Science in Financial Economics at Peiyang University.
Heiress Presumptive
At the time of Empress Tiancuis birth, only males could ascend the throne of China, owing to the changes in succession laws enacted for her grandfather, when Shengjun and Li Mao wed due to Li Maos Qing Dynasty Ancestry. As Yuan Wu had no brothers, it was assumed that her father would enact a law changing the criteria for the succession to include his male relations not descended of his own parents, or at least enact a form of Quasi Salic Law. In 1970, Empress Xiaohua was pregnant and began to miscarry on 13 November 1966. She died due to complications related to complications arising from a miscarriage. Emperor Jinlong quickly remarried the daughter of Kong Te-cheng, the Duke Yansheng. Her name, Kong Weilai (???). Kong had previously served as the Chief Palace Florist which made her responsible for planning the design, arrangement, and placement of all floral decorations for the Imperial family, their private entertaining, and official state functions at the Forbidden City, Zhongnanhai, and Parliament Palace.
As Empress Consort, Kong took the name Empress Rouwan (????). Shortly thereafter, Empress Rouwan gave birth to Princess Yuan Wenling (???). It was by 1970, after the Empress began having a series of miscarriages that it became apparent, no further heirs would be produced.
The process of changing the constitution started in 1970, not long after Rouwan secretly had a full hysterectomy. The popularity of Emperor Jinlong and his wife Empress Rouwan started the complicated process of altering the constitution. The law required that the proposal be passed by two successive Legislative Yuans and then by a limited referendum held in the capital of each province (a process abolished by the 1989 Constitution). The Referendum was held on 15 June 1977 with a resounding approval of the law. As such the Emperor immediately assented to the Act of Succession 1977, which permitted female succession to the throne of China, according to male-preference cognatic primogeniture, whereby a female can ascend to the throne only if she does not have a brother. Princess Yuan Wu therefore became the heiress presumptive. In 1989, the law of succession was modified into a stricter form of male primogeniture wherein females can only inherit the throne if all their eligible male relatives have been exhausted, regardless of blood proximity to the sovereign.
As Heiress Presumptive, Yuan Wu was educated in Cantonese, Jin Mandarin, Mongolian, and English in addition to her native tongue of Standard Mandarin.
The public proclamation of Yuan Wu as Heiress Presumptive did not take place due to the Princesss young age at the time. Her investiture as Heiress Presumptive instead took place privately. On 10 January 1978, Wu was formally re-dedicated and re-affirmed as the first in line to the Dragon throne. During the ceremony she swore allegiance to her father as Emperor, the Chinese People, the Flag, and the Constitution. After a lunch at the Forbidden City, the institutional event was over; the Imperial Family held a private celebration at the Zhongnanhai. In 1980, the Princess Yuan Wu carried out her first official overseas visit as a Special Envoy of His Majesty the Emperor visiting the 1980 Olympics, officially supporting the Chinese athletic delegation there. In 1980, entering into an arranged partnership, Princess Yuan Wu officially entered into an arrangement with Zhu Liang wherein they were officially partnered but there was no official marriage. Upon her accession to the throne, Tiancui, granted Zhu Liang the title Imperial Husband and Commandery Prince often causing Western media to refer to him as Prince Consort.
They were de facto married, however, no wedding ceremony took place and legally the status of their relationship was akin to a civil union or legally declared domestic partnership in the United States. The purpose of such was to safeguard the Princesss transition into Monarch preventing any claims to the titles of Huanghou (Empress) or Huangdi (Emperor jure uxoris) by Zhu Liang himself or anyone his family. Their relationship was celebrated nationally as Liang was a direct bloodline descendant of the Ming Dynasty Imperial Family, in addition to the Thai and Korean royal families. Their marriage created the Golden Line Throne and many excitedly awaited the birth of Heirs.
After her marriage, she chose to continue her studies- pursuing her diploma at the TASIS American International School in England. Upon finishing her diploma, she was jointly appointed by her father, the Emperor, and his Prime Minister to be a consultant for the Chinese Experts Consultative Commission, working under the oversight of the Grand Secretariat. At 19 years old she was appointed as a special advisor to her father. With her elevation to the status of special advisor to her father, many saw this as a sign that the Princess was likely to continue her fathers level of political, economic, and democratic reforms.
On the other hand, Chinese reformists stated that while Princess Wu, in contrast to past Chinese Imperials, took a more diplomatic approach towards them, she could not be considered a political reformer. They also argued that, like Emperor Jinlong, Yuan Wus work as special advisor mostly focused on economic improvement rather than political change. On 12 May 1984, the Imperial Court announced that the Princess would be put in charge of state affairs any time whilst Emperor Jinlong was out of the country or unwilling to act. This announcement came while the Princess herself was outside the Empire, in the United Kingdom, attending University. During one such time when, when Princess Yuan Wu was briefly placed in charge of state affairs for a period of two weeks, while her father was recovering from a brief stint of pneumonia, Wu began the process of streamlining the government bureaucracy which she often saw as excessive and redundant. On the death of Emperor Jinlong, there were as many as thirteen government secretariats, and all of these were abolished and reconstituted as only two, the Grand Secretariat, chaired by the Imperial Monarch and co-chaired by the Prime Minister, and the Prime Ministerial Presidium, headed by the Prime Minister.
During this time, Wu was given free rein to completely reorganize the government, slowly cementing the power of the reformist faction.
Reign
Princess Yuan Wu became Empress assuming the (officially declared gender neutral) title Huangdi (??; pinyin: huángdì; lit: Emperor) in June 1985 after her father passed away due to a sudden cardiac event. The next morning in a private ceremony, Tiancui- as the new Empress, accompanied by her new court officials and attendants, entered the Imperial Ancestral hall where the tablets of her Zheng Dynasty predecessors/ancestors and Qing Dynasty predecessors/ancestors were housed, offering a deep bow and lighting a series of candles and incense showing respect for her imperial ancestors. There she was presented with a jade pendant and silk sash before being anointed with yak butter on the forehead and wrists and in the presence of her courtiers, she offered a prayer to the heavens, seeking the divine mandate to govern before undertaking a secret oath that all Chinese Emperors since Yuntai have undertaken. After this in her first statement as Empress, Tiancui pledged to reflect deeply on the course followed by her father, and fulfill her constitutional responsibility.
Later that day she met with her Grand Secretariat to formally offer her Acceptance and Approval of their Continued Tenure. That day, the Forbidden City issued a formal statement clarifying the Empresss husbands title. His title was ?? or Commandery Prince and ?? or ?????? roughly having an analogous meaning to His Highness the Prince Consort, litterally meaning His Highness the Commandery Prince and Imperial Husband.
The Empress began her reign overseeing the democratization of China by presiding over the last sessions of the Legislative Yuan where electoral laws, land reform and other important issues were debated, while also systematically making a series of structural changes to the government to ensure the best possible outcome. She has continually said that the responsibility of her generation of the Chinese Monarchy was to ensure the success of democracy. Under her rule, the Empire of China has witnessed significant strides towards democratic ideals without destabilizing the established imperial order. Tiancui has implemented sweeping constitutional reforms, gradually decentralizing power and granting more real autonomy to her provincial governments resulting in a free market China with a strong and diverse economy.
As the monarch of China, she has guided the country through the establishment of a parliamentary democracy while maintaining overall stability and unity. Her role has included overseeing the transition, fostering dialogue between different political factions, and ensuring the peoples participation in the democratic process.
Accession & Democratization
On 07 June 1985, Emperor Jinlong began suffer negative respiratory symptoms and some degree of chest pain which is generally believed to be relatived to his Asthma and COPD. On 08 June 1985, Imperial Physician to the Emperor, Dr. Qin suggests the Emperor be moved to a hospital where he can receive more specialized care. Jinlong chooses to be taken to Peiyang University Research Hospital in Tianjin over an hour away from the Forbidden City. While at Peiyang University Research Hospital, Emperor Jinlong (a lifelong smoker) suffers a fatal cardiac event related to what is later revealed to have been a fatal aortic aneurysm rupture on the night of 11 June 1985. The next morning in a private ceremony, Tiancui- as the new Empress, accompanied by her new court officials and attendants, entered the Imperial Ancestral hall where the tablets of her Zheng Dynasty predecessors/ancestors and Qing Dynasty predecessors/ancestors were housed and performed a secretive ritual symbolically initiating her reign as Empress.
She later that day meets with the members of the Grand Secretariat to formally offer them her Acceptance and Approval of their Continued Tenure. On 13 June 1985, Empress Tiancui gave a brief speech before the Legislative Yuan before it symbolically approved by vote the Empresss Regnal name (??) which would simultaneously serve as her Era name (??). During the vote, the Empresss accession was met with relatively little parliamentary opposition. Only 5 members of the Legislative Yuan voted against recognizing her Regnal name, as an act of defiance against recognizing a Female Sovereign. When Empress Tiancui issued the Imperial Democratization Directive (???????), many in the Legislative Yuan petitioned her to rescind it and several motioned to overturn it with legislative action. In 1986, the First Imperial Elections were held on the Provincial Level with 2/3rds of each Provincial Legislature being dismissed by the Empress, along with each Provincial Governor (each dismissed Provincial Governor was made a Special Grand Secretary in the Grand Secretariat and offered a massive pay increase to ease them into the idea of dismissal). Thus a new Provincial Governor was elected for Each Province in 1986 and 2/3rd of each Provincial Legislature was elected.
The Elections were massively popular with the Chinese people and overall boosted the Empresss public image. In January 1987, the Empress issued an edict establishing the National Political Party Registration Quorum (???????????) which allowed Provincial Level Political parties to be formed freely and independently of the Imperial Government thereby sanctioning or overlooking the de facto partisanship of the Imperial Government which on paper was still Kuomintang, although the party had been institutionally dissolved since around the Hongxian and Yuntai Eras. In 1987, Empress Tiancui issued a decree calling for the formation of a directly elected 216 person Legislative Yuan Standing Committee. Each member of the committee was simultaneously a member of the Legislative Yuan but was instead directly elected. That same year, she removed the power of legislative initiative from the Legislative Yuan at large and placed it solely with the Legislative Yuans Standing Committee. It was through this action she began the writing and drafting of a new imperial constitution.
Constitution of 1989
In a matter of 10 weeks in 1989, Empress Tiancui assisted by the Legislative Yuan Standing Committee was able to draft a new constitution that, although preserving the same basic structure as the Governments established under the prior constitution, was vastly more democratic.
The new Constitution was dedicated to Capitalism, particularly State Capitalism, using democratic Capitalism as the mode of pushing the Chinese Economy and Chinese society toward a mixed market Capitalist System with widespread ownership of property and means of production, aiming to create a more decentralized and participatory liberal economy. The Constitution of 1989 also significantly limited the powers of the Imperial Monarch from wide ranging, near autocratic authority and almost unlimited authority to alter the government through the establishment of new institutions under the 1947 Constitution, to a more limited and modernized Monarchy wherein the Monarch is more restricted by the government and more bound by Grand Secretariat advice- although overall the Empress still holds significant power in terms of decision-making within the federal structure of the Empire.
The Constitution also recognized the Tiancui as the rightful ruler of the Zheng Dynasty and rightful successor according to bloodline of the Imperial House of Yuan and Aisin Gioro- in recognition of Yuntai and Shengjuns efforts to unite the bloodlines of the Zheng and Qing Dynasty and dispelling the claims of Chinese Conservatives that believed only a man should hold the Dragon Throne.
Article 1, Section 65 asserts Her Majesty Yuan Wu (Empress Tiancui) as the rightful claimant of the dragon throne by dynastic succession in the Hongxian-Yuntai tradition, as the legitimate heir of the historic succession of all previous dynasties through the holy Mandate of Heaven as claimed by His Excellent Majesty the Yuntai Emperor. The Constitution was passed by the democratically elected Standing Committee of the Legislative Yuan and narrowly ratified by the people in a limited referendum in the Capitals of all 26 Provinces and signed into law by the Empress before a solemn meeting of the Legislative Yuan. While maintaining the supremacy of the Monarchy, Tiancui emphasized the need for constitutional reforms within the government to adapt to changing circumstances and to prevent the chaos that ensued after the Xinhai Revolution and the fall of the Qing Dynasty. This included promoting younger officials and advocating for a more collective style of leadership coupled with wide ranging democratic reforms. Tiancui had other priorities as well, including reorganizing her ministries and reforming the Chinese Imperial Army. It is likely at the time she believed that having both the Postal Service and Chinese Imperial Army under her control would have given her as monarch an armed force and the power draw on it as her traditional base of support and the power to control all post and information transportation services.
Among one of the democratic reforms under the new Constitution, Empress Tiancui voluntarily gave up her right to Imperial Assent trading it for Imperial Attestation and included a form of direct democracy centered around the rights of Recall, Indirect Initiative, and Referendum similar to those possed under the highly democratic Swiss model. In November 1989, Tiancui with the assistance of her Special Preparatory Constitutional Advisorate brought about a near immediate about a top-to-bottom restructuring of the Empires judicial system to introduce, among other things, review of judicial decisions and more professional training for judges. The Constitution of 1989 entered into limited effect in 1990 and was fully implemented in 1991. Between the Acceptance of the Constitution by limited referendum and its full implementation in 1991, the Empress issued over 15 volumes of laws covering a wide range of matter and she formed a Special Preparatory Constitutional Advisorate to ensure that these laws would conform with the 1989 Constitution and not be repealed post 1991. She issued wide ranging laws that expanded upon the mandates of the New Chinese Constitution guaranteeing the equality of the Chinese people before the law and freedom of speech, and laws meant to defend the rights of laborers, especially that of Social and Ethnic minorities, these volumes of laws known as the Celestial Fifteen also covered things such as election rules, welfare & domestic Humanitarian work, forestry, healthcare, and areas of energy policy.
Tiancui even issued a decree ordering the passage of a law guaranteeing the Chinese people the right to a living wage and outlawing corporal punishment for them, along with disallowing the inheritance of debts.
Present Constitutional Role
According to the Chinese constitution, the Empress is operationally part of a sort of triumvirate heading the Chinese government along with the Prime Minister and General Secretary of the Legislative Yuan. Empress Tiancui commands the armed forces, the Prime Minister leads the Grand Secretariat and handles domestic affairs, and the General Secretary of the Legislative Yuan heads the legislature. However, under the constitution, the Monarch is the highest-ranking of the three, with the constitution explicitly naming her as the sacred supreme leader who represents the Empire. In 1989, Tiancui ensured to constitutionally enshrine the post of the Monarch as the highest post in the state, and with several laws enacted by Imperial Government since then explicitly stating monarch is the supreme leader of and head of state in the Empire of China. However, analysts are divided about how much actual power Empress Tiancui has actually retained after she enacted her massive democratic reforms.
As Empress, Tiancui maintains wider executive and legislative authority than is normally the case for a constitutional monarch. She is head of state and commander-in-chief of the Chinese Armed Forces and appoints the Prime Minister (after an election only) and the directors of security agencies. The Prime Minister is free to choose his own advisory Presidium. The Legislative Yuan consists of one chamber which serves as a check on the government. However, according to Freedom House, most seats in the legislature are held by pro-palace independents.
While the Constitution vests the Empress with executive power, she is not politically responsible for exercising most of her prerogatives. This is in accordance not only with provisions of the 1989 Constitution, but with conventions established since the definitive establishment of democratic rule in China. Her acts are not valid without the countersignature of a member of the Grand Secretariat–usually the Prime Minister–and proceedings of the Grand Secretariat are signed by all of its members. Unlike other Monarchs, the Empress of China is as per the 1989 Constitution denied the powers of assent and veto as are typically wielded by other Monarchs and heads of state, however, she can use a special law called the 1947 Imperial Act of Authority as provided for under Article 1 Section 12, Sub12a.
This law grants her the prerogative to promulgate laws entirely without consulting any of the other organs of state, effectively circumventing all regular legal and parliamentary procedures. These enactments may depart from constitutional provisions, provided they do not abrogate the constitution itself, compromise the fundamental framework of the state, or infringe upon the inviolable rights of man. This means the Empress can make laws that directly contradict any bill passed the Legislative Yuan thus invalidating the Legislative Yuans law, if she thinks its necessary for the country. In practice no monarch since 1960 has invoked the 1947 Imperial Act of Authority. As a member of the Grand Secretariat, the Empress may review all Legislation before its passage and may (as all other members of the Grand Secretariat) may make recommendations to alter or stop the passage of a piece of legislation but as of 2024, the Empress has not done so.
While the Constitution nominally vests the Empress with the power to appoint the government, in practice it is impossible for the Empress to allow the continued tenure of a Prime Minister removed by the Legislative Yuan. According to the Constitution the Prime Minister is “Acting” Head of Government acting on behalf of the Empress who is its titular but politically uninvolved head.
By convention, the Empress appoints a Legislator who has won a specially declared nationwide Prime Ministerial election. When the parliamentary situation is unclear, the Empress relies on the advice of the General Secretary of the Legislative Yuan and the sitting Prime Minister. Unlike most constitutional monarchs, Tiancui does not have the power to dissolve Parliament; the Constitution does not allow snap elections. As Empress, Tiancui has retained the right to dictate the work of the Grand Secretariat as the leading organ of State by issuing legally binding “Imperial Orders of Decree” to the Prime Minister or any of the three departments or their six ministries. In doing so, Empress Tiancui has retained the power to determine the direction of state affairs and theoretically has great influence in their outcomes. Since the Governors of the Provinces act in her name as her subnational viceregal representatives to the Provinces, she may issue legally binding Imperial Orders of Decree to them as well which in the case of the Governors may bind them into taking certain courses of action in their role as not only “acting” Chief Executives within the Provinces but also as the Chairmen of their Provincial Legislatures.
As Monarch, Tiancui’s position, according to traditional Chinese understanding, demands absolute authority over military affairs. Serving as the Commander-in-Chief, the Empress exercises near direct control over all branches of the military, including the Chinese Imperial Army, the Chinese Imperial Navy, and the Chinese Imperial Anti-Air Force. The National Defense Commission oversees the operational direction of the Miltary and nominally operates under the Empress’s orders, however, in most cases she cannot alter Commission directives and in some cases she is legally bound to carry out the will of the Minister of National Security in several non-combat driving military decisions.
Empress Tiancui also acts as the head of the Chinese postal service heading, chairing, and working alongside the Imperial Postal Service Board which must countersign and approve all of her administrative directives within the Postal Service. In her role as head of the Postal Service, she is personally responsible for overseeing the management of mail delivery, postal operations, express mail shipment, and all publicly managed package delivery infrastructure, ensuring efficient postal communication networks across the country.
Additionally, she plays a central role in setting postal policies, regulating postage rates, and promoting innovations in mail services. By having combined the functions of Head of State and Postmaster-General in the Constitution, Tiancui wields significant influence over all mailing services in China. All Judicial decisions are symbolically rendered “For the era of Her Majesty the Empress, however her role in the Judiciary is, at present, purely symbolic. Tiancui as Empress is also Chinas top diplomat, in charge of handling China’s external relations with other countries. She often talks to leaders from around the world to make sure Chinas interests are protected and to work on solving problems together. The Empress also represents the Empire in international meetings and helps decide how China interacts to other countries. Empress Tiancui is widely known for her role as a well skilled and manipulative diplomat. She also has ultimate authority for interpreting and enforcing international treaties, compacts, and agreements at the Imperial level.
The Empress meets with the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of State Affairs in the Hall of Preserving Harmony within the Forbidden City every Friday.
Together the four form an unofficial standing committee of the Grand Secretariat. She also has quarterly meetings with the entire expanded membership of the Grand Secretariat in so-called “Plenary Sessions”. She also sends and receives envoys, and formally opens the Legislative Yuan every year by delivering a speech from the throne. She also travels extensively throughout China and Mongolia and makes official state visits. Tiancui regularly meets with the Prime Minister, Grand Secretaries, high officials of the judiciary branch, legislators, among other officials, and advises them on what to do. All of these meetings are confidential and protected by Imperial Non-Disclosure law. Tiancui also has the authority to fire and reinstate Grand Secretarial appointments. Tiancui meets with foreign dignitaries, however, since 2022, the Empress has not traveled outside of China and Mongolia; if anyone wishes to see her, they must travel to China. Her Mongolian Roles are much more reduced being almost entirely performed by her Mongolian Lord-Representative. Since her ascension, the Empress has overseen the construction of various national facilities, including social housing, railway infrastructure, educational institutes for the hospitality industry, and has greatly invested in secondary, post secondary, and career-technical education.
She presently heads an initiative to promote ethical economic activity, criminal liability, the adoption of systems to combat money laundering and organized crime, and the introduction of tax fraud into Chinese imperial criminal law.
Enthronement
The Enthronement of Empress Tiancui was the first in Chinese History to be televised. Tiancui wore traditionally inspired clothes to her enthronement as prior Zheng Monarchs. Her clothes were a unique mixture between Chaofu and Hanfu to emphasize her heritage from both the Manchus and the Han. Her clothes were black and imperial yellow. This made, Empress Tiancui, the third woman after Empress Wu Zetian and Dowager Liu of the Song Dynasty to have worn a yellow robe, ordinarily reserved for the emperors sole use, as a monarch or co-ruler in their own right. The date 08 August 1986 was chosen as the date the Enthronement would take place. Only diginitaries and heads of government were invited from across the Sinosphere, including the Prime Minister and Embassy Staff of Korea, the Prime Minister and Embassy Staff of Japan, and the Prime Minister and Embassy Staff of Vietnam as well as the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Lord-Representative of Mongolia.
All in attendance were required to wear traditional clothing, from their country and all Chinese peoples present were required to dress in Ming Style Hanfu except the Manchus in attendance who wore traditional Qing style dress. Representatives from each of the 26 Provinces were in attendance including 18 Provincial Governors. Empress Tiancui chose to have the vast majority of her Enthronement televised, only the Oath taken earlier that morning in the Imperial Ancestral Temple was not televised due to its extreme sacredness and ritualistic importance. Upon entering the Hall of Supreme Harmony, at the prompting of a specially trained Imperial Class Shaman, Empress Tiancui gave a deep bow in each cardinal direction, recognizing her ancestors and asking their intercession between herself and heaven. Her secret oath would have been a formal declaration of her commitment to her role as Empress.
1988 Failed Coup dEtat
An attempted Coup dEtat took place on 15 May 1988 as the Legislative Yuan convened to ceremoniously congratulate and authorize Situ Jieping (????) to assume the office of Prime Minister on 20 May 1988. Prior Prime Minister, Yi Lin (??) heavily opposed Situ Jiepings reformist agenda.
Yi Lin had continually contested Situs nomination as Prime Minister after he lost the confidence of the Legislative Yuan. When the Imperial Supreme Court referred the case to a Federal Judicial Committee, the ruling was unanimous, Situ Jiepings secret nomination and selection as Prime Minister was legal and valid as according to the 1947 Constitution Yi Lin consistently repeated baseless claims of political fraud. Yi Lin believed Empress Tiancui to be weak and unable to rule without the guidance of a political strongman. He believed the Empresss husband, Prince Zhu Liang was too liberal and pushing her to reform the nation too rapidly, believing the Dynasty would soon fall if he did not take immediate action to save China. Empress Tiancui formally dismissed Yi Lin in anticipation of appointing a pro-reform Prime Minister, like Situ Jieping. The Legislative Yuan Standing Committee had convened to pass a ceremonial Recommendation of Appointment for the Empress and as well as the formal approval of a brief Congratulatory text for Situ Jieping.
Yi Lins failed coup detat shook the political landscape of the Empire of China and ultimately bolstered Situ Jiepings claim to the office of Prime Minister by highlighting the issues inherent to Yuntaism.
Led by Yi Lin, the coup aimed to seize power by force. The attempt took place in order to halt a ceremonial vote in Parliament Hall, where the Legislative Yuan Standing Committee was in session in order to stop any transfer of Chinese government. Storming the hall, the insurgents sought to disrupt the parliamentary process, prevent government reforms, and install their own Yuntaism based regime. However, their plans were thwarted by Empress Tiancui. She refused to recognize the coup dEtat calling it a pretend putschist state and lent her support to the anti-Yi Lin protests that erupted across the realm. In a pivotal moment, Empress Tiancui delivered a stirring speech, rallying the people behind her vision of radical reform and expanded democracy. Through her leadership, the realm emerged from the ordeal stronger and more committed to the principles of freedom, democracy, and justice. This resulted in Situ Jieping taking his rightful place as Prime Minister, the immediate dismissal of Yi Lin and his subsequent execution for High Treason, and the death of political and economic Yuntaism within the highest rungs of the Chinese Imperial Government.
Economic Achievements
Like her father and grandfather, Empress Tiancui undertook the dismantling of political and economic Yuntaism.
Some economists have stated that Tiancuis policies were an important part of bringing about the third longest peacetime economic expansion in Chinese history. Unlike her predecessors who believed China slowly needed to ease its way out of Yuntaism, Tiancui believed in massive political, monetary, and economic reform. Immediately upon accession, Tiancui began a program of ending the Special Economic Zones. This lead many to believe she would be re-establishing Yuntaism as the official state political and economic philosophy. Her first economic reform started when she developed a new investment promotion agency to overhaul the once-convoluted process of starting a business in the Empire and created a regulatory body that overwhelmingly pushed integration with foreign capitalist lead markets. Building off her fathers ideas of opening the Chinese economy to the world, Tiancui initiated an economic decentralization program by giving the provinces the delegated Authority to make decisions concerning their own economic affairs and by-in-large they chose to open up to varying degrees. In December 1986, she ordered the partial privatization of over 85% of all of Chinas State-owned Enterprises and she authorized many State-Owned Enterprises that remained under full or partial state ownership to partner with, collaborate with, and invest in Private Sector Businesses.
She also oversaw a massive de-regulation regimen designed to attract foreign investment, and promote export-oriented industries. She also heavily invested in education and infrastructure. In order to create jobs she invested in a massive state driven infrastructure overhaul by ordering the construction of massive infrastructure projects. In 1987, the Empress and the Grand Secretariat under Situ Jieping, organized a large-scale privatization program, selling off many state-owned assets to private investors through secret auctions, vouchers, and direct sales. This move was aimed to stimulate competition, improve efficiency, and attract foreign investment. Working off of a free trade agreement negotiated under the reign of her father in 1980- beginning in late 1985, Tiancui sought to use the economic allyship of the United States as leverage in brokering new free trade deals. She began with the Southeast Asian Union comprised of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea. In 1987, the United States assisted China in brokering a free trade agreement with Canada, Mexico, and Brazil shortly followed by an informal free trade agreement with the United Kingdom.
Australia and India quickly followed suit. Additionally, Tiancui pursued market liberalization measures to open up the economy to competition and investment.
Tiancui pursued a political policy of heavy economic and political reform. To grow the already bustling economy of Beijing, Empress Tiancui turned Beijing into a tax haven which imposed no income, inheritance, or sales tax with very minimal corporate tax seprate from the rest of Chinas tax laws. This made it an attractive destination for wealthy individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses seeking to minimize their tax liabilities. This favorable tax regime attracted a steady influx of high-net-worth individuals from across Asia and the world to not only Beijing, to to China as a whole. In late-1995, the government, at the Empresss recommendation, overhauled the salary structure of all state-owned enterprises so that harder-working employees could earn higher wages. In 2006, the Chinese Legislative Yuan began to normalize Beijings tax laws with the rest of Chinas by re-extending imperial tax law to Beijing. Tiancui believed that Chinas massive size, abundance of natural resources, and strategic geopolitical position necessitated a focus on economic growth to ensure the dynastys survival and prosperity.
As such between 1985 and 1990 she and her government pursued an aggressive industrialization policy, attracting foreign investment and fostering the growth of export-oriented industries such as electronics, manufacturing, and services. In January 1989, the Empress personally gave permission to open up the Shanghai Stock Exchange which oversaw trading in shares of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as well as a limited number of collective-owned enterprises. In 1997 and 1999, the addition of Hong Kong and Maccau (ideas insisted upon by Empress Tiancui) resulted in an additional economic boost to China. Today, largely responsible to the Empress, China has reclaimed its position as the largest and most powerful economy in all of Asia and the second largest in the world- eclipsing the massive economic growth seen in the 1950s and 1960s largely due to Emperor Yuntais economic policies which began to fail in the Mid-Sixties and Seventies due to an over reliance on central planning, which often led to inefficiencies, shortages, and resource misallocation and while the economy of Yuntaism showed rapid growth rates in certain sectors, it struggled with technological innovation and consumer goods production issues fixed under Empress Tiancuis heavily free market oriented State Capitalist economy.
Foreign Policy
Under Empress Tiancui, Chinas foreign policy can be characterized by a combination of assertiveness, nationalism, and pragmatism, with a focus on promoting the Empire of Chinas global influence and securing its core interests. One of the key pillars of the Empresss foreign policy is an emphasis on national rejuvenation and the pursuit of an increased role for China on the world stage. This vision underpins Chinas efforts to strengthen its position as a major global player and reshape the international order in line with its interests. This diplomatic assertiveness is often accompanied by a diplomatic posture wherein Imperial Chinese Diplomats assertively defend Chinas interests and challenge perceived affronts to its sovereignty and dignity. In matters of security and diplomacy, Tiancui has historically adopted a more strongly assertive stance.
In the international arena, Tiancuis first official foreign trip as Empress was to Korea in 1986, where she met with King Kim Jaehyun of Korea. In 2015, she attended a United Nations summit, and gave an impassioned speech highlighting the impact of the climate crisis on China and urging international efforts on this front to be expedited.
She represented China at the 2020 Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC) in Beijing aimed at enhancing regional cooperation and intercultural exchange.
State Karu?? & Environmental Efforts
Karu?? is a Buddhist concept, generally translated as compassion or mercy and sometimes as self-compassion. Karu?? often drives Buddhists to seek to alleviate the suffering of others and in the year 2000, the Imperial Court announced that karu?? would become the defining philosophy of all the Empresss works going forward. The people can access karu?? in several ways: by applying to the Forbidden City Office of Public Relations, which accepts applications during working hours; by sending applications through Imperial Officers in every district, whose responsibility is to collect such applications as well as identify people who need help; and by appealing to the king directly. To give the people the opportunity for direct appeal, the Empress may be reached by writing her in the Forbidden City.
There are several karu?? schemes designed to help certain groups of people, such as students unable to afford the cost of private or post secondary education, the elderly, children in orphanages, and those with terminal illness.
The Empress has also continued the tradition of giving state land to landless farmers around the country, particularly in Southern and Western China. The ongoing project takes her to remote villages and communities each year. The Empresss state karu?? scheme also includes providing immediate assistance to victims of natural disasters.
Empress Tiancui has also been a prominent advocate for environmental conservation efforts in China and globally. She has personally played a significant role in promoting sustainability and ecological conservancy initiatives, particularly in areas such as marine conservation, biodiversity protection, and climate change awareness. Through her foundation, the Imperial Relief Society, she has also supported various projects aimed at preserving the environment and promoting renewable energy. She in particular seems to be a massive supporter of Nuclear Energy and has undertaken multiple tours of Chinas 45 active Nuclear Power Stations and has hosted various international nuclear energy summits in Beijing. The Empress has also been involved in international conferences and initiatives to address environmental challenges, highlighting Chinas commitment to a greener future.
Education
As a rare case of a reigning head of state actively completing a college degree post ascension, Tiancui has taken a massive interest in education especially Peiyang University. Tiancui has spearheaded educational initiatives aimed at enhancing the Empires access to high-quality education and fostering a need for continuing education. These efforts underscore her commitment to nurturing a society where education is valued as a lifelong pursuit. Additionally, she maintains a special connection with Peiyang University (where she received her Master degree), comprising 20 higher education institutions. The Dean of Faculty and Provost of Peiyang University have continually thanked her for and highlighted the Empresss active involvement in the Universitys annual commencement ceremonies across all Peiyang Network Universities nationwide. Since 1990, she has personally conferred degrees upon Peiyang University graduates. She has heavily promoted the expansion and partial separation of the Peiyang University Division of Science and Technology as she invested in educating the workforce for future jobs.
Over the course of 34 years, its estimated that Tiancui has awarded over 3.6 million degrees to Peiyang graduates, symbolizing her enduring dedication to academic excellence.
In 2010, the Empress conferred, by Ceremonial Decree the title of Grand Imperial School of the Consorts, a symbolic title not only recognizing Prince Zhu Liangs time there as a student but also making Peiyang University the first and only Imperial University in China.
Beyond ceremonial duties, she consistently demonstrates her support for higher education by contributing to a massive scholarship fund, donating a secret but substantial sum of money, possibly one of the reasons Peiyang University has the second largest endowment in the world valued at 48.6 Billion Dollars (USD) following closely behind Harvard University with an endowment of 52.8 Billion Dollars (USD). However, unlike Harvard, Peiyang university has maintained a nearly 85-90% acceptance rate since 1979 as part of its mission to educate as many Chinese students as possible, something Empress Tiancui has tried to encourage and nurture. The Empresss financial support serves as a vital resource for Peiyang students, alleviating financial barriers and enabling them to pursue their academic aspirations with greater ease.
Moreover, the Empresss involvement in these educational endeavors extends beyond mere financial contributions.
She actively engages with faculty and administrators, and on occasion the student body offering guidance and inspiration to the next generation of scholars. Her presence at these ceremonies serves not only to confer degrees but also to underscore the importance of education in shaping Chinas future. Tiancui has also implemented an imperial household managed scholarship program to send young Chinese adults abroad for undergraduate and postgraduate studies in different universities around the world. The program offered funds for tuition and living expenses up to six years. It is estimated that more than 1.3 million young Chinese studied abroad in more than 35 countries, with the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Russia as top four destinations aimed for by the students.
In the days after her accession, Empress Tiancui established the Imperial Relief Society. Initially the Imperial Relief Society was founded with the mission of relieving suffering, promoting self-reliance, and promoting Chinese ideals throughout the world. With works being completed in over 50 nations at a cost of 2.8 Billion dollars. The Primary goal of the society was to assist lesser developed nations and protect women and children.
Overseas Visits
Since becoming Empress, Tiancui has completed thirty official visits, however, since 2022 the Forbidden City Department of Public Affairs has not issued any statements on foreign travels as it has traditionally done. Her first state visits as Empress of China were to Vietnam in 1986 and later Russia. The Empress would go on to visit Russia again the next year, embarking on a brief tour of Northern Europe, visiting Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the United Kingdom briefly staying in the Chinese Embassy in each nations capital. In July 2016, the Empress embarked on a visit to the United States and met a number of US policy makers including the Leadership of Both Chambers of the United States Congress. Her last overseas visit was during the last Sinosphere Diplomatic Union conference held on the Korean Island of Jeju. There she met the Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Japan, the King of Korea and Prime Minister of Korea, the King and Prime Minister of Vietnam, in addition to her Lord-Representative and Prime Minister of Mongolia.
Public Image & Personality
Public Image
Tiancuis image is prominent in places associated with public transportation, especially her 9th Year portrait released in 1994, which hangs at every Chinese train station, post office, provincial legislature, airport, and often in the homes of many Chinese citizens who credit her with Chinas substantial progress.
Her official portrait is also placed prominently near the border crossings between China and its surrounding nations. As a stateswoman, Tiancui is distinguished by her patriotic attitude, whether in economic matters or in her efforts to galvanize the once atrophied machinery of the Empire an effective federal government for China. The Empress frequently performs many symbolic acts that associate her with the personality cult surrounding the Zheng Imperial Bloodline. Like her predecessors, Tiancui regularly tours the Empire to get closer with her people and ceremoniously meets with local political leaders. Tiancuis reign as Empress is seen as having greatly improved public education, having established many non-profit organizations for general education, and brought about general prosperity- which many Chinese attribute to the greater access to Education brought about by her reign.
Although a modest person who lives simply, she has expanded and remodeled much of the Forbidden City into a magnificent palace and she does dwell there. She is chiefly remembered for the political and economic reforms she has spearheaded during her reign as the Empress of the Empire of China. These reforms shifted China towards a more free market-oriented economy with a democratically formed Government, resulting in significant economic expansion, improved living standards for hundreds of millions, broadened personal and cultural liberties, and a deepening integration of the Empire into the global economy.
She is celebrated by the Chinese establishment for having lifted more people out of poverty than at any other point in Human History. She is often called the Mother of Chinese Democracy and the First True Imperial Democrat. The period of Chinese history most dominated by the Empress, shortly after her accession, and her policies (particularly on democracy, taxes, welfare, defense, and the independence of the federal judiciary) is known as the High Tiancui era, which suggests that the Tiancui Reformation has had and will have a long lasting impact on the China in both the realms of domestic and foreign policy.
Personality
As per her own wishes implemented by the Forbidden City- it is against Imperial Protocol for the Chinese Press to ever directly quote the Empress unless it is from an official speech given by the Empress or an officially sanctioned interview. The Empress is somewhat reserved in personality, but is internationally known for having a strong presence. She makes speeches and announcements when required, but she has never been a noted orator or debater. Tiancui rarely allows interviews, and as such little is known of her political opinions other than that she is a strong democrat, supporter of Federalism, and state capitalism, which she has made clear through her expansive reforms.
It is against convention to ask or reveal the monarchs personal views. It is known that the Empress is a naturally quiet, self-effacing, introspective, and a highly secretive person, however, throughout her reign she has tried to combat this image by instead selling herself as stoic and calculating. The Empress is said to be a massive fan of foreign film and TV, in particular Korean and Japanese game shows, animes, and docudramas. She also consumes a large amount of British and Indian Media, with a particular fondness for Bollywood productions. Tiancui has a soft voice, speaking slowly, carefully choosing her phrasing. It is known that Empress Tiancui dislikes public oration, thus she rarely speaks in front of large audiences- instead preferring to express herself through writing. Unlike a number of other Chinese leaders, the Empress is known to avoid smoking and drinking, and—according to his first biographers, Frederick Sampson and Diao Lingjia— the Empress has an enormous affection for children.
Her writing style often avoids Classical Chinese instead being filled with understandable terms and often focusing on mainstream Chinese concerns, however, her writings tend to be intentionally vague on a political level and are expressly forbidden from being negatively politicized under Chinas lèse-majesté laws.
During speeches she is known to remain serene and calm, even in the midst of using angry or impassioned rhetoric. Former American Abassador to China, Lisa Anne Foghrey noted that when meeting with people, the Empress often displayed an radiant warmth and was known for her absolute mastery of language, Chinese or English calling her a true verbal tactician. Empress Tiancui is known to be quite fluent in English having spent a large part of her childhood in England for Boarding School and having attended University in England. When speaking English the Empress is known to speak English fluently with an adopted English accent when pronouncing certain words. Elaine Cheung-Vang of the Chinese Expat Repatriation Front, worked closely with the Empress in the early 2000s, saying that the Empress was very likeable and really quite nice. She is quite friendly, and everything she says seems as though it is an absolute, undeniable truth, regardless of what it is.
As Empress of the Chinese Empire, she typically wakens around 11 am (although the time is flexible according to the Empresss mood). She often has lunch served between 5-6 pm and dinner no earlier than 9:30 pm; she often works until the wee hours of the morning with no set bedtime.
She and the Prince Consort often dine with other Grand Secretariat members and/or their families. Empress Tiancui often describes herself as having a complex mind and an excellent memory. Former Prime Minister Situ Jieping, has described the Empress as a notoriously hard worker, and displaying a unquenchable thirst for knowledge and a peculiar sense of leadership wherein she sees herself as nothing but merely a cog in the greater machine that is the Chinese nation. Throughout her reign she is known to have scrutinized many Chinese domestic details, from the production of military uniforms and recruitment, to architectural plans and postal service equipment. According to Situ Jiepings daughter Situ Guangmei, Her Majestys private life and imperial works are one and the same; she does not take days off from Imperial duties. The Empress is known to possess considerable control over her emotions and has in the past deliberately used them in order to stir up Chinese nationalist sentiments.
Relationship & Issue
When she was sixteen, then Princess Yuan Wu formally and public ally entered into a relationship with Zhu Liang, a descendant of the Marquis of Extended Grace and descendant of the Ming Dynastys Imperial House of Zhu.
He was also descended from the Korean and Thai Royal Families as well as the houses of Yuan, the Qing house of Aisin-Gioro, and Japanese Imperial House, being the son of Emperor Jinlongs sister (Yuan Wus Aunt) Princess Yuan Liming. His selection as consort for the Princess was seen as prestigious and when she ascended to the throne, their relationship was celebrated as not only uniting several royal and imperial houses of Asia but also uniting the Zheng, Qing and Ming dynasties into one bloodline through their children. Tiancui is not married to Zhu Liang and their relationship is considered a legally recognized domestic partnership, however, he is imperially recognized as a Prince and Imperial Husband despite not legally being the Empresss husband. Tiancui is free to marry if she so chooses, however, the understanding is that their relationship is strictly monogamous and entering into any other sort of relationship publicly would be akin to bigamy despite the official unofficial status of the relationship. In keeping in line with the Constitution of 1947 and later the Constitution of 1989, both of which mandate the House Yuan alone shall sit upon the Dragon Throne in Beijing- the Empress did not permit her children to be granted the Family Name of Zhu alone as would be traditionally expected in China, rather, she granted her children her family name Yuanzhu thereby entering her children into both the House Yuan and the House Zhu, thereby creating a sort of double barrel surname.
In most government documents her children are referred to solely as members of the house Yuan while their legal surname is a double barrel combination of Yuan and Zhu. Initially there was concern this was unconstitutional but according to Household Edict 1990, the Empresss children are members of both houses equally while conversely only being members of the House Yuan within the context of the Monarchy itself. Together Prince Zhu Liang and Empress Tiancui have three sons and one daughter who are as follows:
- Crown Prince Yuanzhu Sen (1984)
- Prince Yuanzhu Weijin (1991)
- Prince Yuanzhu Weitao (2001)
- Princess Yuanzhu Meitang (2003)
Titles
Throughout her life Empress Tiancui has held two titles.
- 20 May 1964 - 11 June 1985: Her Imperial Highness Princess Yuan Wu
- 11 June 1985 - Present: Her Majesty Empress Tiancui
Empress
Various Chinese titles have been translated into English as empress, including empress in both the sense of empress consort and empress regnant. Historically, the monarch was male and his chief spouse was given a title such as huanghou (??), often translated as empress or more specific empress consort. Upon the emperors death, the surviving empress consort could become empress dowager, sometimes wielding considerable political power as regent during the minority of the (male) heir to the position of emperor.
Since the time of Qin Shi Huang (259–210 BC), the Emperor of China using the title huangdi (??, translated as emperor or empress (regnant) as appropriate), Tiancui is the only the second woman in the history of China to assume the title huangdi for herself as both the de jure and de facto Emperor of China.
Ancestry
|Emperor Hongxian|
|Emperor Yuntai|
|Lady Yu|
|Emperor Shengjun|
|Wu Benxian, Most Grand and High Imperial Lady of Palatial Affairs|
|Emperor Jinlong|
|Prince Zaixun (Qing Dynasty)|
|Prince Pugong (Qing Dynasty)|
|Lady Biru|
|Empress Li Mao|
|Prince Tsunehisa Takeda of Japan|
|Princess Ayako Takeda of Japan|
|Princess Masako Takeda of Japan|
|Empress Tiancui|
|Yixuan, Prince Chunxian (Qing Dynasty)|
|Zaifeng, Prince Chun (Qing Dynasty)|
|Lady Liugiya Cuiyan|
|Prince Jin Youzhi (Qing Dynasty)|
|Lady Denggiya|
|Empress Xiaohua|
|Prince Longqin (Qing Dynasty)|
|Prince Shanqi (Qing Dynasty)|
|Lady Ligiya|
|Princess Jin Moyu (Qing Dynasty)|
|Lady Janggiya|
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