The Fourth Prince Yinzhen Claims the Throne in the Nine Princes' Succession Struggle

The Nine Princes' Struggle refers to the historical event in which the sons of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing dynasty vied for the throne. There was only one throne, but nine princes joined the contest: the First Prince, Yinsi; the Second Prince, Yinreng; the Third Prince, Yinzhi; the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen; the Eighth Prince, Yinsi; the Ninth Prince, Yintang; the Tenth Prince, Yin'e; the Thirteenth Prince, Yinxiang; and the Fourteenth Prince, Yinti.

Yinreng, the head of the Crown Prince's faction, had been personally appointed by Kangxi as his heir and was the rightful successor. But he brought about his own downfall. Just when things were going well, he repeatedly sabotaged himself until Kangxi finally deposed him. The Eighth Prince Yinsi led the powerful Eighth Prince's faction. Cunning and calculating, he was hailed by many officials as the “Worthy Prince,” and repeatedly set traps for Crown Prince Yinreng. Yinreng soon took the bait, but Yinsi's own plans ultimately came to nothing. Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince Yinzhen, known as the “Cold-Faced Prince,” watched from the sidelines as the Crown Prince's faction and the Eighth Prince's faction fought. He worked tirelessly for the Qing dynasty and willingly took on burdens for Kangxi, gradually earning the emperor's approval. The Fourteenth Prince Yinti, a great general deeply favored by Kangxi, however, was not fit to be emperor. Thus Kangxi chose Yinzhen, who later became the Yongzheng Emperor.