Emperor Kangxi, an outstanding monarch in the history of the Qing Dynasty, has always been the focus of speculation among historians and the public. There are different views between official historical records and folk rumors about whether Kangxi was poisoned by Yongzheng or died of natural causes. This article will explore this issue and reveal the truth about the death of Emperor Kangxi.

Official historical records: Kangxi died of illness. According to official historical records, Emperor Kangxi died of illness. According to the "History of the Qing Dynasty" and other official histories, Emperor Kangxi's physical condition gradually deteriorated in his later years, suffering from various diseases. On the ninth day of the eleventh month of the 61st year of Kangxi (December 20, 1722), he died of illness at Chengde Summer Resort, aged 69. Before his death, he left a testament appointing his fourth son Yinzhen as the crown prince, who later became Emperor Yongzheng.

Folk rumors: Was Kangxi poisoned by Yongzheng? However, there is another folk rumor that Emperor Kangxi was poisoned by his son Yongzheng. This statement mainly comes from some unofficial histories, novels, and opera works, lacking conclusive evidence. These works depict a picture of power struggle between father and son, suggesting that Yongzheng took extreme measures to harm Kangxi in order to consolidate his throne.

Historical truth: Natural death or murder? From the available historical materials, Emperor Kangxi's cause of death is more consistent with the official records, namely natural death. First, Emperor Kangxi's physical condition in his later years was indeed not optimistic, suffering from multiple illnesses. Secondly, the political environment at that time did not require Yongzheng to murder his father to seize the throne, as Kangxi had already appointed him as the crown prince. Finally, if Yongzheng really took extreme measures, he would have inevitably covered up and tampered with the matter during his reign, but no relevant evidence has been found so far.

Conclusion: Synthesizing the above analysis, Emperor Kangxi's death is more consistent with the official records, namely death from illness. Although folk rumors and unofficial historical works provide another possibility, there is no conclusive evidence. Looking back on this period of history, we should treat it with an objective and rational attitude, respect the truth of history, and restore history to its original form. At the same time, we should also remember the great contributions made by Emperor Kangxi to Chinese history, and inherit and carry forward his governance philosophy and spirit.

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