Heshen

Downfall and suicide

After the Qianlong Emperor formally abdicated in February 1796, the range and damage of Heshen's corruption was now clear. However, Qianlong continued to rule China behind the scenes under the grand title of Taishang Huang (Retired Emperor). It was not until Qianlong's death on 7 February 1799 that his successor, the Jiaqing Emperor, was able to prosecute Heshen. Just five days later, on 12 February, Heshen was arrested and stripped of his offices, along with his close ally, Fuchang'an (who was placed under house arrest but escaped execution). He was declared guilty by an imperial edict issued on 15 February, and was condemned to slow slicing. Out of respect for his sister, Princess Hexiao, and the Qianlong Emperor, the Jiaqing Emperor spared Heshen this dishonorable death, instead ordering him to commit suicide by hanging. He carried out the sentence with a rope of golden silk in his home on 22 February.

In the 24 years that Heshen enjoyed the Emperor's attention and favor, he amassed a fortune. In the Jiaqing Emperor's confiscation of Heshen's property, his estate included:

2,790 rooms in his estates and mansions, 12,000 acres (49 km²) of land, 10 bank branches, 10 pawnbroker branches, 58,000 taels of pure gold, 100 large ingots of pure gold, (1,000 taels each), 56,600 medium silver ingots, (100 taels each), 5,830,000 small silver ingots, (10 taels each), 58,000 foreign silver dollars, 1,500,000 copper coins, 300 kilograms of top-quality Jilin ginseng, 1,200 jade charms, 230 pearl bracelets, 10 large pearls, 10 large rubies, and dozens of place settings in solid gold or silver. He also had 14,300 bolts of fine silk, 20,000 sheets of fine sheep-fur wool, 550 fox hides, 850 raccoon dog hides, 56,000 sheep and cattle hides of varying thickness, 7,000 sets of fine clothing (for all four seasons), 361,000 bronze and tin vases and vessels, 100,000 porcelain vessels made by famous masters, 24 highly decorative solid-gold beds (each with eight different types of inlaid gemstones), and 460 high quality European clocks.

His total property at the time of its confiscation was ultimately estimated to be between 60-80 million taels of silver in movable property alone, reputed to be equivalent to the imperial revenue of the Qing government for a year. Total estimates of his wealth range from 100 million to 800 million taels. Treasures discovered in his chief butler Liu Quan's quarter included 240,000 silver taels. The Jiaqing Emperor charged Heshen with 20 crimes, including various abuses of power, disrespecting imperial prerogatives, and hoarding wealth.

Heshen exemplified the widespread corruption of the civil bureaucracy and military under the Qing dynasty. Bannermen developed habits that made them useless as a military force. The Chinese Green Standard Army was beset with irregular practice and had lost much of its fighting spirit shown in the early Qing dynasty. Heshen's influence spread, to corrupt the civil and military establishment. This corruption contributed to unrest and rebellions across China. The Qianlong Emperor's Ten Great Campaigns were completed at the cost of 120 million taels against an annual revenue of some 40 million taels, depressed by embezzling from officials such as Heshen. These massive government spendings contributed to financial instability during the later part of the Qing dynasty.

In popular culture

For more than two hundred years Heshen has been a stock villain role, and continues to appear in theatrical, film and television productions. Chinese actors Wang Gang and Chen Rui have portrayed Heshen on screen: the former gave the character of Heshen a comical touch with his plump figure; the latter, who played Heshen in the 2003 television series Qianlong Dynasty, was said to resemble the historical Heshen more closely as compared to Wang Gang.

Hong Kong actor Ruco Chan played Heshen in the 2018 TVB series Succession War, a fictional depiction of the final 28 days of his life. In the 1988 TVB drama The Formidable Lady from Shaolin, Lau Kong portrayed Heshen as a corrupt, blood thirsty official who was ultimately executed.

Alternative views

It could be argued that Heshen's wealth was largely from gifts of the Qianlong Emperor, not from corrupt actions. The view of Heshen as a corrupt official originated after his death and from documents in Qing dynasty historical archives. Only the emperor had the authority to determine what content was to be kept in those archives, which raises the possibility of bias against Heshen. Heshen, as a powerful official, threatened the authority of the Jiaqing Emperor. Officials during the Qianlong Emperor's reign may have feared or been jealous of his power. The Jiaqing Emperor could have used legal pretexts to legitimize these feelings and condemn Heshen to a death sentence.

Former residence

Several decades after Heshen's death, his former residence was given to Prince Gong as his official residence. The estate, known as the Prince Gong Mansion, is now preserved as a museum and a tourist attraction. It is located at 17 Qianhai Road West in Beijing.

Family

• Maternal great-grandfather
  • Alana (阿喇納), Deputy General, Count of the Third Rank (副將軍三等伯)
• Maternal grandfather
  • Umitai (伍彌泰) (1713–1786), a Mongol of the Plain Yellow Banner
• Maternal grandmother
  • Lady Liugiya (劉佳氏)
• Father
  • Changbao (常保), Banner vice-commander of Fujian (福建副都統)
• Mother
  • Lady Umi (伍彌氏)
• Younger brother
  • Helin (和琳) (26 August 1753 – 28 September 1796), father of Fengšenimiyan and two daughters
• Younger sister-in-law
  • Lady Tatara (他他拉氏), daughter of Suringga (蘇凌阿), mother of Fengšenimiyan
• Nephew
  • Fengšenimiyan (豐紳宜綿) (1775–1813)
• Nieces
  • Two daughters of Helin
• Wife
  • Feng Jiwen (馮霽雯), granddaughter of Feng Yinglian (馮英廉); mother of Fengšenyende, Heshen's second son, and Heshen's three daughters
• Concubine
  • Lady Chang (長氏)
• Sons
  • Fengšenyende (豐紳殷德) (18 February 1775 – May 1810), married Gurun Princess Hexiao (固倫和孝公主)
  • second son (1794–?)
• Daughters
  • Three daughters, including Primary consort of Yongyun (Prince Chun (淳) peerage)

Genealogic tree