The '''Tongzhi emperor''' reigned from 1861 to 1875. He is the ninth [[emperor]] of the [[Qing dynasty]], and a direct descendant of [[Shunzhi]], the second emperor. He attempted to modernize China technologically without disrupting the country's traditional Confucian culture. His policies are often compared unfavourably with the more sweeping reforms implemented in Meiji Japan. | The '''Tongzhi emperor''' reigned from 1861 to 1875. He is the ninth [[emperor]] of the [[Qing dynasty]], and a direct descendant of [[Shunzhi]], the second emperor. He attempted to modernize China technologically without disrupting the country's traditional Confucian culture. His policies are often compared unfavourably with the more sweeping reforms implemented in Meiji Japan. |