Gangyi

Gangyi (Chinese: 剛毅, 1834–1900^[1]), from the Tatara clan with the courtesy name Ziliang (子良), was a Manchu politician of the late Qing dynasty. He was a member of the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner.^[2][3]

Key Information

Gangyi
Grand Councillor
In office 1894–1900
Assistant Grand Secretary
In office 1898–1900
Minister of Personnel
In office 17 April – 27 October 1900 Serving with Xu Fu
Preceded by	Xijing
Succeeded by	Jingxin
Minister of War
In office 10 June 1898 – 17 April 1900 Serving with Xu Fu (until 1899), Xu Yongyi (since 1899)
Preceded by	Ronglu
Succeeded by	Jingxin
Minister of Justice
In office 4 August 1897 – 10 June 1898 Serving with Liao Shouheng
Preceded by	Songgui
Succeeded by	Chongli
Minister of Works
In office 6 June 1896 – 4 August 1897 Serving with Xu Yingkui
Preceded by	Huaitabu
Succeeded by	Songgui
Governor of Guangdong
In office 7 May 1892 – 4 November 1894
Preceded by	Liu Ruifen
Succeeded by	Ma Piyao
Governor of Jiangsu
In office 20 November 1888 – 7 May 1892
Preceded by	Songjun
Succeeded by	Songjun
Governor of Shanxi
In office 12 April 1885 – 20 November 1888
Preceded by	Kuibin
Succeeded by	Wei Rongguang
Personal details
Born	1834
Died	1900 (aged 65–66) Houma, Shanxi
Occupation	politician
Clan name	Tatara
Courtesy name	Ziliang (子良)
Military service
Allegiance	Qing dynasty
Branch/service	Manchu Bordered Blue Banner
Battles/wars	Boxer Rebellion
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In 1894, Gangyi resolutely advocated war against Japan, which was appreciated by Empress Dowager Cixi. He opposed the Hundred Days' Reform movement initiated by the Guangxu Emperor and his allies. On 22 September 1898 Cixi launched a coup d'état and put Guangxu under house arrest in the Summer Palace. Gangyi sided with Cixi, he advocated to depose the emperor.

Gangyi was one of the main supporters of the Boxers. After the Boxer Rebellion of broke out, he placed in command of Boxer groups to fight against the Eight-Nation Alliance together with Zaixun, Prince Zhuang.^[4]

When Beijing fell to the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1900, he fled from Beijing and later died at Houma, Shanxi. The victorious Eight-Nation Alliance named Gangyi as one of the masterminds behind the rebellion. Gangyi was dismissed from all official positions by Qing court posthumously.^[4]