Why was kangxi important

The Chinese emperor K'ang-hsi () was a man of enormous personal vitality and exceptional administrative and military ability. He was one of the greatest emperors of the Ch'ing period.

Born on May 4, , K'ang-hsi was the third son of the sickly and weak emperor Shun-chih (reigned ).

K'ang-hsi's mother, who died in , came from a family in southern Manchuria which had served under the Manchus since the early 17th century.

Emperor kangxi favourite wife

As a youth, he was raised outside the imperial palace in the care of his grandmother, the dowager empress Hsiao-chuang and the mother of Shun-chih. Here K'ang-hsi received his tutoring, learning the Manchu language and acquiring enough ability in Chinese to deal efficiently with state documents.

While still a child, K'ang-hsi suffered an attack of smallpox, leaving his face pockmarked, but also elevating his chances to become emperor since he was thereafter considered to be immune to that disease.

Accession and Regency

On Feb.

5, , K'ang-hsi's father di