After the Chinese New Year holiday, many people are slowly adjusting back to their work routines. But in the Qing Dynasty, the emperor had a strict daily schedule too. Let’s take a look at how a typical day for a Qing emperor was spent!

Ⅰ. 5:00 AM – 7:00 AM: Wake Up, Wash, Pay Respects, and Morning Reading

According to the inner court manual Qijuzhu (《起居注》), Records of Daily Life), the Qing emperor would typically wake up at 5 AM. After washing up, his first task was to pay respects to his elders.

The Qing Dynasty placed great importance on filial piety. After getting dressed in the morning, the emperor would first visit the Empress Dowager and the Empress to greet them, showing his respect and reverence for his elders.

From the reign of Yongzheng onwards, the emperor’s residence was usually the Yangxin Hall (Hall of Mental Cultivation). After waking, he would leave this hall and head to the Cining Palace to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager. The image below shows a picture of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (养心殿).

After the morning greetings, the emperor would proceed to his morning reading. The morning reading consisted of the Shengxun (《圣训》, Imperial Instructions) and Shilu (《实录》, Veritable Records) from previous emperors.

The Shengxun was a collection of edicts, instructions, and words of wisdom from past emperors, offering guidance to the officials and subjects. The Shilu, on the other hand, was a chronological record of important events during the reigns of previous emperors, documenting the governance and major decisions of each dynasty.

Ⅱ. 7:00 AM-9:00 AM: Morning Meal

As the Qing Dynasty rulers were of Manchu ethnicity, they followed the traditional dietary habits of the Northeast Manchu people. This meant they typically had two main meals a day: morning meal and evening meal.

The morning meal usually took place between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m., while the evening meal was served from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. Additionally, the emperor often had a lighter meal, called wadian, between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. Below are some of the emperor’s exclusive dining utensils.

• Qing jade-handled golden soup spoon
• Gold-inlaid wooden chopsticks
• Gold-handled fruit fork with wooden handle
• Qianlong-era gold enamel-handled knife
• Copper-based, gold-plated, cloisonné bowl with “Longevity” inscriptions, made during the Qianlong reign.

According to the Guochao Gongshi (《国朝宫史》, Palace History), during the emperor’s morning meal, the eunuchs would present the “膳牌 (meal plaques)” of courtiers and officials who wished to meet with the emperor. The emperor would then decide who to meet after the meal. 

Ⅲ. 9:00 AM-11:00 AM: Court Sessions and Daily Administration

From 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., the emperor would hold court and handle state affairs. The main locations for official business within the palace were the Gate of Heavenly Purity (乾清门), Palace of Heavenly Purity (乾清宫), and Hall of Mental Cultivation (养心殿).Below is an image of Qianqing Palace.

Starting with the Yongzheng Emperor (雍正帝) , Qing emperors frequently lived and handled state affairs at the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), spending more time there than at the Forbidden City. The “Zhengda Guangming Hall” (正大光明殿) in Old Summer Palace (圆明园) was the central hall for imperial court sessions and grand ceremonies. It was also the main hall of the Old Summer Palace. To the east of this hall was the “Qinzheng Qinxian Hall” (勤政敬贤殿), where the emperor handled daily state affairs, similar to the role of Yangxin Hall in the Forbidden City. Below is a restoration image of the Zhengda Guangming Hall.

The emperor’s duties were divided into regular and special affairs. Regular tasks included reviewing memorials, meeting with officials, and receiving foreign diplomats. During meetings, the emperor would inquire about various matters and existing issues, then issue imperial edicts. These were routine state affairs. Special duties included major events like the emperor’s enthronement, grand court meetings, royal birthdays, and weddings.

The Qing emperors had two main ways of handling state affairs: one was at the Qianqing Gate, where they held court; the other was at Yangxin Hall. Emperor Kangxi highly valued the court sessions at the Qianqing Gate and attended them almost every day. He would review memorials, listen to reports, and make significant decisions. However, after Kangxi, later emperors gradually abandoned the practice and handled state affairs only at Yangxin Hall.

In novels and films, the most famous form of court meetings is the “morning assembly,” but in reality, these were quite rare. During the Qing Dynasty, it was even uncommon to hold such an assembly once a year.

Ⅳ. 11:00 AM-2:30 PM: Nap Time and Eat

From 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the emperor would take a nap and have his second main meal of the day. After the nap, he would resume reviewing memorials and discussing important state matters. If there were no urgent political affairs to attend to, the emperor could use the afternoon for relaxation and leisure.

Ⅴ. 2:30 PM-5:00 PM: Poetry, Painting, and Entertainment

After 2:30 p.m., the emperor’s time was dedicated to leisure activities, often accompanied by his consorts. The entertainment in the imperial court was diverse, including painting, composing poetry, watching plays, observing flowers, birds, insects, and fish, as well as appreciating cultural artifacts. There were plenty of ways for the emperor to unwind and enjoy himself.

The most popular court entertainment was watching opera. Starting with Emperor Kangxi (康熙), the emperors of the Qing dynasty were all avid fans of traditional Chinese opera. Every 1st and 15th day of the month, plays were performed in the palace, and during holidays or the emperor’s and empress’s birthdays, there would also be performances, often lasting for over ten days.

The Qing court even established a special office, the Shengping Bureau, to manage the opera troupes and built several stages for performances. The Qingyin Pavilion (清音阁) in Yuanmingyuan was the largest stage, and it served as the main venue for grand operatic performances.

Ⅵ. 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Eat, Do Rituals and Sleep

From 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, after the emperor finishes his “late snack,” he begins to perform Buddhist rituals and make offerings to the gods. This tradition, originating from the Manchu customs, was an important part of the emperor’s daily routine, especially the worship at the Palace of Earthly Tranquility （坤宁宫）.

By 8:00 PM, the emperor prepares to go to bed. According to Qing court rules, only after the emperor’s wedding ceremony can the emperor and empress stay together for three days in the eastern warm chamber of the Kun Ning Palace. At all other times, they must sleep in separate chambers.

The emperor was not allowed to spend the night in the consorts’ palaces. If the emperor wanted a specific consort to accompany him, he would issue a “flip card” (a bamboo card with the consort’s name written on it, originally used for selecting court maids). These “green-headed cards” were used to summon a consort to the emperor’s bedchamber. However, the consort would not return to her own palace that night, nor could she sleep with the emperor. She would only stay in a room next to his chambers. When the emperor finally fell asleep, only the attending eunuchs were allowed to stay with him.

Summary

After seeing how busy and structured the emperor’s day was, do you feel like you’re getting back into the swing of things too? The Year of the Snake has just begun, and everything—both good and bad—is now behind us. Looking ahead, Silk Divas hope that in 2025, we all have a year full of achievements and success.