Zaize

Zaize (Chinese:载泽; Styled Yinping 荫坪; 1876-1929) was a Manchu noble of the "bordered white banner" from the Aisin Gioro clan. Born Zaijiao, he was the grandson of Mianyu, the Prince Hui, younger brother of the Daoguang Emperor. He advocated for constitutional monarchy in China.

In 1877, Zaize was made a "imperial Duke of the Second class", and in 1894 he married the daughter of Guixiang, brother of the Empress Dowager Cixi, "de facto" ruler at the time, and thus enjoyed a favourable position in court, and gained the "First-class Duke" status. In 1901, he was made a deputy commander of the "Plain Blue Banner". In 1905, he was commissioned by Empress Dowager Cixi to go on a tour of Europe, Japan, and the United States to learn from their respective political systems. When he returned to China in 1906, he sent in a petition to change China into a constitutional monarchy, following the German and Japanese model, which had the most centralized power.

In 1907 he was made the President of the Board of Finance, and became a "beizi" in rank (a Prince of the 4th class). In Yikuang's "Imperial Family Cabinet", Zaize was also the Minister of Finance. Along with others Zaize proposed killing Yuan Shikai. After the success of the Xinhai Revolution which made China into a republic, he continued to be bent on restoring the monarchy. He died in 1928.

External links

* [http://www.szed.com/jb/20060315/ca2221445.htm Zaize's residence]
* [http://www.law-culture.com/shownews.asp?id=13161 The constitutional monarchy as suggested by Zaize et al.]