生平

道光十六年二月二十二日（1836年4月7日），荣禄出生于一个旗人官员世家。有研究者指，荣禄家族到他的祖父塔斯哈时，方才发达。道光十年（1830年）十月，祖父塔斯哈在喀什噶尔帮办大臣任上战死。祖父战死后，家族照例得到抚恤。二十二年（1842年），父亲长寿调到浙江。荣禄与祖母南下，在浙江侨居一年。

咸丰二年（1852年），因太平天国战争，天津镇总兵、伯父长瑞和凉州镇总兵、父亲长寿同日战死于广西。荣禄因父、伯阵亡，获恤难荫生、骑都尉兼一云骑尉世职，初以工部主事用。

四年（1854年），未婚妻库雅拉氏逝世。五年（1855年），继母颜扎氏主持下，荣禄与萨克达氏成婚。八年（1858年），晋升工部员外郎。

九年（1859年），调任户部银库员外郎。因得罪上司肃顺，离开本任，赋闲二年，捐纳候补道员。

十一年（1861年），清廷创建神机营，荣禄参与筹备，受主事者醇郡王奕譞赏识，任文案处翼长。研究者指他就此发迹。发迹原因，除因神机营「名目繁多的保举和加级」外，亦与他和醇亲王奕譞之间长期、密切、友好的私交相关。

同治三年（1864年），任神机营全营翼长。次年，赏副都统衔，管理健锐营事务，充任神机、健锐两营马队专操大臣，参与筹建威远洋枪队。

五年（1866年）四月，署正蓝旗蒙古副都统。六月，实授正蓝旗蒙古副都统，兼充正蓝旗专操大臣。后调镶白旗满洲副都统。七年（1868年），调任步军营左翼总兵，赏一品顶戴。同年充值年河道沟渠大臣。

八年（1869年），任神机营管理大臣（此职至光绪五年称病退职结束）。十年（1871年），署工部左侍郎，随后补工部右侍郎兼管钱法堂事务。

十二年（1873年），调户部左侍郎，兼管理三库事务大臣。十三年（1874年），署理吏部左侍郎。授正蓝旗护军统领，兼充左翼监督总管内务府大臣。

光绪元年（1875年），以户部左侍郎兼署步军统领、镶蓝旗蒙古副都统。三年（1877年），调授步军营步军统领，调镶黄旗护军统领。

四年（1878年），调授左都御史、工部尚书，充紫禁城值年大臣；旋因得罪军机大臣宝鋆、沈桂芬而被迫在次年1月告病免职，赋闲七年。十三年（1887年），醇亲王帮助起复，授镶蓝旗蒙古都统。

十四年（1888年），出任领侍卫内大臣，署镶蓝旗汉军都统。十五年（1889年），命扈从凤舆；充专操大臣、稽查内七仓大臣、管理右翼幼官学大臣。

十七年（1891年），署镶红旗汉军都统。出任西安将军，加尚书衔。

二十年（1894年），甲午战争爆发后，被再次复起的恭亲王奕欣荐为步军统领，会办军务，设巡防局督理五城团防。

二十一年（1895年）6月，授兵部尚书，仍兼步军统领。授总理各国事务大臣。荐浙江温处道袁世凯练新建陆军。

二十二年（1896年）6月，以兵部尚书协办大学士，充玉牒馆副总裁。查办御史弹劾袁世凯案，以查无实据结，并疏称袁世凯为「……不可多得之员」。

二十三年（1897年），以协办大学士充经筵讲官。疏请设立武备特科，于各省设立武备学堂。表示反对康有为所主张的变法。

二十四年（1898年），兼充稽查钦奉上谕事件处管理大臣。6月10日，授文渊阁大学士。6月15日，署直隶总督兼北洋通商大臣，随后实授。6月22日，以大学士兼管户部事务。9月20日，回京参与戊戌政变，为戊戌政变提供武力支持。9月28日，卸署直隶总督；授军机大臣，改管理兵部事务，并节制北洋各军。10月11日，授练兵大臣，指明节制宋庆、董福祥、聂士成、袁世凯所部及北洋各军。12月7日，奏请合宋、董、聂、袁四军及新募亲军联为一气，构成武卫军雏形。

二十五年（1899年），充文渊阁领阁事、崇文门监督，调正蓝旗满洲都统。6月27日，武卫军编练完成，此后又陆续编练武卫先锋军、先锋队若干。在对光绪帝废立问题上由犹豫转向反对。(过继溥儁予同治皇帝，立为大阿哥，即己亥建储事）。

二十六年（1900年），义和团运动在京畿蔓延后，荣禄屡请镇压，并请保护各国使馆。庚子事变，两宫西狩。8月17日，西逃的慈禧太后诏命留京办事，授内大臣。10月6日诏赴西安行在。

二十七年（1901年）7月25日，改命管理户部。10月，支持刘坤一、张之洞在江楚三折中提出的变法主张。十二月二十四日（1902年2月2日），升文华殿大学士，加太子太保。

二十八年（1902年），兼充崇文门副监督。

二十九年（1903年）4月11日，荣禄去世。慈禧太后懿旨追赠太傅，谥文忠，晋一等男爵，入祀贤良祠，赏银治丧。

陈夔龙撰写〈赠太傅晋封一等男文华殿大学士瓜尔佳文忠公行状〉、俞樾撰写〈赠太傅晋封一等男爵文华殿大学士瓜尔佳文忠公墓志铭〉、孙葆田撰写〈文华殿大学士赠太傅晋封一等男爵瓜尔佳氏文忠公神道碑〉三篇碑传文献传世。

著作

• 编纂《武毅公事略》

• 编辑《瓜尔佳氏家传》

• 《荣文忠公集》

• 《荣禄存札》

评价

荣禄是慈禧太后执政时期，特别是戊戌变法时期举足轻重的人物。如《清史稿·荣禄传》所述，「荣禄久直内廷，得太后信仗。眷顾之隆，一时无比。事无钜细，常待一言决焉。」长期以来，学术界对他与戊戌变法的关系很少争议，一般都接受康有为、梁启超等所下评论，以为荣禄始终是站在变法的对立面，并在后来的政变中扮演了元凶的角色，但其实只是时间不够长的错觉，否则清廷肯定在辛亥后会变法的。

荣禄并不反对变法，只不过不赞成康梁的变法，遵循的是另一条变法思路。早在光绪任命林旭等四人在军机章京上行走时，荣禄就致信林旭，主张变法改革以补偏求弊下手，不在遇事纷更。政变后荣禄在一封给伊藤博文的信件中，认为中国应以整军丰财、力图自强为急务，但中国「积习相仍，骤难移易。譬之起虚弱而仁痿痹，辅以善药，效虽缓而有功；投以猛剂，病未除而增剧」。并以此评价政变事。而且荣禄认为「中国非真不可为也」，关键是要有正确的变法次序。

家庭及关联

• 先祖：卓凌阿。

• 曾祖父：阿洪阿，官至副都统，诰封建威将军。

• 父母

　• 父：长寿，官至总兵。

　• 母：乌扎氏，绰和泰之女

　• 继母：颜扎氏，诰封一品夫人

• 妻妾

　• 聘：库雅拉氏，正白旗满洲人，江宁将军苏布通阿之女。未娶，库雅拉氏在咸丰四年（1854年）逝世。

　• 正室：萨克达氏，御前侍卫、都统衔镶蓝旗汉军副都统熙拉布之女。咸丰五年（1855年）成婚。萨克达氏早逝。与咸丰帝元配孝德显皇后同族。

　• 继室：宗室氏（父道光十八年（1838年）戊戌科进士、武英殿大学士灵桂），庚子事变时，随荣禄西行，病逝于河南彰德府。

　• 妾：刘氏，生荣禄次女。王文韶日记称「如夫人刘氏」在女儿与载沣成婚前，慈禧太后懿旨赏给刘氏正一品夫人封典，为正室。有作者称她为侧福晋刘佳氏。

• 子女

　• 子：纶厚。刘坤一给荣禄的信中昵称他为纶哥。庚子事变时，随荣禄西行。次年八月二十四日，慈禧太后、光绪帝自西安启行回京。八月二十七日，纶厚在途中病逝，年十七。

　• 嗣子：良揆。荣禄逝世时，时为员外郎的良揆著加恩以四五品京堂候补。

　• 长女：瓜尔佳氏，礼亲王诚厚妻。

　• 次女：瓜尔佳氏，母刘氏，经荣禄亲信贻谷作媒，慈禧太后指婚，嫁醇亲王载沣为妻（福晋），载沣被慈禧勒令退婚一等侯将军希元之女伍弥忒氏，后生宣统帝溥仪。

轶事

据《清稗类钞·姓名类·瓜尔佳氏以苏完为贵》记载，荣禄任户部尚书时曾遇一瓜尔佳氏都统，遂称其为同族。「都统转问有『苏完』二字穆昆否，荣曰：『无』。都统摇首曰：『殆非也』」。

瓜尔佳氏有诸多穆昆，如苏完、叶赫、讷殷、哈达、乌拉、安褚拉库等，「而居苏完者尤著」。苏完瓜尔佳氏以开国元勋费英东最为显赫，有学者认为称费英东子孙「明显属于攀附名人」。

艺术形象

慈禧太后的御前翻译德龄离开清宫后，开始以英语记述自己的经历，1911年出版《清宫二年记》。其后，出版多本书籍。在《慈禧御苑外史》中，她称慈禧太后在入宫为妃前，是荣禄的恋人。当代戏剧、影视剧亦有此类设定。或指两人是青梅竹马的恋人。

影视形象

Early life and career

Ronglu was born in the Manchu Guwalgiya clan, which was under the Plain White Banner of the Manchu Eight Banners. His grandfather, Tasiha (塔斯哈), served as an Imperial Resident in Kashgar. His father, Changshou (长寿), was a zongbing (总兵; a military commander).

Ronglu was a yinsheng (荫生), a type of position awarded to civil service candidates who successfully gained admission to the Guozijian (Imperial Academy). He started his career in the Ministry of Works as a yuanwailang (员外郎; assistant director) and was tasked with constructing roads in Zhili Province.

In the early years of the Tongzhi Emperor's reign (early 1860s), he set up the Firearms Division and was rewarded with the position of a jingtang (京堂; fifth-grade magistrate). He was also appointed as a flank commander (翼长) and zhuancao dachen (专操大臣) before being transferred to be a zongbing (总兵) of the left flank. Through Wenxiang's recommendation, he became the Vice Secretary (侍郎) of the Ministry of Works. Later, he was reassigned to the Ministry of Revenue and concurrently appointed as Minister of the Imperial Household Department.

Mid career

The Tongzhi Emperor died in 1875 and was succeeded by his cousin, the Guangxu Emperor. In the same year, Ronglu became an infantry commander (步军统领). Three years later, he was reassigned to be a Left Censor-in-Chief (左都御史) and Secretary of Works. In 1878, Baoting (宝廷) wrote a memorial to the imperial court, pointing out that certain officials concurrently held too many appointments, hence Ronglu was relieved of his duties as Secretary of Works and Minister of the Imperial Household Department.

Ronglu was initially accused of accepting bribes and was demoted by two grades. He also offended Prince Chun, Baojun (宝鋆) and Shen Guifen (沈桂芬) and was forced to retire in early 1879. However, in 1891, he was restored to the civil service and appointed as General of Xi'an.

In 1894, Ronglu was recalled from Xi'an to the capital Beijing to attend Empress Dowager Cixi's birthday celebrations. He was appointed again as an infantry commander (步军统领). During the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895, Ronglu, along with Prince Gong and Prince Qing, were in charge of military affairs. After the Qing and Japanese empires reached a peace settlement, Ronglu nominated Yuan Shikai to oversee the creation and training of the New Army.

In 1896, Ronglu was appointed as Secretary of Defence and Assistant Grand Secretary (协办大学士). He also proposed transferring Dong Fuxiang and his Gansu Army to Beijing to defend the capital and enhance the training of the New Army.

Hundred Days Reform

In 1898, Ronglu was promoted to Grand Secretary (大学士) and subsequently assumed the following additional appointments: Viceroy of Zhili Province, Beiyang Trade Minister (北洋通商大臣), and Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Cabinet (文渊阁大学士) overseeing the Ministry of Justice. Around the time, a group of officials led by Kang Youwei and Tan Sitong planned to carry out a series of reforms and get rid of conservative elements in the government. The Guangxu Emperor supported the reformists. Yuan Shikai was summoned from Zhili Province to Beijing and appointed as a Vice Secretary (侍郎). Ronglu felt uneasy.

Acting on the advice of Yang Chongyi (杨崇伊), Empress Dowager Cixi interfered in the situation and launched the 1898 Coup against the reformists. Ronglu was appointed to the Grand Council and sided with the Empress Dowager in the coup. The reformists were defeated – six of their leaders (including Tan Sitong) were executed – and the Guangxu Emperor was placed under house arrest. After the coup, Ronglu was relieved of his appointments as Viceroy of Zhili Province and Beiyang Minister, and reappointed as Secretary of Defence to oversee the Beiyang Army.

In 1899, Ronglu was granted authority as Imperial Commissioner in charge of military training (练兵钦差大臣) and put in command of the military units led by Nie Shicheng, Dong Fuxiang, Song Qing and Yuan Shikai. He established the Wuwei Corps, composed of five divisions led by the four commanders and himself.

Around the time, Empress Dowager Cixi had the intention of deposing the Guangxu Emperor and replacing him with Prince Duan's son Puzhuan (溥僎; 1875–1920). Ronglu was initially undecided on this issue, but eventually he opposed the Empress Dowager's idea. She heeded his advice and designated Puzhuan as "First Prince" (大阿哥) instead.

Boxer Rebellion

In 1900, after the Boxer Rebellion had broken out, Prince Duan and others initially convinced Empress Dowager Cixi to support the Boxers to counter foreigners. Dong Fuxiang led his Gansu Army to attack the foreign legations in Beijing but was unable to conquer the legations despite a few months of siege. Ronglu was unable to stop him. Prince Duan and his followers continued to press the attacks against foreigners and kill any official in the imperial court who opposed them.

When Beijing fell to the forces of the Eight-Nation Alliance, Empress Dowager Cixi and the Guangxu Emperor fled to Xi'an. Ronglu requested to accompany them but was denied permission; instead, he was ordered to remain in Beijing.

Ronglu did not want to antagonise Empress Dowager Cixi, but was not sympathetic towards the Boxers. Like the leading governors in the south, he felt that it was foolish for the Qing Empire to take on all the eight foreign powers at once. When Dong Fuxiang's Gansu Army was eager to attack the legations, Ronglu made sure that the siege was not pressed home. The xenophobic Prince Duan, who was a close friend of Dong Fuxiang, wanted Dong's forces to be equipped with artillery to destroy the legations. Ronglu blocked the transfer of artillery to Dong Fuxiang, preventing him from destroying the legations. When artillery was finally supplied to the Qing imperial forces and Boxers, it was only done so in limited quantities.

Ronglu also kept Nie Shicheng from finding out about an imperial decree that ordered him to stop fighting the Boxers. Nie Shicheng continued to fight the Boxers and killed many of them. Ronglu also ordered Nie Shicheng to protect foreigners and protect the railway from attacks by the Boxers. Ronglu had effectively derailed Prince Duan's efforts to capture the legations, and as a result, saved the foreigners inside. He was shocked that he was not welcome after the war; however, the foreign powers did not demand that he, unlike Dong Fuxiang, be punished.

In 1901, Empress Dowager Cixi issued five imperial decrees. The first ordered Ronglu to "command various imperial forces, including the Beijing Field Force, the Hushenying, with cavalry and the Wuwei Corps, to suppress these rebels (Boxers), to intensify searching patrol; to arrest and execute immediately all criminals with weapons who advocate killing." The fourth decree ordered Ronglu to "send efficient troops of the Wuwei Corps swiftly, to the Beijing Legation Quarter, to protect all the diplomatic buildings."

Later career and death

In late 1900, Empress Dowager Cixi summoned Ronglu to Xi'an, where he was warmly received. He was awarded a yellow jacket, a two-eyed peacock feather, and a purple girdle. He escorted the Empress Dowager and the Guangxu Emperor back to the capital later.

In 1901, Ronglu was put in charge of the Ministry of Revenue. Later that year, he supported the reforms proposed by Liu Kunyi and Zhang Zhidong in their memorial titled Jiang Chu Hui Zou Bian Fa San Zhe (江楚会奏变法三折). In 1902, he was given additional honorary appointments as Crown Prince's Grand Protector (太子太保) and Grand Secretary of Wenhua Hall (文华殿大学士).

Ronglu died in 1903 and was posthumously granted the honorary appointment of Grand Tutor (太傅). He was also awarded the posthumous name "Wenzhong" (文忠) and posthumously enfeoffed as a first class baron (一等男爵).

Relationship with Empress Dowager Cixi

Before Lady Yehenara (the future Empress Dowager Cixi) became a consort of the Xianfeng Emperor, Ronglu was allegedly in a romantic relationship with her. During Empress Dowager Cixi's tenure as regent of the Qing dynasty, Ronglu joined the Empress Dowager's conservative faction at the imperial court and opposed the Hundred Days' Reform in 1898. The Empress Dowager always remembered Ronglu's support for her, even when they were young, and rewarded him by allowing his only surviving child, his daughter Youlan, to marry into the imperial clan.

Through Youlan's marriage to Zaifeng (Prince Chun), Ronglu was the maternal grandfather of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing dynasty.

Family

Consorts and issue(s):

• Wife, of the Sakda clan (正室萨克达氏)

• Wife of the Aisin-Gioro clan (正室萨克达氏)

• Concubine, of the Liuclan (妾刘氏)

　• Youlan, Imperial Princess Consort Chun (亲王福晋瓜尔佳幼兰; 1884 – 30 September 1921), 2nd daughter

　　• Married Zaifeng, Prince Chun, grandosn of Daoguang, and had issue (two sons and three daughters)

• Unknown

　• Lunhou (纶厚), 1st son

　• Second daughter

Portrayal in media

• Leo Genn portrayed Jung-lu (Ronglu) in the 1963 film 55 Days at Peking.

• Feng Shaofeng also portrayed Ronglu in the 2006 television series Sigh of His Highness.

• Portrayed by Han Xinmin in the 2006 television series Princess Der Ling.