Heshen 和珅
Heshen rose to power under Qianlong and lost everything almost immediately after the emperor's death. During Qianlong's lifetime he took part in governing the country and controlled considerable wealth, and after his arrest he became the most famous embodiment of Qing corruption. On television this figure is especially remembered in Wang Gang's portrayal, who played Heshen both in historical dramas and in court comedies.
Heshen (和珅) was born in 1750 into a Manchu family. Under Qianlong, he rose swiftly from palace service to the highest offices. Heshen served on the Grand Council and oversaw the finances. The emperor trusted him, and those who needed posts, permits or protection sought to win his favour. Thus his influence and his fortune grew.
When Qianlong yielded the throne to his son Jiaqing, power remained in his hands, and Heshen kept his position. After Qianlong's death in 1799, the new emperor ordered the minister's arrest. He was charged, his property was confiscated, and Heshen himself was ordered to take his own life. Accounts of his downfall are especially fond of citing figures, but estimates of Heshen's fortune diverge. The surviving documents list his abuses and the property he amassed, while some later calculations credit him with far more than the case materials confirm.
In the series Zai Xiang Liu Luo Guo (1996), Heshen was played by Wang Gang. He returned to the role in The Bronze Teeth (2001) and its sequel (2002). Here the court comedy is built on Heshen's cunning. He knows how to win the emperor over and always has something to say when he is caught out. In Qian Long Wang Chao (2003), the role was played by Chen Rui. This series shows in greater detail how the emperor governed the country and how the people he trusted were advanced.
