Before the Xianfeng Emperor died in August 1861 in the Chengde Summer Palace, he appointed a group of eight regents - led by Zaiyuan, Duanhua and Sushun - to assist his underage son and successor, Zaichun.
As the longstanding leader of the Zongli Yamen, which he established in 1861, Prince Gong was responsible for spearheading various reforms in the early stages of the Self-Strengthening Movement, a series of measures and policy changes implemented by the Qing government with the aim of modernising China.