Empress Xiaogongren Explained

Empress Xiaogongren
Empress Dowager Renshou
Succession:Empress dowager of the Qing dynasty
Reign:27 December 1722 – 25 June 1723
Reign-Type:Tenure
Predecessor:Empress Xiaohuizhang
Successor:Empress Dowager Chongqing
Birth Date:28 April 1660
(順治十七年 三月 十九日)
Death Date:
(雍正元年 五月 二十三日)
Death Place:Yonghe Palace, Forbidden City
Burial Place:Jing Mausoleum, Eastern Qing tombs
Issue:Yongzheng Emperor
Yinzuo
Seventh daughter
Princess Wenxian of the First Rank
12th daughter
Yunti, Prince Xunqin of the Second Rank
Posthumous Name:Empress Xiaogong Xuanhui Wensu Dingyu Cichun Qinmu Zantian Chengsheng Ren (孝恭宣惠溫肅定裕慈純欽穆贊天承聖仁皇后)
House:Uya (烏雅)
Father:Weiwu
Mother:Lady Saiheli

Empress Xiaogongren (28 April 1660 – 25 June 1723), of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Uya clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the consort of Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor and mother of Yinzhen, the Yongzheng Emperor. She was honoured as Empress Dowager Renshou during the reign of her son and posthumously honoured as empress, although she never held the rank of empress consort during her lifetime.

Life

Family background

Empress Xiaogongren's personal name was not recorded in history. She was a Booi Aha of the Plain Yellow Banner by birth.

Shunzhi era

The future Empress Xiaogongren was born on the 19th day of the third lunar month in the 17th year of the reign of the Shunzhi Emperor, which translates to 28 April 1660 in the Gregorian calendar.

Kangxi era

In February or March 1673, Lady Uya entered the Forbidden City and became a lady-in-waiting of the Kangxi Emperor. On 13 December 1678, she gave birth to the emperor's fourth son, Yinzhen. On 15 November 1679, she was granted the title "Concubine De". On 5 March 1680, she gave birth to the emperor's sixth son, Yinzuo, who would die prematurely on 15 June 1685.

On 28 January 1682, she was elevated to "Consort De". She gave birth on 5 July 1682 to the emperor's seventh daughter, who would die prematurely in September 1682, on 10 November 1683 to his ninth daughter, Princess Wenxian of the First Rank, on 14 June 1686 to his 12th daughter, who would die prematurely in February or March 1697, and on 10 February 1688 to his 14th son, Yunti.

Yongzheng era

The Kangxi Emperor died on 20 December 1722 and was succeeded by Yinzhen, who was enthroned as the Yongzheng Emperor. As the mother of the reigning emperor, Consort De was honoured as "Empress Dowager Renshou".

Empress Dowager Renshou died of illness on 25 June 1723. Some sources claimed that she wished to commit suicide to join her husband but her son refused to let her do so. She fell ill shortly afterwards and died after refusing medical treatment.[1] She was interred in the Jing Mausoleum of the Eastern Qing tombs. She was granted the posthumous title "Empress Xiaogongren" by the Yongzheng Emperor.

Titles

Issue

In fiction and popular culture

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Wu (1979), pp. 14-15, 195-96.
  2. 康熙十八年 十月 十三日
  3. 康熙二十年 十二月 二十日
  4. 康熙六十一年 十一月 十三日
  5. 雍正元年 八月