Yongchang (prince) explained

Yongchang
Prince Zhuang of the First Rank
Succession:Prince Zhuang of the First Rank
Reign:1767–1788
Reign-Type:Tenure
Predecessor:Yunlu
Successor:Mianke
Birth Name:Yongcong (永琮)
Birth Date:1737
Spouse:Lady Wanyan
Father:Hongpu
Mother:Lady Guo
House:Aisin Gioro
Full Name:Yongchang (永瑺)
Posthumous Name:Prince Zhuangshen of the First Rank (莊慎親王)

Yongchang (1737-1788)was Qing dynasty imperial prince as the eldest son of Hongpu and Yunlu's grandson. After Yunlu was adopted into Prince Zhuang peerage, his successors followed suit. Thus, Yongchang became the fifth in the line of the Prince Zhuang of the First Rank .

Life

Yongchang was born in 1737 to Hongpu's secondary consort, lady Guo, as Yongcong. In 1746, when Qianlong Emperor's seventh son, Yongcong was born, second character in his name was changed to 'chang' so as to avoid naming taboo, which prohibited a replication of a character in the personal name of imperial prince being direct descendant of an emperor.[1] In 1743, Yongchang inherited his father as a duke of the second rank (辅国公). In 1768, he became the fourth Prince Zhuang of the First Rank after the death of his grandfather.[2] At that time, promotional ceremony was organised after the sacrificial rites at the Temple of Agriculture. List of the princes promoted at the same time included Hongzhou, Prince He of the First Rank; Hongxiao, Prince Yi of the First Rank and Guanglu; Prince Yu of the First Rank.[3]

Yongchang inherited a title of the prince of the first rank because of an incident concerning his father's implication in a rebellion organized by Hongxi, second Prince Li in 1739.[4] After the promotion, Yongchang was appointed as a Director of the Imperial Clan Court and was tasked with supervision of the Gioro family school (reserved exclusively for collateral clansmen).[5] During his cadention in the Imperial Clan Court, he analysed the history of worships and created a genealogy of the Northern Song Dynasty.[6] During an eastern tour to the tomb of Nurhaci and Yangguli (one of the Qing founders), Yongchang and Yongcan were ordered to make sacrifices. Due to delay in performance of the rites at Nurhaci's mausoleum, Yongchang was suspended of his salary for 5 years.[7]

Yongchang was known for his close relationship with another imperial princes, such as Prince Xin of the Second Rank, Rusong. As the princes were born on the same year, their relationship was close to brotherhood.[8] Yongchang died in 1788 without a male heir and was posthumously granted a title of Prince Zhuangshen of the First Rank (“庄慎亲王, meaning "dignified and prudent").[9]

Family

Yongchang was married to lady Wanyan, daughter of the censor Kangyilu (亢伊禄). As he could not have a male heir, he adopted his grandnephew Mianke, a grandson of Hongrong as a successor.[10] ----Consorts:

Issue:

Notes and References

  1. Book: 《高宗实录》/"Chronicles of Gaozong".
  2. Book: Zhao, Erxun. 《清史稿 卷一百六十四 表四》/"Draft History of Qing". 1928. 164, table 4.
  3. Book: 北京先农坛史料选编/"History of the Temple of Agriculture in Beijing. Revised edition". 学苑出版社. 2007. 103.
  4. Book: Gao, Yang. 三春爭及初春景/Fight in the spring scenery. 生活・讀書・新知三联书店. 2001. 686.
  5. Web site: 爱新觉罗·永瑺的简介、介绍-35百科网. 2020-12-11. www.555baike.com.
  6. Book: 中華戯曲/"Chinese opera". Shanxi public press. 1996. 168.
  7. Book: Tie, Yuqin. "Eastern tours of the Qing dynasty emperors". Liaoning university press. 1991. 365.
  8. Book: Xu, Ke. 清稗類鈔 三: 歷代筆記叢編/"Qing dynasty banknotes.Notes from the past". 谷月社/Guyue press. 2016.
  9. Web site: 中国第一历史档案馆 目录查询. 2020-12-11. www.lsdag.com.
  10. Book: "Genealogy of the Aisin Gioro clan", part 4. 1942.