Empress Xiaoyichun

Empress Xiaoyichun
Empress Xiaoyichun
Empress Consort of the Qing Dynasty
Tenure None
(Elevated posthumously)
Predecessor Ulanara, the Step Empress
Successor Empress Xiaoshurui
Spouse Qianlong Emperor
Issue
Kurun Princess Hejing
Yonglu
Heshuo Princess Heke
Jiaqing Emperor
Qianlong Emperor's 16th son
Yonglin
Posthumous name
Empress Xiaoyigongshunkangyucirenduankeminzheyitianyushengchun
(孝儀恭順康裕慈仁端恪敏哲翼天毓聖純皇后)
Father Wei Qingtai
Born 23 October 1727
Jiangsu, China
Died 28 February 1775(1775-02-28) (aged 47)
Burial 19 November 1775
Yuling Mausoleum, Hebei, China
Empress Xiaoyichun
Traditional Chinese 孝儀純皇后
Simplified Chinese 孝仪纯皇后
Lady Weigiya
Chinese 魏佳氏

Empress Xiaoyichun (23 October 1727 – 28 February 1775) was an Empress of the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. She was also the birth mother of Qianlong's son and successor, the Jiaqing Emperor.

Contents

Biography

Empress Xiaoyichun was a Han Chinese by birth and her family name was Wei (魏) and her ancestral home was in Jiangsu. Her personal name is unknown. Her father was Wei Qingtai (魏清泰), who served as interior guanling (內管領; similar to the Japanese kanrei) in the Qing imperial court. Her family name was later changed to the Manchu clan name Weigiya (魏佳) during the reign of her son, the Jiaqing Emperor.

Lady Weigiya was originally a lady-in-waiting to the Qianlong Emperor. She became Qianlong's concubine in 1745 and was granted the rank of Honoured Lady Wei (魏貴人). She was granted the title of Imperial Concubine Ling (令嬪) on 9 December in the same year, and was subsequently promoted to Consort Ling (令妃) on 20 May 1749, and Honoured Consort Ling (令貴妃) on 4 February 1760. On 28 July 1765 she was granted the title of Imperial Honoured Consort Ling (令皇貴妃), which was second only to Empress Ulanara. Empress Ulanara died in 1766 and the Qianlong Emperor did not designate any of his consorts as the new empress. However, Lady Weigiya, who held the highest rank among all of Qianlong's concubines, was placed in charge of the imperial harem and performed the duties of an empress. She accompanied the Qianlong Emperor on his excursions to Mount Tai, Jehol and the areas south of the Yangtze River.

Lady Weigiya died on 28 February 1775 at the age of 47. On 12 March 1775 she was posthumously granted the title of Imperial Honoured Consort Lingyi (令懿皇貴妃), and on 19 November she was interred in the Yuling Mausoleum in Hebei. On 9 February 1796, the Qianlong Emperor abdicated in favour of his son Yongyan (born to Lady Weigiya) and became Retired Emperor. Yongyan ascended to the throne as the Jiaqing Emperor and granted his mother the posthumous title of Empress Xiaoyichun.

Issue

Empress Xiaoyichun bore the Qianlong Emperor four sons and two daughters. Among her children include Qianlong's successor, the Jiaqing Emperor.

Empress Xiaoyichun's children were:

  • Kurun Princess Hejing (固倫和靜公主; 10 August 1756 – 9 February 1775), the Qianlong Emperor's seventh daughter.
  • Yonglu (永璐; 31 August 1757 – 3 May 1760), the Qianlong Emperor's 14th son.
  • Heshuo Princess Heke (和碩和恪公主; 17 August 1758 – 14 December 1780), the Qianlong Emperor's ninth daughter, married Zhalantai (札蘭泰) of the Uya (烏雅) clan in September 1772.
  • Yongyan (永琰; 13 November 1760 – 2 September 1820), the Qianlong Emperor's 15th son, instated in 1789 as Prince Jia of the First Order (嘉親王), ascended to the throne on 9 February 1796 as the Jiaqing Emperor.
  • Unnamed son (13 January 1763 – 6 May 1765), the Qianlong Emperor's 16th son.
  • Yonglin (永璘; 17 June 1766 – 25 April 1820), the Qianlong Emperor's 17th son, instated as a beile (貝勒) in 1789, elevated to Prince Qing of the Second Order (慶郡王) in 1799, promoted to Prince Qing of the First Order (慶親王) in 1820.

Posthumous title

Empress Xiaoyichun's full posthumous title is:

  • Empress Xiaoyigongshunkangyucirenduankeminzheyitianyushengchun
    (孝儀恭順康裕慈仁端恪敏哲翼天毓聖純皇后)

Modern references

Empress Xiaoyichun is portrayed by Juanzi in seasons 1 and 2, and Chen Li in season 3 of the Chinese television drama Princess Pearl, which is based on a novel series by Chiung Yao. She is referred to as Consort Ling in the drama.

References

Chinese royalty
Preceded by
Ulanara, the Step Empress
Empress of China
(title granted posthumously)
Succeeded by
Empress Xiaoshurui

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