Empress Xiaoyichun was the third Empress of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. She was sixteen years younger than Emperor Qianlong.[1] While she was not appointed Empress during her lifetime, she was posthumously made an Empress because her son was Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty.[2] Empress Xiaoyichun was originally a palace maid and became one of Emperor Qianlong’s favourites.[3] Within a span of a few short years, she rose up the ranks from a lowly-ranked concubine to a high-ranked Consort.[4] Thus, Empress Xiaoyichun enjoyed a life of wealth and privilege.
On 23 October 1727, Empress Xiaoyichun was born. Her personal name is unknown.[5] She was of Han descent, but her father had a Manchu name.[6] Her father was Wei Qingtai, a fifth-ranked official responsible for the inner court’s food and clothing.[7] Thus, they were from a middle-class family.[8] Her mother was Lady Yanggiya. She had two brothers.
It is unknown when Lady Wei entered the palace to become a palace maid.[9] She happened to catch Emperor Qianlong’s eye.[10] In 1745, she was given the title of Noble Lady.[11] On 9 December 1745, she was made an imperial concubine, and her name was changed to Ling.[12] On 20 May 1749, she was promoted to Consort Ling.[13] Therefore, within a span of four years, Consort Ling moved from a lowly concubine to a high-ranked Consort.[14] She still did not give him any children during her promotions.[15] After she was made Consort Ling, she gave birth to three sons named Prince Yonglu, Prince Yongyan (the future Emperor Jiaqing), and Prince Yonglin (who became Prince Qing of the First Rank).[16] She had an additional miscarriage, and she also gave birth to an unnamed son who died in infancy.[17] Consort Ling also bore two daughters named Princess Hejing and Princess Heke.[18] Thus, Consort Ling gave him six children within ten years of her promotion.
Consort Ling continued to have a loving relationship with Emperor Qianlong.[19] On 3 February 1760, she was given the title of Noble Consort Ling.[20] Emperor Qianlong wrote several poems for her.[21] She even accompanied him on his Southern tours in China.[22] On a certain tour, Emperor Qianlong sent his second Empress, Ulanara, back to the Forbidden City because of her erratic behaviour.[23] After Empress Ulanara died, Noble Consort Ling was promoted to Imperial Noble Consort. She managed the affairs of the six palaces.[24] This made her the second most powerful woman in China after Empress Xiaoshengxian.[25] Emperor Qianlong did not make her Empress in her lifetime.[26]
On 9 February 1775, Imperial Noble Consort Ling’s eldest daughter, Princess Heijing, died. Imperial Noble Consort Ling fell ill after her daughter’s death. On 28 February 1775, Imperial Noble Consort Ling died at the age of forty-seven. She was buried next to Emperor Qianlong in Yu Mausoleum at the Eastern Qing Tombs.[27] She was posthumously elevated to the rank of Empress.[28] Her posthumous name was Empress Xiaoyichun. Her son, Prince Yongyan, ascended the throne as Emperor Jiaqing in 1796.[29]
In 1928, the Yu Mausoleum was destroyed and ransacked.[30] Emperor Puyi sent someone to clean up the tomb.[31] The person who discovered Empress Xiaoyichun’s body found that it was very well preserved and had not decomposed.[32] This has puzzled experts for decades.[33] Recently, experts have finally discovered the reason.[34] They found a lot of cinnabar in her body.[35] Cinnabar was often used as a sleep medicine.[36] Empress Xiaoyichun must have been using cinnabar as a sleep medication before she died.[37] Thus, experts have discovered that it was cinnabar that ultimately killed her.[38]
Empress Xiaoyichun was truly a remarkable woman. She was able to climb the ranks very quickly.[39] She bore Emperor Qianlong six children within ten years.[40] She was the most powerful woman in China after Empress Xiaoshengxian.[41] Her son, Prince Yongyan, succeeded Emperor Qianlong as Emperor Jiaqing. Thus, she continued to have Emperor Qianlong’s love and respect for twenty years.[42] Empress Xiaoyichun is played by Wu Jingyan in the popular Chinese drama, Story of Yanxi Palace. She is also portrayed by Chun Li in the highly acclaimed Chinese drama, Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace.
Sources:
iMedia. (n.d.). “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”. Retrieved on 23 October 2023 from https://inf.news/en/history/d9749c0fd4d1bb3e72c1394f89ccc795.html.
iNews. (n.d.). “Consort Ling gave birth to 6 children in a row for ten years. After 100 years, her body was dug up, and people knew her true cause of death.”. Retrieved on 23 October 2023 from https://inf.news/ne/history/873a50e4382c9d65d45f2cebf5868cab.html.
iNews. (n.d.). “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death”. Retrieved on 23 October 2023 from https://inf.news/en/history/d03f222cbffb6b3fd8d13859b437e155.html.
iNews. (n.d.). “What’s so good about Consort Ling, which has been favoured by Qianlong for 20 years”. Retrieved on 23 October 2023 from https://inf.news/en/history/d9749c0fd4d1bb3e72c1394f89ccc795.html.
Shanpu, Yu, et al. “Empress Ula Nara.” Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: v. 1: The Qing Period, 1644-1911. (L. X. H. L., et al., Ed.) Routledge, 2015, pp. 356–358.
Song, G. (2022). Televising Chineseness: Gender, Nation, and Subjectivity. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press.
[1] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[2] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[3] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[4] iNews, n.d., “What’s so good about Consort Ling, which has been favoured by Qianlong for 20 years”
[5] iNews, n.d., “What’s so good about Consort Ling, which has been favoured by Qianlong for 20 years”
[6] Song, 2022
[7] iNews, n.d., “Consort Ling gave birth to 6 children in a row for ten years. After 100 years, her body was dug up, and people knew her true cause of death.”
[8] iNews, n.d., “Consort Ling gave birth to 6 children in a row for ten years. After 100 years, her body was dug up, and people knew her true cause of death.”
[9] iNews, n.d., “What’s so good about Consort Ling, which has been favoured by Qianlong for 20 years”
[10] iNews, n.d., “What’s so good about Consort Ling, which has been favoured by Qianlong for 20 years”
[11] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[12] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[13] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[14] iNews, n.d., “What’s so good about Consort Ling, which has been favoured by Qianlong for 20 years”
[15] iNews, n.d., “What’s so good about Consort Ling, which has been favoured by Qianlong for 20 years”
[16] iNews, n.d., “What’s so good about Consort Ling, which has been favoured by Qianlong for 20 years”
[17] iNews, n.d., “Consort Ling gave birth to 6 children in a row for ten years. After 100 years, her body was dug up, and people knew her true cause of death.”
[18] iNews, n.d., “Consort Ling gave birth to 6 children in a row for ten years. After 100 years, her body was dug up, and people knew her true cause of death.”
[19] iNews, n.d., “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death.”
[20] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[21] iNews, n.d., “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death.”
[22] Shanpu, et al, 2015
[23] Shanpu, et al, 2015
[24] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[25] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[26] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[27] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[28] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[29] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[30] iNews, n.d., “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death.”
[31] iNews, n.d., “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death.”
[32] iNews, n.d., “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death.”
[33] iNews, n.d., “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death.”
[34] iNews, n.d., “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death.”
[35] iNews, n.d., “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death.”
[36] iNews, n.d., “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death.”
[37] iNews, n.d., “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death.”
[38] iNews, n.d., “How did Consort Ling die? 153 years later, the concubine’s bones revealed the real cause of death.”
[39] iNews, n.d., “What’s so good about Consort Ling, which has been favoured by Qianlong for 20 years”
[40] iNews, n.d., “What’s so good about Consort Ling, which has been favoured by Qianlong for 20 years”
[41] iMedia, n.d., “Did Qianlong really love Consort Ling in history?”
[42] iNews, n.d., “What’s so good about Consort Ling, which has been favoured by Qianlong for 20 years”
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