Empress Xiaoshurui

Empress Xiaoshurui
Empress consort of the Qing dynasty
Tenure	12 February 1796 – 5 March 1797
Predecessor	Empress Nara
Successor	Empress Xiaoherui
Born	(1760-10-02)2 October 1760 (乾いぬい隆たかし二に十じゅう五ご年ねん 八はち月がつ 二に十じゅう四よん日にち)
Died	5 March 1797(1797-03-05) (aged 36) (嘉よしみ慶けい二に年ねん 二に月がつ 七なな日にち) Forbidden City, Beijing
Burial	Chang Mausoleum, Western Qing tombs
Spouse	Jiaqing Emperor ​ ​ (m. 1774⁠–⁠1797)​
Issue	Second daughter Daoguang Emperor Princess Zhuangjing of the First Rank
Posthumous name Empress Xiaoshu Duanhe Renzhuang Ciyi Dunyu Zhaosu Guangtian Yousheng Rui (孝こう淑よし端はし和仁わに莊そう慈懿敦あつし裕昭ひろあき肅光天佑てんゆう聖きよし睿皇后こうごう)
House	Hitara (喜き塔とう臘)
Father	He'erjing'e (和爾わに經けい額がく)
Mother	Lady Wanggiya

Empress Xiaoshurui
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	孝こう淑よし睿皇后こうごう
Simplified Chinese	孝こう淑よし睿皇后こうごう
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xiàoshūruì Huánghòu
Manchu name
Manchu script	ᡥᡳᠶᠣᠣᡧᡠᠩᡤᠠ ᠨᡝᠮᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨ ᠰᡠᠩᡤᡳᠶᡝᠨ ᡥᡡᠸᠠᠩᡥᡝᠣ
Romanization	hiyoošungga nemgiyan sunggiyen hūwangheo

Empress Xiaoshurui (孝こう淑よし睿皇后こうごう), of the Manchu Plain White Banner Hitara clan (喜き塔とう臘氏) was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and first empress consort of Yongyan, the Jiaqing Emperor. She was empress consort of Qing from 1796 until her death in 1797, having been empress for barely a year.

Life

Family background

Empress Xiaoshurui's personal name was not recorded in history.

• Father: He'erjing'e (和爾わに經けい額がく), served as a second rank literary official (總そう管かん) in the Imperial Household Department and a second rank military official (副ふく都みやこ統みつる), and held the title of a third class duke (三さん等とう公おおやけ)
  • Paternal grandfather: Chang'an (常安つねやす)
  • Paternal grandmother: Lady Ligiya
• Mother: Lady Wanggiya
• One elder brother and one younger brother

Qianlong era

The future Empress Xiaoshurui was born on the 24th day of the eighth lunar month in the 25th year of the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, which translates to 2 October 1760 in the Gregorian calendar.

On 5 June 1774, Lady Hitara married Yongyan, the 15th son of the Qianlong Emperor, and became his primary consort. She gave birth on 2 June 1780 to his second daughter, who would die prematurely on 6 September 1783, on 16 September 1782 to his second son, Minning, and on 20 October 1784 to his fourth daughter, Princess Zhuangjing of the First Rank. According to Qing dynasty imperial medical records, Empress Xiaoshurui was of good health.

Jiaqing era

On 9 February 1796, the Qianlong Emperor abdicated in favour of Yongyan and became a Retired Emperor, while Yongyan was enthroned as the Jiaqing Emperor. On 12 February 1796, Lady Hitara, as the emperor's primary consort, was instated as empress consort. The Empress died of illness on 5 March 1797, having been empress for barely a year.

Daoguang era

The Jiaqing Emperor died on 2 September 1820 and was succeeded by Minning, who was enthroned as the Daoguang Emperor. In April or May 1821, he honoured his mother with the posthumous title "Empress Xiaoshurui".

Titles

• During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735–1796):
  • Lady Hitara (from 2 October 1760)
  • Primary consort (嫡福晉すすむ; from 5 June 1774)
• During the reign of the Jiaqing Emperor (r. 1796–1820):
  • Empress (皇后こうごう; from 12 February 1796)
  • Empress Xiaoshu (孝こう淑よし皇后こうごう; from May/June 1797)
• During the reign of the Daoguang Emperor (r. 1820–1850):
  • Empress Xiaoshurui (孝こう淑よし睿皇后こうごう; from April/May 1821)

Issue

• As primary consort:
  • The Jiaqing Emperor's second daughter (2 June 1780 – 6 September 1783)
  • Minning (旻みん寧やすし; 16 September 1782 – 26 February 1850), the Jiaqing Emperor's second son, enthroned on 3 October 1820 as the Daoguang Emperor
  • Princess Zhuangjing of the First Rank (莊そう靜しずか固かた倫りん公主こうしゅ; 20 October 1784 – 27 June 1811), the Jiaqing Emperor's fourth daughter
    • Married Manibadala (瑪尼巴ともえ達たち喇; d. 1832) of the Tumed Borjigit clan in November/December 1802
  • Miscarriage at three months (18 August 1785)

In fiction and popular culture

• Portrayed by Yuen Yi-ling in The Rise and Fall of Qing Dynasty (1988)
• Portrayed by Natalie Wong in Wars of In-laws (2005)
• Portrayed by Sarah Song in Curse of the Royal Harem (2011)
• Portrayed by Jess Sum in Succession War (2018)

See also

• Ranks of imperial consorts in China § Qing
• Royal and noble ranks of the Qing dynasty

References

• Zhao, Erxun (1928). Draft History of Qing (Qing Shi Gao) (in Chinese).