Empress Xiaoyichun

Empress Xiaoyichun
Empress Consort of the Qing Dynasty
Tenure None
(Elevated posthumously)
Predecessor Ulanara, the Step Empress
Successor Empress Xiaoshurui
Burial 19 November 1775
Yuling Mausoleum, Hebei, China
Spouse Qianlong Emperor
Issue Kurun Princess Hejing
Yonglu
Heshuo Princess Heke
Jiaqing Emperor
Qianlong Emperor's 16th son
Yonglin
Posthumous name
Empress Xiaoyi Gongshun Kangyu Ciren Duanke Minzhe Yitian Yusheng Chun
(孝儀恭順康裕慈仁端恪敏哲翼天毓聖純皇后)
Father Wei Qingtai
Empress Xiaoyichun
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 孝儀純皇后
Simplified Chinese 孝仪纯皇后
Lady Weigiya
Chinese 魏佳氏
Manchu name
Manchu script ᡥᡳᠶᠣᠣᡧᡠᠩᡤᠠ ᠶᠣᠩᠰᠣᠩᡤᠣ ᠶᠣᠩᡴᡳᠶᠠᡥᠠ ᡥᡡᠸᠠᠩᡥᡝᠣ
Romanization hiyoošungga yongsonggo yongkiyaha hūwangheo

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

Biography

Empress Xiaoyichun was a Han bannerwoman by birth. 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, and her family was transferred from the Han Banners to the Manchu Banners.

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 Noble 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 Noble Consort Ling (令貴妃) on 4 February 1760. On 28 July 1765 she was granted the title of Imperial Noble 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 Noble 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:

Posthumous title

Empress Xiaoyichun's full posthumous title is:

Remaining portraits

Modern references

Empress Xiaoyichun is portrayed by Zhao Lijuan (Juanzi) in the television dramas My Fair Princess (1998-1999) and by Chen Li in My Fair Princess III (2003), based on a novel series by Chiung Yao. She is referred to as Consort Ling in the dramas.

See also

References

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