Noble Consort Yu (Tongzhi)

Noble Consort Yu
Noble Consort Yu
Traditional Chinese	獻哲皇貴妃
Simplified Chinese	献哲皇贵妃
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Xiànzhé Huángguìfēi

Posthumous name
	Imperial Noble Consort Xianzhe; (獻哲皇貴妃)

Imperial Noble Consort Xianzhe
Imperial Noble Consort Xianzhe
Born	2 July 1856; (咸豐六年六月一日)
Died	3 February 1932 (aged 75)
Burial	Hui Mausoleum, Eastern Qing tombs
Spouse	Tongzhi Emperor (m. 1872; died 1875)
Posthumous name
Posthumous name
	Imperial Noble Consort Xianzhe; (獻哲皇貴妃)
House	Hešeri (赫舍裡; by birth); Aisin Gioro (by marriage)

Imperial Noble Consort Xianzhe (2 July 1856 – 3 February 1932), of the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner Hešeri clan, was a consort of the Tongzhi Emperor.

Life

Family background

Imperial Noble Consort Xianzhe's personal name was not recorded in history.

Father: Chongling (崇齡), served as the Prefect of Chaozhou
- Paternal grandfather: Shuxingga (舒興阿)， general of Ili
One sister: wife of Zaiying who is the second son of Prince Gong

Xianfeng era

The future Imperial Noble Consort Xianzhe was born on the first day of the sixth lunar month in the sixth year of the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor, which translates to 2 July 1856 in the Gregorian calendar.

Lady Hešeri was gifted with beautiful looks and literary skills.

Tongzhi era

In November 1872, Lady Hešeri entered the Forbidden City was granted the title "Concubine Yu" by the Tongzhi Emperor. She was deeply favoured by the emperor's mother, Empress Dowager Cixi. On 23 December 1874, Lady Hešeri was elevated to "Consort Yu". Due to her skills, she enjoyed Empress Dowager's Cixi favour. Her residence in the Forbidden City was Palace of Great Benevolence (景仁宮).

Guangxu era

The Tongzhi Emperor died on 12 January 1875 and was succeeded by his cousin Zaitian, who was enthroned as the Guangxu Emperor. On 29 May 1895, Lady Hešeri was elevated to "Noble Consort Yu".

In 1900, when the forces of the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing, Empress Dowager Cixi and the Guangxu Emperor fled from Beijing and left Lady Hešeri and other consorts behind. As Imperial Noble Consort Dunyi Rongqing, the most senior among the Tongzhi Emperor's surviving consorts, was in poor health, Lady Hešeri covered her duties for her and took charge of the imperial palace in the Guangxu Emperor's absence.

Xuantong era

With consort dowagers, third from right

The Guangxu Emperor died on 14 November 1908 and was succeeded by his nephew Puyi, who was enthroned as the Xuantong Emperor. On 18 November 1908, Lady Hešeri was elevated to "Dowager Imperial Noble Consort Yu".

Republican era

After the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912, Puyi and members of the imperial clan were allowed to retain their noble titles and continue living in the Forbidden City. On 12 March 1913, Puyi honoured Lady Hešeri with the title "Dowager Imperial Noble Consort Jingyi".

Lady Hešeri was known for her assertive character and fiery temperament, and she did not get along well with the Guangxu Emperor's empress consort, Empress Dowager Longyu. After Empress Dowager Longyu's death, she raised Puyi, who was still a child then, and attempted to take the position of Empress Dowager on the grounds that she was now Puyi's legal mother. However, she was denied permission by Yuan Shikai. After Puyi was forced to leave the Forbidden City on 21 November 1924, Lady Hešeri also followed suit.

Lady Hešeri died of illness on 3 February 1932. A grand funeral was held for her on 23 February 1932, with thousands of people attending. The Beiyang government even had to send police and security forces to maintain order and crowd control. Puyi granted her the posthumous title "Imperial Noble Consort Xianzhe". On 14 March 1935, she was interred in the Hui Mausoleum of the Eastern Qing tombs.

Titles

During the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor (r. 1850–1861):
- Lady Hešeri (赫舍裡施; from 2 July 1856)
During the reign of the Tongzhi Emperor (r. 1861–1875):
- Concubine Yu (瑜嬪; from November 1872^[1]), fifth rank consort
- Consort Yu (瑜妃; from 23 December 1874^[2]), fourth rank consort
During the reign of the Guangxu Emperor (r. 1875–1908):
- Noble Consort Yu (瑜貴妃; from 29 May 1895^[3]), third rank consort
During the reign of the Xuantong Emperor (r. 1908–1912):
- Imperial Noble Consort Yu (瑜皇貴妃; from 18 November 1908^[4]), second rank consort
During the years of the Republic of China (1912–1949):
- Imperial Noble Consort Jingyi (敬懿皇貴妃; from 12 March 1913)
- Imperial Noble Consort Xianzhe (獻哲皇貴妃; from 1932)

In fiction and popular culture

Portrayed by Xing Jun in Princess Der Ling (2006)
Portrayed by Amy Fan in The Last Healer in Forbidden City (2016)

Notes

^ 同治十一年十月
^ 同治十三年十一月十五日
^ 光緒二十一年五月六日
^ 光緒三十四年十月二十五日

References

Holdsworth, May; Courtauld, Caroline (2008). Forbidden City: The Great Within (Illustrated, reprint ed.). Odyssey. ISBN 978-9622177925.
Zhao, Erxun (1928). Draft History of Qing (Qing Shi Gao) (in Chinese). Vol. 214.

[1] 同治十一年十月

[2] 同治十三年十一月十五日

[3] 光緒二十一年五月六日

[4] 光緒三十四年十月二十五日

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