Concubine Cheng (died 29 May 1784), of the
Manchu
The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic peoples, Tungusic East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized Ethnic minorities in China, ethnic minority in China and the people from wh ...
Plain Red Banner Niohuru
The Niohuru (Manchu: ; in Manchu) were a prominent Manchu clan during the Qing dynasty. The clan had inhabited the Changbai Mountains since as early as the Liao dynasty. The clan was well known during the Qing dynasty for producing a variety ...
clan, was a consort of
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, personal name Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of China, emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China pr ...
.
Life
Family background
Concubine Cheng was a member of
Manchu
The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic peoples, Tungusic East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized Ethnic minorities in China, ethnic minority in China and the people from wh ...
Plain Red Banner Niohuru
The Niohuru (Manchu: ; in Manchu) were a prominent Manchu clan during the Qing dynasty. The clan had inhabited the Changbai Mountains since as early as the Liao dynasty. The clan was well known during the Qing dynasty for producing a variety ...
clan.
* Father: Mukedeng (穆克登), a second class imperial guard and a commander of Niru ()
** Paternal grandfather: A'ersong'a (阿尔松阿),
Alingga's son and
Ebilun
Ebilun (Manchu:, Möllendorff: ebilun; ; died 1673) was a Manchu noble and warrior of the Niohuru clan, most famous for being one of the Four Regents assisting the young Kangxi Emperor from 1661 to 1667, during the early Qing dynasty (1644– ...
's grandson, held a title of second-class duke (二等公)
Qianlong era
Lady Niohuru entered the Forbidden City as "Noble Lady Lan" (; "lan" meaning "orchid") in 1757. Her residence in the
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City () is the Chinese Empire, imperial Chinese palace, palace complex in the center of the Imperial City, Beijing, Imperial City in Beijing, China. It was the residence of 24 Ming dynasty, Ming and Qing dynasty, Qing dynasty L ...
was Yongshou palace. She lived under the supervision of
Consort Shu. In 1759, Lady Niohuru punished a eunuch who stole her clothes and sold them; a common practice in the Imperial Palace. The servant was exiled to Ningguta. After the incident, she was demoted to "First Class Female Attendant Lan" (). In 1768, she was restored as "Noble Lady Lan". In 1777, Lady Niohuru was promoted to "Concubine Cheng" (; "cheng" meaning "sincere"), but the ceremony was delayed until 1779 because of the mourning period after
Empress Xiaoshengxian
Empress Xiaoshengxian (12 January 1692 – 2 March 1777), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Niohuru clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the consort of Yinzhen, the Yongzheng Emperor and mother of Hongli, the Qianlong Emperor. She was ...
. She began to live together with
Noble Lady Shun. Concubine Cheng died on 29 May 1784 during
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, personal name Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of China, emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China pr ...
's southern tour.
She was interred in Yu mausoleum in the
Eastern Qing tombs.
Titles
* During the reign of the
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, personal name Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of China, emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China pr ...
(r. 1735–1796):
** Lady Niohuru (from unknown date)
** Noble Lady Lan (; from 1757), sixth rank consort
** First Class Female Attendant Lan (; from 1758), seventh rank consort
** Noble Lady Lan (; from 1768), sixth rank consort
** Concubine Cheng (; from 1777), fifth rank consort
See also
*
*
Royal and noble ranks of the Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty (1644–1912) of China developed a complicated peerage system for royal and noble ranks.
Rule of inheritance
In principle, titles were downgraded one grade for each generation of inheritance.
* Direct imperial princes wit ...
References
{{reflist
1784 deaths
18th-century Chinese women
Consorts of the Qianlong Emperor