Concubine Yu (; 20 December 1816 – 24 September 1897), of the

Han Chinese The Han Chinese, alternatively the Han people, are an East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to Greater China. With a global population of over 1.4 billion, the Han Chinese are the list of contemporary ethnic groups, world's la ...

Plain White Banner The Plain White Banner () was one of the Eight Banners of Manchu military and society during the Later Jin and Qing dynasty of China. It was one of the three "upper" banners (Plain Yellow Banner, Bordered Yellow Banner, and Plain White Banner) d ...

Shang clan, was a consort of

Daoguang Emperor The Daoguang Emperor (16 September 1782 – 26 February 1850), also known by his temple name Emperor Xuanzong of Qing, personal name Mianning, was the seventh List of emperors of the Qing dynasty, emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the sixth Qing e ...

Life

Family background

Concubine Yu was a member of

Shang clan. * Father: Ruqing (如慶) ** Paternal grandfather: Fuhai (福海) ** Paternal grandmother: Lady Uya, a grand niece of

Empress Xiaogongren Empress Xiaogongren (28 April 1660 – 25 June 1723), of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Uya clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the consort of Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor and mother of Yinzhen, the Yongzheng Emperor. She was honoured as Em ...

* One younger brother: Yingqi (英启)

Jiaqing era

The future Concubine Yu was born on 20 December 1816.

Daoguang era

Lady Shang entered 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 ...

in 1834, and was given the title of "First Class Female Attendant Ling" (玲常在). She lived in Yanxi palace together with

Noble Consort Cheng Noble Consort Cheng (; 10 March 1813 – 10 May 1888), of the Plain Red Banner Niohuru clan, was a consort of Daoguang Emperor. Life Family background Noble Consort Cheng's personal name wasn't recorded in history. Her family belonged to the ...

and Concubine Tian. In 1839, her palace maid Daniu was beaten forty times for stealing white silk satin. The palace maid also received a corporal punishment from her mistress for killing her cat. Later, Daniu was punished for stepping into a plate in 1840. That same year, lady Shang was demoted to "Second Class Female Attendant Shang" (尚答应). On 21 August 1845, the Palace of Prolonging Happiness burnt down, causing her to move out to Chuxiu palace.

Xianfeng era

In 1850, Lady Shang was restored as "First Class Female Attendant Shang" (尚常在). In 1860, she was rewarded during the celebration of

Chinese New Year Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival (see also #Names, § Names), is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of the most important holi ...

together with dowager concubines. Unlike

Imperial Noble Consort Zhuangshun Imperial Noble Consort Zhuangshun (29 November 1822 – 13 December 1866), of the Manchu Uya clan, was a consort of the Daoguang Emperor. She was 40 years his junior. She was the paternal grandmother of the Guangxu Emperor and the great grandmo ...

Noble Consort Jia Noble Consort Jia (; 21 November 1816 - 24 May 1890), of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Gogiya clan, was a consort of the Daoguang Emperor. Life Family background Noble Consort Jia was a member of Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Gogiya clan. H ...

, Consort Xiang, and First Attendant Cai, she was left in the Forbidden City.

Tongzhi era

In 1861, Lady Shang was promoted to "Noble Lady Shang" (尚貴人).

Guangxu era

In 1874, Lady Shang was promoted to "Concubine Yu" (豫嫔; "yu" meaning “comfortable"). Concubine Yu died on 24 September 1897 at the age of eighty-one. She was longest living consort of the

. Her coffin was interred at Mu Mausoleum of the Western Qing tombs.

Titles

* During the reign of the

Jiaqing Emperor The Jiaqing Emperor (13 November 1760 – 2 September 1820), also known by his temple name Emperor Renzong of Qing, personal name Yongyan, was the sixth emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fifth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. He was ...

(r. 1796–1820): ** Lady Shang (from 20 December 1816) * During the reign of the

(r. 1820–1850): ** First Class Female Attendant Ling (; from 1834), seventh rank consort ** Second Class Female Attendant Shang (; from 1840), eighth rank consort * During the reign of the

Xianfeng Emperor The Xianfeng Emperor (17 July 1831 – 22 August 1861), also known by his temple name Emperor Wenzong of Qing, personal name Yizhu, was the eighth emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China proper. During his re ...

(r. 1850–1861): ** First Class Female Attendant Shang (; from 1850), seventh rank consort * During the reign of the

Tongzhi Emperor The Tongzhi Emperor (27 April 1856 – 12 January 1875), also known by his temple name Emperor Muzong of Qing, personal name Zaichun, was the ninth emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. His reign, w ...

(r. 1861–1875): ** Noble Lady Shang (; from 1861), sixth rank consort * During the reign of the

Guangxu Emperor The Guangxu Emperor (14 August 1871 – 14 November 1908), also known by his temple name Emperor Dezong of Qing, personal name Zaitian, was the tenth Emperor of China, emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China ...

(r. 1875–1908): ** Concubine Yu (; from 1874), fifth rank consort

References

{{Reflist 1816 births 1897 deaths Consorts of the Daoguang Emperor 19th-century Chinese women