Imperial Noble Consort Zhuangjing (2 April 1837 – 26 December 1890), 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 Tatara clan, was a consort of the Xianfeng Emperor. She was six years his junior.

Life

Family background

Imperial Noble Consort Zhuangjing's personal name was not recorded in history. * Father: Qinghai (), served as a sixth rank literary official ()

Daoguang era

The future Imperial Noble Consort Zhuangjing was born on the 27th day of the second lunar month in the 17th year of the reign of the

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 ...

, which translates to 2 April 1837 in the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian cale ...

Xianfeng era

On 26 June 1852, Lady Tatara entered the Forbidden City and was granted the title "Noble Lady Li" by the Xianfeng Emperor. During Lady Tatara's time as a consort of the Xianfeng Emperor, she was said to be the most beautiful woman in the Imperial City and was bestowed with a natural grace and allure. Written descriptions about the beauty of Lady Tatara are among the most illustrious and elaborate of Qing dynasty historical texts; they somewhat differ from the passive mentions of beauty and virtue in descriptions of other Qing dynasty imperial consorts and better resemble vivid descriptions of beauties in the historical records of earlier

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 ...

-led dynasties. On 10 February 1855, Lady Tatara was elevated to "Concubine Li". On 20 June 1855, she gave birth to the emperor's only daughter, Princess Rong'an of the First Rank. Due to the emperor's intense and near monopolic love for her, their daughter was made a first rank princess against tradition. According to Qing dynasty imperial regulations, only the daughters of empresses were qualified to be first rank princesses; all other daughters of the emperor were to be second rank princesses. On 4 February 1856, Lady Tatara was elevated to "Consort Li". It is said that Lady Tatara was the Xianfeng Emperor's favourite and most charming consort, and that he spent most of his nights with her. On the other hand, Lady Yehe Nara, another of the emperor's consorts, only caught the emperor's attention during and after Lady Tatara's pregnancy. This was because the emperor was not allowed to have sexual relations with Lady Tatara in the 100 days after she gave birth. In 1860, Lady Tatara fled with the Xianfeng Emperor, his

empress consort A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but historically she does not formally ...

, and other consorts to

Rehe Province Rehe, previously romanized as Jehol, was a former Chinese special administrative region and province centered on the city of Rehe, now known as Chengde. Administration Rehe was north of the Great Wall and east of Mongolia in southwestern M ...

when Anglo-French forces closed in on

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

during the

Second Opium War The Second Opium War (), also known as the Second Anglo-Chinese War or ''Arrow'' War, was fought between the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and the United States against the Qing dynasty of China between 1856 and 1860. It was the second major ...

Tongzhi era

The Xianfeng Emperor died on 22 August 1861 and was succeeded by Lady Yehe Nara's son,

Zaichun 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, whi ...

, who was enthroned as the Tongzhi Emperor. Because Lady Tatara had served the Xianfeng Emperor for many years, and was widely acknowledged as the emperor's favourite consort, she was elevated to " “Imperial Noble Consort Dowager Li". During this time, she lived in the Palace of Eternal Harmony (永和宮) in the eastern part of the Forbidden City.

Guangxu era

The Tongzhi Emperor died on 12 January 1875 and was succeeded by his cousin Zaitian, who was enthroned as the Guangxu Emperor. Lady Tatara's daughter died on 5 February 1875 after suffering a miscarriage upon hearing news of the death of her brother (the Tongzhi Emperor). Official histories recorded that Lady Tatara was often sick and she died from illness on 26 December 1890. The Guangxu Emperor ordered members of the imperial clan and officials to wear mourning garments for a day. In 1893, Lady Tatara was buried in the Ding Mausoleum of the Eastern Qing tombs, alongside Noble Consort Wen, who died seven days before her. She was granted the posthumous title "Imperial Noble Consort Zhuangjing".

Titles

* During the reign of the

(r. 1820–1850): ** Lady Tatara (from 2 April 1837) * During the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor (r. 1850–1861): ** Noble Lady Li (; from 26 June 1852), sixth rank consort ** Concubine Li (; from 10 February 1855), fifth rank consort ** Consort Li (; from 4 February 1856), fourth 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): ** Imperial Noble Consort Dowager Li (; from 12 November 1861咸豐十一年十月十一日), second 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): ** ''Imperial Noble Consort Zhuangjing'' (; from 1890)

Issue

* As Concubine Li: ** Princess Rong'an of the First Rank (; 20 June 1855 – 5 February 1875), the Xianfeng Emperor's first daughter *** Married Fuzhen (d. 1909) of the Manchu

Gūwalgiya Gūwalgiya was one of the most powerful Manchu clans. It is often listed by historians as the first of the eight prominent Manchu clans of the Qing dynasty. After the demise of the dynasty, some of its descendants sinicized their clan name to th ...

clan in September/October 1873

In fiction and popular culture

* Portrayed by Chow Kit in '' The Burning of Imperial Palace'' (1983) and '' Reign Behind a Curtain'' (1983) * Portrayed by Bai Qinglin in '' Sigh of His Highness'' (2006)

Notes

References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Zhuangjing, Imperial Noble Consort 1837 births 1890 deaths Consorts of the Xianfeng Emperor Manchu nobility