Wanzhen (13 September 1841 – 17 June 1896), 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 ...

Bordered Yellow Banner The Bordered Yellow Banner () was one of the Eight Banners of Manchu people, Manchu military and society during the Later Jin (1616–1636), Later Jin and Qing dynasty of China. The Bordered Yellow Banner was one of three "upper" banner armies u ...

Yehe Nara clan The Yehe Nara clan (, ) is one of the main branches of the Nara clan of Manchu people, Manchu origin. It is the family surname of the (chieftains) of the Yehe tribe of the Haixi Jurchens. The clan's progenitor was a Mongols, Mongol named Singgen ...

, was a consort of Yixuan. She was one year his junior and the younger sister of Empress Cixi and the mother of Emperor Guangxu.

Life

Family background

* Father: Huizheng (; 1805–1853), held the title of a third class duke () ** Paternal grandfather: Jingrui () ** Paternal grandmother: Lady

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 ...

* Mother: Lady Fuca ** Maternal grandfather: Huixian () * Three brothers ** Second younger brother: Guixiang (; 1849–1913), served as first rank military official (), and held the title of a third class duke (), the father of Empress Xiaodingjing (1868–1913) * One elder sister ** First elder sister: Xingzhen (杏贞) (1835–1908), the mother 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 ...

(1856–1875)

Daoguang era

The future primary consort was born on the 28th day of the seventh lunar month in the 21st 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 13 September 1841 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 Yehe Nara's elder sister, the future

Empress Dowager Cixi Empress Dowager Cixi ( ; 29 November 1835 – 15 November 1908) was a Manchu noblewoman of the Yehe Nara clan who effectively but periodically controlled the Chinese government in the late Qing dynasty as empress dowager and regent for almost 50 ...

, 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 ...

and became a consort of the Xianfeng Emperor. By 1857, this lady was styled "Noble Consort Yi". Wishing to strengthen familial ties within the ruling

Aisin Gioro The House of Aisin-Gioro is a Manchu clan that ruled the Later Jin dynasty (1616–1636), the Qing dynasty (1636–1912), and Manchukuo (1932–1945) in the history of China. Under the Ming dynasty, members of the Aisin Gioro clan served as chie ...

clan by having an imperial prince as her brother-in-law, Noble Consort Yi recommended her younger sister as a spouse for Yixuan, the Xianfeng Emperor's younger half-brother. The marriage took place in 1860.

Tongzhi era

Following the Xianfeng Emperor's death on 22 August 1861, Noble Consort Yi'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 ...

, was enthroned as the Tongzhi Emperor, with his mother and stepmother,

Empress Dowager Ci'an Empress Xiaozhenxian (12 August 1837 – 8 April 1881), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Niohuru clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and empress consort of Yizhu, the Xianfeng Emperor. She was empress consort of Qing from ...

, serving as his regents. Lady Yehe Nara gave birth on 4 February 1865 to Yixuan's first son, Zaihan, who would die prematurely on 9 December 1866, and on 14 August 1871 to his second son, Zaitian.

Guangxu era

Following the Tongzhi Emperor's death on 12 January 1875, Zaitian was chosen by the two empress dowagers to be the Tongzhi Emperor's successor and was enthroned as the Guangxu Emperor. Lady Yehe Nara gave birth on 13 February 1875 to Yixuan's third son, who would die prematurely on 14 February 1875, and on 27 November 1880 to his fourth son, Zaiguang, who would die prematurely on 18 May 1884. Lady Yehe Nara was widowed on 1 January 1891. Yixuan's fifth son, Zaifeng, inherited his father's peerage. Lady Yehe Nara died on 17 June 1896. In his memoirs,

Puyi Puyi (7 February 190617 October 1967) was the final emperor of China, reigning as the eleventh monarch of the Qing dynasty from 1908 to 1912. When the Guangxu Emperor died without an heir, Empress Dowager Cixi picked his nephew Puyi, aged tw ...

, the Last Emperor and Zaifeng's son, described Lady Yehe Nara as a fairly abusive woman, who terrorised her servants, children and stepchildren alike, and noted that at least one of her sons died of

malnutrition Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients which adversely affects the body's tissues a ...

. Empress Dowager Cixi also recalled that when the Guangxu Emperor was brought to the Forbidden City for his coronation, "he was a very sickly child, and could hardly walk, he was so thin and weak. His parents seemed to be afraid of giving him anything to eat."Der Ling (1929), p. 252.

Titles

* During the reign of the

(r. 1820–1850): ** Lady Yehe Nara (from 13 September 1841) * During the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor (r. 1850–1861): ** Primary consort (; from 1860)

Issue

* As primary consort: ** Zaihan (; 4 February 1865 – 9 December 1866), Yixuan's first son ** Zaitian (; 14 August 1871 – 14 November 1908), Yixuan's second son, enthroned on 25 February 1875 as 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 ...

** Yixuan's third son (13 February 1875 – 14 February 1875) ** Zaiguang (; 27 November 1880 – 18 May 1884), Yixuan's fourth son ** Daughter (died early)

Notes

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wanzhen 1841 births 1896 deaths Qing dynasty imperial consorts Qing dynasty princesses consorts People from Beijing Mothers of Chinese emperors