Imperial Edict by Emperor Yongzheng on Installing Lady Ula Nara as the Empress Consort
On the 22nd of the 12th month of his first-year reign, Emperor Yongzheng installed Princess Consort Ula Nara as the empress consort. “As per the Empress Dowager’s merciful bidding,” messengers were sent to announce the investiture of Princely Lady Nian (1696-1725) as the Honored Consort, Lady Li as Consort Qi, Gege Qian as Consort Xi, Lady Song as Concubine Yu, and Lady Di as Concubine Mao. Lady Nian was the daughter of a governor named Nian Xialing (?-1727) and sister of Nian Gengyao (1679-1726). She gave birth to three sons and a daughter, who all died prematurely. She fell seriously ill in 1725 and was conferred the title of Imperial Honored Consort (huangguifei). One month after Lady Nian’s death, her brother, Nian Gengyao, was charged with several crimes and sentenced to death. Also, both the “instalment of Gege Qian as Consort Xi” and the “instalment of Gege Niohuru” as recorded in the Veritable Records of Qing (Qing Shilu) referred to Emperor Qianlong’s biological mother, Empress Xiaoshengxian. The change of family name from Qian to Niohuru was intended to elevate the status of the emperor’s mother.
- Item No.
- 163537
- Period
- 1723
- Dimensions
- 27x12 cm
- Materials
- paper
- Notes
- 延伸閱讀：甄嬛是真是假？乾隆的生母是誰？
