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Palace Of Universal Happiness
The Palace of Universal Happiness () is one of the six western palaces and was a residence of imperial concubines. The palace is north of the Palace of Eternal Spring, east of the Palace of Gathering Elegance and southeast of the Palace of Earthly Honour in Beijing, China. History The palace was built in 1420 as "Palace of Peaceful Longevity" () and obtained an actual name in 1535. It was renovated in 1683 and in 1897. In 1741, when court painters created the series of paintings depicting virtues of ancient imperial consorts, the palace received a painting "Consort Feng Yuan fighting with a bear" symbolising courage. Although it was mainly reserved for imperial concubines, several emperors lived there occasionally. In 1799, Jiaqing Emperor used the main hall of the palace to mourn his father, Emperor Emeritus Qianlong. In 1850, Xianfeng Emperor The Xianfeng Emperor (17 July 1831 – 22 August 1861), or by temple name Emperor Wenzong of Qing (), given name Yizhu (), wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Palace Of Eternal Spring
The Palace of Eternal Spring ( zh, 长春宫, pinyin changchungong) is one of the Six Western Palaces of the Forbidden City in Beijing, which used to be residences of imperial concubines. The palace is north of the Hall of the Supreme Principle, west of the Palace of Earthly Honour and north-west of the Palace of Eternal Longevity. History The palace was built during the Yongle era in 1420, like most of the palaces in the Forbidden City, as the Palace of Eternal Spring (corresponding with eternal youth symbolized by spring). In 1535, the name of the palace was changed to "Palace of Eternal Tranquility" (永宁宫). The palace regained its current name after the ascension of the Qing dynasty and was renovated in 1689. In 1859, the inner gate of the palace was dismantled so as to connect with the neighbouring Hall of the Supreme Principle. The most remarkable detail of the palace is a corridor painted with 18 Suzhou-style frescos depicting scenes from the "Dream of the Red Chamb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ci Xi
Empress Dowager Cixi ( ; mnc, Tsysi taiheo; formerly romanised as Empress Dowager T'zu-hsi; 29 November 1835 – 15 November 1908), of the Manchu Yehe Nara clan, was a Chinese noblewoman, concubine and later regent who effectively controlled the Chinese government in the late Qing dynasty for 47 years, from 1861 until her death in 1908. Selected as a concubine of the Xianfeng Emperor in her adolescence, she gave birth to a son, Zaichun, in 1856. After the Xianfeng Emperor's death in 1861, the young boy became the Tongzhi Emperor, and she assumed the role of co-empress dowager, alongside the Emperor's widow, Empress Dowager Ci'an. Cixi ousted a group of regents appointed by the late emperor and assumed the regency along with Ci'an, who later mysteriously died. Cixi then consolidated control over the dynasty when she installed her nephew as the Guangxu Emperor at the death of her son, the Tongzhi Emperor, in 1875. This was contrary to the traditional rules of succession of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Empress Xiaojingcheng
Empress Xiaojingcheng (19 June 1812 – 21 August 1855), of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Borjigit clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to a consort of Mianning, the Daoguang Emperor. She was honoured as Empress Dowager Kangci during the reign of her step-son, Yizhu, the Xianfeng Emperor. She was the only Qing empress dowager who was neither her husband's empress consort nor emperor's mother. Life Family background Empress Xiaojingcheng's personal name was not recorded in history. She was a Khorchin Mongol of the Plain Blue Banner by birth. * Father: Hualiang'a (), served as a fifth rank literary official () in the Ministry of Justice, and held the title of a first class duke () ** Paternal grandfather: Kunshan () * Mother: Lady Aisin Gioro ** Maternal grandfather: Yongxi (; d. 1821), held the title Prince Su of the First Rank from 1778–1821, Hooge's great great grandson ** Maternal grandmother: Lady Namdulu (那木都鲁氏), Yongxi's primary consort * One brother * On ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 Plain Red Banner. Most Qing dynasty sources doesn't ponder her family background. Jiaqing era Lady Niohuru was born on the 21st day of the 2nd lunar month of the 17th year, which translates to 10 March 1813 in the Gregorian calendar. Daoguang era Lady Niohuru entered the Forbidden City at the age of sixteen in 1828 and was bestowed a title "Noble Lady Cheng" (成贵人; "Cheng" meaning "virtuous, perfect"). She lived in the side hall of the Palace of Prolonging Happiness (延禧宫). At that time, she was rather naïve and did not adjust well to the imperial life. Noble Lady Cheng offended the Daoguang Emperor and was demoted to "First Class Female Attendant Yu" (余常在; "Yu" meaning "balanced") shortly after the entry. Her previous t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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. Life Family background Imperial Noble Consort Zhuangshun's personal name was not recorded in history. * Father: Lingshou (; 1788–1824), served as a sixth rank literary official () ** Paternal grandfather: Bailu () **Paternal grandmother: Lady Zhou (周氏) * Mother: Lady Weng (翁氏) * One younger brother: Xilin (禧霖) Daoguang era The future Imperial Noble Consort Zhuangshun was born on the 16th day of the tenth lunar month in the second year of the reign of the Daoguang Emperor, which translates to 29 November 1822 in the Gregorian calendar. In March or April 1837, Lady Uya entered the Forbidden City and was granted the title "Noble Lady Lin" by the Daoguang Emperor. On 3 December 1837, she was demoted to "First Attendant Xiu". On 31 August 1839, she was restored as "Noble Lady Lin". On 16 October 1840, s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noble Consort Tong
Noble Consort Tong (3 June 1817 – 1877), of the Manchu Šumuru clan, was a consort of the Daoguang Emperor. She was 35 years his junior. Life Very little is known about Lady Šumuru's life before she entered the Forbidden City. Family background Noble Consort Tong's personal name was not recorded in history. * Father: Yuzhang (), served as fifth rank literary official () * One sister: Wife of Fuca Heshun (和顺), a first class imperial guard Jiaqing Era Lady Šumuru was born on the 3rd day of the fourth lunar month in the twenty-first year of the reign of the Jiaqing Emperor, which translates to 3 June 1817 in the Gregorian calendar. Daoguang Era Lady Šumuru was entered the palace somewhere in 1831, at the age of fourteen or fifteen. She was given an honorary name along with her rank, "Noble Lady Mu" (睦貴人). Her residence became Xianfu palace on the west side of Forbidden City. In December 1832 or January 1833 Lady Šumuru was promoted to "Concubine Tong" (彤嬪). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Consort Chang
Consort Chang (31 December 1808 – 10 May 1860), of the Manchu Hešeri clan belonging to the Bordered Blue Banner, was a consort of the Daoguang Emperor. Life Family background Consort Chang's personal name wasn't recorded in history. She was a member of a prominent Manchu Hešeri clan belonging to the Bordered Blue Banner. Father: Ronghai (), a third rank military official * Paternal grandfather: Shanqing, a magistrate of Lizhou, Yingzhou, Huizhou * Paternal grandmother: Lady Gioro Mother: Lady Irgen Gioro * Maternal grandfather: Qiming () Two younger brothers: * First younger brother: Rushan (如山; b.1811), a jinshi of 1838 and third rank literary official in Sichuan * Second younger brother: Longshan (隆山) Two elder sisters * First elder sister: Wife of Nianchang'a (), an examiner (员外郎, pinyin: yuanwailang) of the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner * Second elder sister: Wife of Linxiang (), a second rank military official (, pinyin:zongbin) and Grand Ministe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wanli Emperor
The Wanli Emperor (; 4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620), personal name Zhu Yijun (), was the 14th Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned from 1572 to 1620. "Wanli", the era name of his reign, literally means "ten thousand calendars". He was the third son of the Longqing Emperor. His reign of 48 years (1572–1620) was the longest among all the Ming dynasty emperors and it witnessed several successes in his early and middle reign, followed by the decline of the dynasty as the emperor withdrew from his active role in government around 1600. Early reign (1572–1582) Zhu Yijun ascended the throne at the age of eight and adopted the regnal name "Wanli", thus he is historically known as the Wanli Emperor. For the first ten years of his reign, he was aided by a notable statesman, Zhang Juzheng, who governed the country as Wanli's regent. During this period, the Wanli Emperor deeply respected Zhang as a mentor and a valued minister. Archery competitions, equestrianism and calligraphy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guangxu Emperor
The Guangxu Emperor (14 August 1871 – 14 November 1908), personal name Zaitian, was the tenth Emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, without Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, only from 1889 to 1898. He initiated the Hundred Days' Reform, but was abruptly stopped when the empress dowager launched a coup in 1898, after which he became powerless and was held under house arrest until his death by poisoning. His era name, "Guangxu", means "glorious succession". The emperor died in 1908 and it was widely suspected at the time that he had been poisoned. A forensic examination on his remains confirmed in 2008 that the cause of death was arsenic poisoning. The level of arsenic in his remains was 2,000 times higher than normal. Accession to the throne and upbringing Zaitian was the second son of Yixuan (Prince Chun), and his primary spouse Yehenara Wanzhen, a younger sister of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tongzhi Emperor
The Tongzhi Emperor (27 April 1856 – 12 January 1875), born Zaichun of the Aisin Gioro clan, was the ninth List of emperors of the Qing dynasty, Emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. His reign, from 1861 to 1875, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother, Empress Dowager Cixi. Although he had little influence over state affairs, the events of his reign gave rise to what historians call the "Tongzhi Restoration", an unsuccessful modernization program. Life The only surviving son of the Xianfeng Emperor and Empress Dowager Cixi, the Tongzhi Emperor was namesake to the attempted political reform initiated by his mother, called the Tongzhi Restoration. His first regnal name was Qixiang (祺祥; Manchu: ''Fengšengge sabingga''), but this name was later changed, as per tradition upon his succession, to "Tongzhi". The regnal name means 'order and prosperity' coming from the Confucian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 1852 until her husband's death in 1861, after which she was honoured as Empress Dowager Ci'an. As empress dowager and one of the most senior member of imperial family, she and Empress Dowager Cixi became co-regents during the reign of two young emperors: Zaichun, the Tongzhi Emperor and later Zaitian, the Guangxu Emperor. Although in principle, she had precedence over Cixi, Ci'an was in fact a self-effacing person and seldom intervened in politics, but she was the decision-maker in most family affairs. Instead, Empress Dowager Cixi was the decision-maker in most state affairs. A popular view of Empress Dowager Ci'an is that she was a highly respectable person, always quiet, never hot-tempered, and that she treated everybody very well a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Palace Of Earthly Honour
Palace of Earthly Honour (，pinyin: yikungong) is one of the Six Western Palaces in the Forbidden City, which used to be a residence of imperial concubines. The palace is northern to Palace of Eternal Longevity, southern to Palace of Gathering Elegance, eastern to Palace of Eternal Spring, north-western to Hall of the Supreme Principle and south-western to Palace of Universal Happiness. History Palace of Earthly Honour was built in 1420, like most of Western Palaces as Palace of Ten Thousand Peace (万安宫；pinyin: wan'an gong). In 1535, the palace was renamed as Palace of Earthly Honor (翊坤宫) by Jiajing Emperor. The current name of the palace corresponds with trigram "kun" ("earth") present in the name of Palace of Earthly Tranquility and means "assisting the ruler of earth". In a nutshell, the name of palace indicates the status of imperial consort being assistant empress. Paradoxally, the palace wasn't a residence exclusively reserved for highly ranking imperial conso ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
