Consort Fang (; died 20 September 1801), of the

Han Chinese The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctiv ...

Chen clan, was a consort of Qianlong Emperor. She and her brothers were then inducted into the a bondservant company of the

Bordered Yellow Banner The Bordered Yellow Banner () was one of the Eight Banners of Manchu military and society during the Later Jin and Qing dynasty of China. The Bordered Yellow Banner was one of three "upper" banner armies under the direct command of the emperor ...

of the

Han Chinese Eight Banners Han Chinese Eight Banners (, Manchu: ) were one of the three divisions in the Eight Banners of the Qing dynasty. Members of the Han Chinese Eight Banners were originally Han Chinese living in the Liaodong (modern Liaoning) of Ming dynasty. During ...

since it was required for all consorts of Qing emperors to belong to one of the

Eight Banners The Eight Banners (in Manchu: ''jakūn gūsa'', ) were administrative and military divisions under the Later Jin and Qing dynasties of China into which all Manchu households were placed. In war, the Eight Banners functioned as armies, but the ...

Life

Family background

Consort Fang was a member of

Chen clan. Her personal name wasn't recorded in history. Her ancestral home was located in

Yangzhou Yangzhou, postal romanization Yangchow, is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province (Suzhong), East China. Sitting on the north bank of the Yangtze, it borders the provincial capital Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north ...

. * Father: Yanlun (延伦) * Two elder brothers: ** First elder brother: Chen Ji (陈济) ** Second elder brother: Chen Hao (陈浩), a magistrate of Yangguan (扬关任事, pinyin: yangguan renshi) in 1778

Qianlong era

Consort Fang was born between 1749 and 1753. She entered the palace in 1766 after Elegant Women Selection, and was given the title of “First Class Female Attendant Ming" (明常在; "ming" meaning "bright"). Her residence became the

Palace of Eternal Longevity Palace of Eternal Longevity ( Chinese: ; Pinyin: Yongshougong) one of the Six Western Palaces in the Forbidden City. It was a residence of imperial concubines since 1420. History Yongshou Palace was built in 1420 as a part of Inner Court's west ...

in the Forbidden City. As a lower-ranking imperial concubine, she lived under the supervision of

Concubine Shun Concubine Shun (順嬪那拉氏; 28 February 1811 – 11 April 1868) was a consort of the Daoguang Emperor. Family background Imperial Concubine Shun was a member of main lineage of the Nara clan. Life Jiaqing era Imperial Concubine Shun was ...

and Consort Shu. In 1775, lady Chen was promoted to "Noble Lady Ming" (明贵人). She was accused by Empress Dowager Chongqing of harming imperial child and demoted to "First Class Female Attendant Ming" (明常在). In 1780, she was restored as "Noble Lady Ming" (明贵人). In 1794, she was promoted to "Concubine Fang" (芳嫔; "fang" meaning "fragrant"), and moved to Palace of Peace and Harmony on the east side of the Forbidden city.

Jiaqing era

In 1798, Emperor Qianlong promoted Lady Chen to "Consort Fang" (芳妃). Consort Fang died in 1801 and was interred at Yu Mausoleum in the Eastern Qing tombs.

Titles

* During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735–1796): ** Lady Chen (from unknown date) ** First Class Female Attendant Ming (; from 1766), seventh rank consort ** Noble Lady Ming (/明贵人; from 1775), sixth rank consort ** First Class Female Attendant Ming (; from unknown date), seventh rank consort ** Noble Lady Ming (; from 1780), sixth rank consort ** Concubine Fang (; from 1794), fifth rank consort * 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, born Yongyan, was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the fifth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from ...

(r. 1796–1820): ** Consort Fang (; from 1798), fourth rank consort

References