Empress Xiaokangzhang (1640 – 20 March 1663), of the

Manchu The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized ethnic minority in China and the people from whom Manchuria derives its name. The Later Jin (1616–1636) and ...

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 ...

Tunggiya clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the consort of Fulin, the Shunzhi Emperor, and mother of Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor. She was honoured as Empress Dowager Cihe during the reign of her son and posthumously honoured as empress, although she never held the rank of empress consort during her lifetime.

Life

Family background

Empress Xiaokangzhang's personal name was not recorded in history. Her family originally belonged to 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 distinctive va ...

Plain Blue Banner The Plain Blue Banner () was one of the Eight Banners of Manchu military and society during the Later Jin and Qing dynasty of China. Members * Li Yongfang * Abatai * Agui * Zhao Erfeng (Han) * Keying (official) * Imperial Noble Consort Gongsu ...

. Although her family was of Jurchen descent, they had lived among Han Chinese for many generations and had been assimilated into Han Chinese society in

Fushun Fushun (, formerly romanised as ''Fouchouen'', using French spelling, also as Fuxi ()) is a prefecture level city in Liaoning province, China, about east of Shenyang, with a total area of , of which is the city proper. Situated on the Hun Rive ...

Liaoning Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...

, during the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

, hence they were regarded as ''nikan'' (Han Chinese) by the Manchus and placed under a Han banner instead of a Manchu banner. * Father: Tulai (; 1606–1658), served as a first rank military official (), and held the title of a first class duke () ** Paternal grandfather: Yangzhen (; d. 1621) * Mother: Lady Gioro * Three brothers ** First younger brother: Guoji (国纪) ** Second younger brother: Guogang (国纲; d. 1690), served as a first rank military official (都统, pinyin: dutong) and held a title of first class duke (一等公) ** Third younger brother: Guowei (; d. 1719), served as a leader of imperial guards (), and held the title of a first class duke (), the father of

Empress Xiaoyiren Empress Xiaoyiren (died 24 August 1689), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Tunggiya clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and third empress consort of Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor. She was Empress consort of Qing in 1689. Life Fam ...

(d. 1689) and

Imperial Noble Consort Quehui Dowager Imperial Noble Consort Quehui (1668 – 24 April 1743), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Tunggiya clan, was a consort of the Kangxi Emperor. She was 14 years his junior. Life Family background Imperial Noble Consort Quehui's persona ...

(1668–1743) The Han Chinese Banner Tong 佟 clan of

falsely claimed to be related to the Jurchen Manchu Tunggiya 佟佳 clan of

Jilin Jilin (; alternately romanized as Kirin or Chilin) is one of the three provinces of Northeast China. Its capital and largest city is Changchun. Jilin borders North Korea (Rasŏn, North Hamgyong, Ryanggang and Chagang) and Russia (Prim ...

, using this false claim to get themselves transferred to a Manchu banner in the reign of the

Kangxi emperor The Kangxi Emperor (4 May 1654– 20 December 1722), also known by his temple name Emperor Shengzu of Qing, born Xuanye, was the third emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1661 to 1 ...

Shunzhi era

In 1653, Lady Tong entered the Forbidden City and became a concubine of the

Shunzhi Emperor The Shunzhi Emperor (15 March 1638 – 5 February 1661) was the second Emperor of China, emperor of the Qing dynasty of China, and the first Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1644 to 1661. A Deliberative Council of Prince ...

. She never received any title or rank during his reign. On 4 May 1654, she gave birth to the emperor's third son, Xuanye.

Kangxi era

When the Shunzhi Emperor died on 5 February 1661, Xuanye was chosen to be the new emperor and was enthroned as the Kangxi Emperor. As the birth mother of the reigning emperor, Lady Tong was honoured as "Holy Mother, Empress Dowager Cihe". Lady Tong died on 20 March 1663. Her death was reportedly due to an unknown illness but the circumstances surrounding her death were suspicious. Although she had never been Empress during the reign of the Shunzhi Emperor, she was granted the posthumous title "Empress Xiaokangzhang" by the Kangxi Emperor. She was interred in the Xiao Mausoleum alongside the Shunzhi Emperor and Consort Donggo.

Titles

* During the reign of

Hong Taiji Hong Taiji (28 November 1592 – 21 September 1643), also rendered as Huang Taiji and sometimes referred to as Abahai in Western literature, also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizong of Qing, was the second khan of the Later Jin ...

(r. 1626–1643): ** Lady Tong (from 1638) * During the reign of the

Kangxi Emperor The Kangxi Emperor (4 May 1654– 20 December 1722), also known by his temple name Emperor Shengzu of Qing, born Xuanye, was the third emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1661 to 1 ...

(r. 1661–1722): ** Empress Dowager Cihe (; from 5 February 1661) ** ''Empress Xiaokang'' (; from June/July 1663) ** ''Empress Xiaokangzhang'' (; from June/July 1670康熙九年五月)

Issue

* As a concubine: ** Xuanye (; 4 May 1654 – 20 December 1722), the Shunzhi Emperor's third son, enthroned on 5 February 1661 as the

In fiction and popular culture

* Portrayed by Chen Farong in '' The Duke of Mount Deer'' (2000) * Portrayed by Zhu Yan in ''

Kangxi Dynasty ''Kangxi Dynasty'' is a 2001 Chinese television series based on the novel ''Kangxi Da Di'' (康熙大帝; ''The Great Kangxi Emperor'') by Eryue He. The series is a prequel to the 1997 television series '' Yongzheng Dynasty'', and was followed by ' ...

'' (2001) * Portrayed by Jia Yumeng in ''

Xiaozhuang Mishi ''Xiaozhuang Mishi'', also known as ''Xiaozhuang Epic'', () is a 2003 Chinese television series produced by You Xiaogang. The series is the first installment in a series of four television series about the early Qing dynasty. It was followed by '' ...

'' (2003)

Notes

References

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Xiaokangzhang, Empress 1638 births 1663 deaths Qing dynasty empresses Qing dynasty empresses dowager 17th-century Chinese women 17th-century Chinese people Kangxi Emperor