Imperial Noble Consort Huixian (1711 – 25 February 1745), 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 hi ...

Gaogiya clan, was a consort of the

Qianlong Emperor The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, born Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1735 t ...

Life

Family background

Imperial Noble Consort Huixian's personal name was not recorded in history. She was a

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 ...

by birth. * Father: Gao Bin (; 1683–1755), served as the Minister of Personnel from 1745–1747 and a

Grand Secretary The Grand Secretariat (; Manchu: ''dorgi yamun'') was nominally a coordinating agency but ''de facto'' the highest institution in the imperial government of the Chinese Ming dynasty. It first took shape after the Hongwu Emperor abolished the off ...

in the Wenyuan Library from 1747–1748. Gao Bin's first wife Lady Chen (her father Chen Alin was an Imperial Household Department staff captain belonging to Bordered Yellow Banner), second wife Lady Qi, third wife Lady Ma (her father Ma Weifan was an Imperial Household Department army officer). ** Paternal grandfather: Gao Yanzhong , served as an

Imperial Household Department The Imperial Household Department (; mnc, , v=dorgi baita be uheri kadalara yamun) was an institution of the Qing dynasty of China. Its primary purpose was to manage the internal affairs of the Qing imperial family and the activities of the inn ...

staff captain (zuoling) belonging to Bordered Yellow Banner. ** Paternal grandmother: Lady Li ** Paternal uncles: Gao Shuming 高述明 (a regional commander in Gansu), Gao Yu 高鈺 (a regional commander in Jiangsu) * Mother: Lady Ma (father Ma Weifan, an Imperial Household Department army officer belonging to Plain White Banner). * One younger brother: Gao Heng 高恒, served as the Lianghuai Administrator of Salt Business, a Minister of the Imperial Household Department. * Three younger sisters: Gao-jia-shi (Gaogiya), two of whom married respectively to an

Eight Banners The Eight Banners (in Manchu language, Manchu: ''jakūn gūsa'', ) were administrative and military divisions under the Later Jin (1616–1636), Later Jin and Qing dynasty, Qing dynasties of China into which all Manchu people, Manchu households ...

army commander E Shi of the Xilinjueluo (Sirin Gioro) family belonging to Bordered Blue Banner and an Imperial Household Department officer Han Jin belonging to Plain Yellow Banner. * Cousin Gao Jin (Qing Dynasty) 高晋 (father Gao Shuming), served as the Liangjiang Governor, Minister of Rites, and a Grand Secretary in the Wenhua Library. * Cousins: Gao-jia-shi (Gaogiya; father Gao Shuming), married respectively to Hu Zhao, an imperial bodyguard (shiwei) belonging to Plain Blue Banner, and Li Weiping, an Imperial Household Department staff captain (zuoling) belonging to Plain White Banner.

Yongzheng era

It is not known when Lady Gao become a lady-in-waiting, and then mistress, of Hongli, the fourth son of the

Yongzheng Emperor , regnal name = , posthumous name = Emperor Jingtian Changyun Jianzhong Biaozhen Wenwu Yingming Kuanren Xinyi Ruisheng Daxiao Zhicheng Xian()Manchu: Temgetulehe hūwangdi () , temple name = Shizong()Manchu: Šidzung () , house = Aisin Gioro ...

. On 4 April 1734, she was elevated to his secondary consort. She was a beautiful and well educated woman with a great personality and many capabilities. Lady Gao also had a wonderful relationship with Lady Fuca, Hongli's Primary Consort, and during the Qianlong era she would directly assist Lady Fuca, now Empress, in managing the palace at large and caring for Empress Dowager Chongqing. She was greatly favored by her husband all her life.

Qianlong era

The Yongzheng Emperor died on 8 October 1735 and was succeeded by Hongli, who was enthroned as the Qianlong Emperor. Around the time, Gao Bin wrote a memorial to the Yongzheng Emperor, thanking him for a bunch of lychees, but it was too late as the emperor had already died when the memorial reached the palace, so the Qianlong Emperor replied in place of his father: On 23 January 1738, Lady Gao was granted the title "Noble Consort". As she was the only woman in the imperial harem holding the rank of Noble Consort at the time, she did not receive any special title to distinguish her from the emperor's other consorts. On 23 February 1745, when Lady Gao became critically ill, she was elevated to "Imperial Noble Consort" by the Qianlong Emperor. However, she never managed to attend the promotion ceremony because she died two days after the emperor announced his decision. In 1752, she was interred in the Yu Mausoleum of the Eastern Qing tombs.

Titles

* 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): ** Lady Gao (高氏; from 1711) * During the reign of the

(r. 1722–1735): ** Mistress (格格; date unknowm) ** Secondary Consort (; from 4 April 1734) * During the reign of the

(r. 1735–1796): ** Noble Consort (; from 23 January 1738), third rank consort ** Imperial Noble Consort (; from 23 February 1745), second rank consort ** ''Imperial Noble Consort Huixian'' (; from 26 February 1745)乾隆十年正月二十六日

In fiction and popular culture

* Portrayed by Fu Chong in '' Jiangshan Weizhong'' (2002) * Portrayed by

Tan Zhuo Tan Zhuo (, born 25 September 1983) is a Chinese television and film actress. She appeared in the films ''Spring Fever'' (2009, banned in China), ''Dying to Survive ''Dying to Survive'' is a 2018 Chinese comedy-drama film directed by Wen Muye ...

in '' Story of Yanxi Palace'' (2018) * Portrayed by

Tong Yao Tong Yao (; born 11 August 1985), also known as Tanya Tong, is a Chinese actress, best known in film for portraying Chen Shu in ''A Big Deal'' (2011), May in '' Snowfall in Taipei'' (2012) and Annie Yang in '' To Love Somebody'' (2014), and has ...

in ''

Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace ''Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace'' (, lit. ''The Legend of Ruyi'') is a 2018 Chinese television series based on novel ''Hou Gong Ru Yi Zhuan'' by Liu Lianzi. Starring Zhou Xun and Wallace Huo, the series chronicles the relationship between Em ...

'' (2018)

Notes

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Huixian, Imperial Noble Consort 1711 births 1745 deaths Consorts of the Qianlong Emperor