Dowager Imperial Noble Consort Quehui (1668 – 24 April 1743), 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 consort 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 ...

. She was 14 years his junior.

Life

Family background

Imperial Noble Consort Quehui'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. * Father: Guowei (; d. 1719), served as a first rank military official (), and held the title of a first class duke () ** Paternal grandfather: Tulai (; 1606–1658), served as a first rank military official (), and held the title of a first class duke () ** Paternal grandmother: Lady Gioro ** Paternal aunt:

Empress Xiaokangzhang Empress Xiaokangzhang (1640 – 20 March 1663), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner 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 Emp ...

(1638–1663), the mother of the

(1654–1722) * Mother: Lady

Hešeri Hešeri ( Chinese: 赫舍里; Pinyin: Hesheli; Manchu: ''Hešeri''), is a clan of Manchu nobility with Jianzhou Jurchens roots, originally hailing from the area which is now the modern Chinese provinces of Jilin and Liaoning. It was once one of ...

* Six brothers ** First brother: Yekeshu (叶克书), father of Shun'anyan ** Second brother: Dekesi (德克新), served as third class imperial guard ** Third brother:

Longkodo Longkodo (; died 1728) was a Manchu court official who lived in the Qing dynasty. He was from the Tunggiya clan, which was under the Bordered Yellow Banner. His period of fame lasted from the late Kangxi era to the early Yongzheng era, perhap ...

(d. 1728) ** Fourth brother: Hongshan (洪善) ** Fifth brother: Qingyuan (庆元) ** Sixth brother: Qingfu (庆復; d. 1747), served as first rank military official (都統/都统, pinyin: dutong) from 1727-1733,

Viceroy of Liangjiang The Viceroy of Liangjiang or Viceroy of the Two Jiangs, fully referred to in Chinese as the Governor-General of the Two Yangtze Provinces and Surrounding Areas Overseeing Military Affairs, Provisions and Funds, Manager of Waterways, Director of ...

, Viceroy of Yunnan,

Viceroy of Liangguang The Viceroy of Liangguang or Viceroy of the Two Guangs, was one of eight regional Viceroys during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The two ''Guang'' referred to Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. The areas under the Viceroy's jurisdiction included pr ...

in 1741, a Grand Secretary of Wenhua hall (文华殿大学士) * Elder sister:

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)

Kangxi era

The future Imperial Noble Consort Quehui was born in 1668. It is not known when lady Tunggiya entered the

Forbidden City The Forbidden City () is a Chinese palace, palace complex in Dongcheng District, Beijing, China, at the center of the Imperial City, Beijing, Imperial City of Beijing. It is surrounded by numerous opulent imperial gardens and temples includ ...

; historical records state that she was present in 1697 as a consort. By that year,

Noble Consort Wenxi Noble Consort Wenxi (died 19 December 1694), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Niohuru clan, was a consort of the Kangxi Emperor. Life Noble Consort Wenxi's personal name was not recorded in history. Family background Noble Consort Wenxi' ...

and Imperial Noble Consort Jingmin had died, leaving imperial harem without de iure head.

didn't instate a new empress, instead granted lady Tunggiya the title "Noble Consort" (贵妃) in January 1701. As she was an only noble consort, she didn't receive any honorifical name. In 1706, she received 150 lard fishes, while

Empress Dowager Renxian Empress Xiaohuizhang (5 November 1641 – 7 January 1718), of the Khorchin Mongol Borjigit clan, was the wife and second empress consort of Fulin, the Shunzhi Emperor. She was Empress consort of Qing from 1654 until her husband's death in 1661 ...

received 50 sesame oil fishes. From 1711, Lady Tunggiya and Consort He were tasked with raising Hongli, a son of Prince Yong of the First Rank, Yinzhen.

Yongzheng era

After the coronation 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 ...

in 1722, lady Tong was promoted to "Imperial Noble Consort" (皇贵妃), but the promotion ceremony was delayed until July 1724 due to national mourning.

Qianlong era

In 1736, she was given a title "Dowager Imperial Noble Consort Shouqi" (寿祺皇贵妃; "shouqi" meaning "long-living and auspicious"). Imperial Noble Consort Shouqi resided in Palace of Tranquil Longevity together with four grand dowager consorts. While choosing suitable titles to be given to dowager consorts, the emperor said:

There are four dowager consorts: that is Dowager Consort Tong, another is Dowager Consort He. Original version: 此四位内，那位系佟太妃，那位系和太妃.

These words justified emperor's decision to distinguish her as a person who had taken care after him in his childhood, although the decree was inspired by minister's suggestion. Imperial Noble Consort Shouqi died on 24 April 1743 in her residence. She was granted posthumous title "Imperial Noble Consort Quehui" (悫惠皇贵妃; "quehui" meaning "honest and kind").

Ancestry

Titles

* During the reign of the

(r. 1661–1722): ** Lady Tong (from September/October 1668) ** Noble Consort (; from January/February 1701), third rank consort * During the reign of the

(r. 1722–1735): ** Imperial Noble Consort (; from July/August 1724), second rank consort * During the reign 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 ...

(r. 1735–1796): ** Imperial Noble Consort Shouqi (; from December 1736) ** ''Imperial Noble Consort Quehui'' (; from June/July 1743乾隆八年五月)

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Quehui, Imperial Noble Consort 1668 births 1743 deaths 17th-century Chinese women 17th-century Chinese people 18th-century Chinese women 18th-century Chinese people Consorts of the Kangxi Emperor