Empress Xiaojingxian


Empress Xiaojingxian of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Ula Nara clan, was the primary wife of the Yongzheng Emperor. She was empress consort of Qing from 1723 until her death in 1731, and was posthumously honoured with the title Empress Xiaojingxian. Yongzheng did not elevate any of his other consorts to the position of empress after she died.

Life

Family background

Kangxi era

Lady Ula Nara was born on the 13th day of the fifth lunar month in the 20th year of the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, which translates to 28 June 1681 in the Gregorian calendar.
In 1691, she married Yinzhen, the fourth son of the Kangxi Emperor, and became his primary consort. After her death, Yinzhen's mourning lament stated that when they married, she was a child; indeed, at the time of their marriage she was only 10 years old. On 17 April 1697, she gave birth to their first son, Honghui, who would die while still a child on 7 July 1704.

Yongzheng era

The Kangxi Emperor died on 20 December 1722 and was succeeded by Yinzhen, who was enthroned as the Yongzheng Emperor. On 28 March 1723, Lady Ula Nara, as the Yongzheng Emperor's primary consort, was instated as empress and put in charge of the emperor's harem.
She died on 29 October 1731 and was interred in the Tai Mausoleum of the Western Qing Tombs.

Titles

Issue

  • As primary consort:
  • * Honghui, the Yongzheng Emperor's first son

In fiction and popular culture