Yongcheng

Yongcheng (Chinese: 永珹) was an imperial prince of the Qing Dynasty, born on 21 February 1739 and deceased on 5 April 1777. He was the fourth son of the Qianlong Emperor. His mother was Imperial Noble Consort Shujia, who held the title "Concubine Jia" at the time of his birth.

In 1763, the Qianlong Emperor decided to adopt Yongcheng into the Prince Lü peerage as a grandson of Yuntao, who was the twelfth son of the Kangxi Emperor. This adoption was contingent upon the premature death of all children of Prince Lüyi, which subsequently led to Yongcheng holding the title Prince Lü of the Second Rank. He retained this title until his death in 1777. Posthumously, in 1799, he was honored with the title Prince Lü Duan of the First Rank (履端親王), with "Duan" meaning "implementing in a dignified way."

Yongcheng's familial relationships include his primary consort, Imperial Princess Consort Luduan of the Niohuru clan (1751–1754), who was titled Primary Consort of the Fourth Prince and later of Prince Lu of the Second Rank. After her death, she was succeeded by his step-primary consort from the Irgen Gioro clan, who held similar titles. He also had a secondary consort from the Wanyan clan, as well as a mistress from the Gao clan, with whom he fathered his first daughter.

His children included Mianhui, who was titled Prince Lu of the Second Rank (1764–1796), and several other sons and daughters. Notably, his second son was born on 31 May 1766 but died shortly after on 30 November 1766. He also fathered a daughter born on 9 October 1769, who married Wangqin Bambar of the Alxa Kalejiasi clan in 1785, and a daughter born on 20 August 1776, who married Namqijal Dorji of the Aohan league in 1791. His fifth and sixth sons were born to different mistresses from the Xia and Zhang clans, respectively.

Yongcheng has been portrayed in popular culture, notably by Fang Yanfei in the television series "Story of Yanxi Palace" as the Fourth Prince Yongcheng, and by An Jie in "Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace" portraying the same character.

References for further information include works such as Arthur W. Hummel Sr.'s "Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period," published by the United States Government Printing Office in 1943.