Changning

Prince Gong (8 December 1657 – 20 July 1703), known formally as Prince Gong of the First Rank, was a Manchu noble of the Qing dynasty. He was born in the Aisin Gioro clan as the fifth son of the Shunzhi Emperor, and his half-brother was the Kangxi Emperor.

Born on 8 December 1657, Prince Gong received his princely title on 1 March 1671. In August 1690, he was appointed as one of two commanders-in-chief for an expedition against Galdan, a leader of the Dzungar Khanate and a long-standing adversary of the Qing Empire. He was granted the title "Great General Who Pacifies the North" (安北大將軍). During this campaign, he was instructed to march through the Xifengkou Pass north of Beijing and to coordinate forces with his half-brother Fuquan, the other commander-in-chief, to attack Galdan.

The combined forces reached Galdan's position on 3 September 1690. However, after a battle that resulted in a stalemate, Galdan was permitted to retreat, which was regarded as a strategic failure. As a consequence, Prince Gong was removed from his position on the Deliberative Council of Princes and High Officials. Subsequently, in 1696, Prince Gong participated in a renewed campaign that contributed to the decisive weakening of Galdan, culminating in Galdan's final defeat in 1697.

Prince Gong died on 20 July 1703. Following his death, he was not awarded posthumous honors commensurate with his princely rank, and he was not authorized to pass his title to his heirs. Instead, his descendants inherited titles of diminished rank in accordance with laws governing the transmission of nobility titles during the Qing dynasty.

Regarding his family, Prince Gong's primary consorts included a first primary consort from the Nara clan and a second primary consort from the Ma clan. His children included Yongshou, titled General of the Second Rank, born on 15 December 1671 and died 7 June 1686, and several daughters and sons. His daughters married into various prominent Manchu clans, including the Khorchin Borjigit and Gūwalgiya clans. His other children held titles such as Princess Chunxi of the First Rank, Duiqing’e, and Zhuotai, a General of the Second Rank.

Throughout his lifetime, Prince Gong held multiple ranks and titles, including duke and prince of the third and first ranks, respectively. His familial relationships and rank progression reflect his status within the Qing nobility hierarchy.

Prince Gong has been depicted in modern media, including the 2011 television series "The Life and Times of a Sentinel," where he was portrayed by actor Tsui Wing.

His life and titles are documented in historical records such as the "Draft History of Qing" (Qing Shi Gao) and in scholarly works like Fang Chao-ying's contributions to "Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period."