Consort Xiang

Consort Xiang (9 February 1808 – 15 February 1861) was a member of the Manchu Niohuru clan and a consort of the Daoguang Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Her personal name has not been recorded in historical sources.

Family Background:

Consort Xiang's father was Jiufu, who served as a fifth-rank literary official (郎中). Her paternal grandfather was Suoning'an, a descendant of Hengde. Her paternal uncle was Jiuxiu. Her mother was Lady Fuca; her maternal grandfather was Muqing'an, who was the son of Fuliang and grandson of Maci. She had five brothers and one elder sister, the latter of whom was married to Aisin-Gioro Xiubao.

Early Life:

She was born on the 13th day of the first lunar month in the 13th year of the Jiaqing Emperor’s reign, corresponding to 9 February 1808 in the Gregorian calendar.

Marriage and Titles:

In 1821, Lady Niohuru entered the Forbidden City and was granted the title of Noble Lady Xiang (祥貴人). On 26 December 1823, she was promoted to Concubine Xiang (祥嬪). She was further elevated to Consort Xiang (祥妃) on 30 May 1825.

Children:

Consort Xiang bore the Daoguang Emperor three children:

- A second daughter, born on 2 March 1825, who died prematurely on 27 August 1825.

- Princess Shouzang of the Second Rank, born on 15 November 1829, who married Enchong of the Manchu Namdulu clan on 3 January 1843.

- Yicong, the fifth son of the emperor, born on 23 July 1831. He was granted the title Prince Dun of the Second Rank in 1838 and was promoted to Prince Dun of the First Rank in 1860. He was posthumously honored as Prince Dunqin of the First Rank.

Career Progression:

During the Daoguang Era, her titles changed as follows:

- 1821: Noble Lady Xiang

- 26 December 1823: Concubine Xiang

- 30 May 1825: Consort Xiang

- 1837: Demoted back to Noble Lady Xiang, possibly due to a family scandal involving her father Jiufu, who was found guilty of corruption, though records do not explicitly link this to her demotion.

Later Life:

When the Daoguang Emperor died on 26 February 1850, his son Yizhu ascended as the Xianfeng Emperor and elevated Lady Niohuru to Dowager Concubine Xiang. She lived until 15 February 1861 and was interred in the Mu Mausoleum of the Western Qing tombs.

During the reign of the Tongzhi Emperor (1861–1875), her title was further formalized as Consort Xiang (祥妃), starting from 23 November 1861.

Summary of Titles:

Her titles evolved over time, reflecting her status within the imperial harem, from Noble Lady Xiang during Jiaqing and early Daoguang periods, to Concubine Xiang and subsequently Consort Xiang during Daoguang, and finally to Dowager and Consort Xiang during Xianfeng and Tongzhi reigns.

In Popular Culture:

Consort Xiang has been portrayed in various television series, including "The Rise and Fall of Qing Dynasty" (1988) by Kingdom Yuen and "Curse of the Royal Harem" (2011) by Charmaine Li.

References:

Her biography is documented in the Draft History of Qing (Qing Shi Gao), volume 214, authored by Zhao Erxun in 1928.