Youlan

Youlan (1884 – 30 September 1921) was a member of the Manchu Plain White Banner Gūwalgiya clan. She was a consort of Zaifeng and the mother of Puyi, the last emperor of China's Qing dynasty.

**Family Background**

Her father was Ronglu (1836–1903), who served as Minister of Works from 1878 to 1879, Minister of War from 1895 to 1898, Viceroy of Zhili in 1898, and held positions as a Grand Secretary in the Wenhua Hall from 1898 to 1902 and at the Wenyuan Library from 1902 to 1903. Ronglu was granted the title of a first class baron. Her paternal grandfather was Changshou, who died in 1852, and her paternal grandmother was Lady Uja.

Her mother was Lady Aisin Gioro. Her maternal grandfather was Linggui (1815–1885), who served as a Grand Secretary in the Tiren Library from 1881 to 1884 and the Wuying Hall from 1884 to 1885. Linggui was a descendant of Changning’s great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson. Her maternal grandmother was Lady Sun. She had at least one sister, who was the wife of Prince Li Chenghou.

**Marriage and Children**

During the Guangxu era, Lady Gūwalgiya's father was a supporter of Empress Dowager Cixi, who facilitated her marriage to Zaifeng in October 1902. Zaifeng was a younger half-brother of the Guangxu Emperor, son of Yixuan, Prince Chun, and Liugiya Cuiyan. Their marriage was marked by discord, partly because Zaifeng disliked Ronglu due to political tensions related to his support for the Empress Dowager.

Lady Gūwalgiya gave birth to her first son, Puyi, on 7 February 1906. Puyi later ascended the throne on 2 December 1908 as the Xuantong Emperor. She also had a second son, Pujie, born on 16 April 1907. In 1909, she gave birth to Zaifeng's first daughter, Yunying, who was married to Runliang of the Daur Gobulo clan. In 1911, she had a second daughter, Yunhe, who married Zheng Guangyuan. Her third daughter, Yunying, was born in 1913, and in 1931 she married Runqi, also from the Daur Gobulo clan.

**Separation and Later Life**

Following the death of the Guangxu Emperor on 14 November 1908, Lady Gūwalgiya was separated from Puyi after he was adopted into the imperial line to succeed the Guangxu Emperor. This adoption changed Puyi's legal status, restricting her contact with him, as he was raised under the care of palace eunuchs and maids.

During the republican era, Lady Gūwalgiya faced personal hardship. She committed suicide on 30 September 1921 by swallowing opium. Her death followed a public reprimand by Dowager Consort Duankang concerning Puyi's misconduct. Her age at death is estimated to have been between 36 and 37 years old, though exact details of her birth date are uncertain.

**Titles**

- During the Guangxu Emperor's reign (1875–1908), she held the title Lady Gūwalgiya from 1884 and was later bestowed as Princess Consort Chun of the First Rank in October 1902.

- During the Republic of China era, after her death, she was known as Imperial Princess Consort Chun from 30 September 1921.

**Issue**

As the primary consort to Zaifeng, she had four children:

- Puyi (7 February 1906 – 17 October 1967), who became the Xuantong Emperor.

- Pujie (16 April 1907 – 28 February 1994).

- Yunying (1909–1925), married Runliang.

- Yunhe (1911–2001), married Zheng Guangyuan.

- Yunying (born 1913), married Runqi in 1931.