Consort Yi

Consort Yi (Chinese: 宜妃; 1660 – 2 October 1733) was a concubine of the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty. She was a member of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Gorolo clan and was born in 1660. She passed away on 2 October 1733.

Family Background:

Consort Yi's personal name was Nalanzhu (Chinese: 納蘭珠; pinyin: Nà lán zhū). She was born as a Booi Aha of the Plain Yellow Banner. Her family later became part of the Bordered Yellow Banner. Her father was Sanguanbao (三官保), who served as a third-rank literary official (侍郎). Her paternal grandfather was Antamu (安塔穆). She had nine brothers, including Daobao (道保), who served as a second-rank military official (副都统); Duopuku (多普库), a fourth-rank military official (左领); Tepuku (特普库), also a fourth-rank military official; Epuku (鄂普库), a fifth-rank literary official (郎中); as well as Tapuku (他普库), Jinengte (及能特), among others.

She had a sister named Buyinzhu (Chinese: 布音珠; pinyin: Bù yīn zhū), who was a Noble Lady (貴人) of the Gorolo clan and served as one of Kangxi’s concubines. Buyinzhu was the mother of Princess Kejing and Yinju.

Career in the Kangxi Era:

Lady Gorolo entered the Forbidden City in 1677, initially serving as a lady-in-waiting. In August of that year, she gained favor with the Kangxi Emperor and was elevated to the rank of Concubine Yi. On 5 January 1680, she gave birth to Kangxi’s fifth son, Yinqi.

In December 1681, Noble Consort Tong was elevated to Imperial Noble Consort (皇貴妃). Simultaneously, several other consorts—including Concubine Rong, Concubine Yi, Concubine Hui, and Concubine De—were promoted to the rank of Consort.

Consort Yi's children included:

- Yuntang (允禟), born 17 October 1683, the emperor’s ninth son, later titled Prince of the Fourth Rank.

- Yinzi (胤禌), born 8 June 1685, the eleventh son of the emperor, who died prematurely on 22 August 1696.

- Yinqi (允祺), born 5 January 1680, the fifth son, who was granted the title Prince Hengwen of the First Rank.

Her daughterless son Prince Heng was known as Yunqi, and another son Prince of the Fourth Rank was Yuntang.

Later Life and Death:

Following the death of Concubine Min on 20 August 1699, Consort Yi took responsibility for Princess Wenke of the Second Rank and also raised her niece’s daughter, Princess Kejing, who was Kangxi’s sixth daughter.

During the Yongzheng Emperor’s reign, an edict was issued that allowed princes to have their elderly mothers live with them, provided they still visited the emperor monthly. Consequently, Consort Yi moved to her son Yinqi's residence in Prince Heng’s mansion in June of the first year of Yongzheng (1723). She died there on 2 October 1733 and was later buried in the Jing Mausoleum of the Eastern Qing Tombs in 1786.

Titles:

- Lady Gorolo (郭絡羅氏) during the reign of the Shunzhi Emperor (1643–1661).

- Lady-in-waiting (宮女; from 1677) during the Kangxi Emperor’s reign.

- Concubine Yi (宜嬪; from August 1677) starting that year.

- Consort Yi (宜妃; from December 1681).

References:

Information is derived from Qing dynasty manuscripts, including the biography section of Qing history manuscripts and records pertaining to empresses and consorts.