Consort Hua

Consort Hua (Chinese: 华妃; pinyin: Huá Fēi), who died on 3 August 1804, was a consort of the Jiaqing Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. She was a member of the Han Chinese Hougiya clan, which belonged to the Bordered Yellow Banner. Her personal name was Liuniu (六妞), and her ancestral home was in Shenyang.

Family Background:

Consort Hua was a booi (service provider or bonded servant) of her clan. Her father was Taozhu, who served as a Minister of Imperial Stables (Chinese: 上驷院; pinyin: Shangpiyuan). Her paternal lineage included her grandfather Liuge (六格) and her first paternal uncle Changshu (常舒), who held the rank of a third-level military official (参领). She had at least one elder sister, who was married to Fuming'a (福明阿), a general of the Prince Keqin peerage.

Career and Life Events:

The details of when Liuniu entered the residence of Prince Jia of the First Rank are unknown. She initially served as a 管女子 (guan nüzi, or servant) before being promoted to the rank of concubine (格格; gege). On 2 August 1789, she gave birth to her sixth daughter with the Jiaqing Emperor, though the child died prematurely in 1790.

During the Jiaqing era:

On 22 January 1796, Liuniu was granted the title "Concubine Ying" (莹嫔), with "ying" meaning "luster of gems," a reference to her beauty. In January 1797, she participated in a court session alongside other consorts, conducted by Empress Xiaoshurui. Her rank was elevated in 1801 to "Consort Hua" (华妃), which was a fourth-rank consort position. The promotion was notable enough to be commemorated in poetry, with references indicating that "hua" connotes elegance and beauty, while "ying" suggests brilliance like gemstones.

Death and Burial:

Consort Hua died on 3 August 1804. Her coffin was temporarily placed at the Antian Grieving Palace before being interred in the Chang Mausoleum within the Western Qing tombs.

Titles:

Throughout her life, she held several titles:

- During the Qianlong Emperor's reign:

- Lady Hougiya (unspecified date)

- Servant (管女子; unspecified date)

- Mistress (格格; unspecified date)

- During the Jiaqing Emperor's reign:

- Concubine Ying (莹嫔; from 22 January 1796)

- Consort Hua (华妃; from 1801)

Issue:

Liuniu was the mother of six children, though only one, her sixth daughter born on 2 August 1789, is documented. The daughter died in infancy in 1790.

In Fiction and Media:

Consort Hua has been portrayed in the television series "Succession War" (2018) by actress Siu Hoi Yan.

See Also:

- Ranks of imperial consorts in China, Qing dynasty

- Royal and noble ranks of the Qing dynasty

References:

The article echoes historical records and literature concerning Qing imperial consorts, their ranks, and familial backgrounds within the Qing Dynasty aristocracy.