Noble Consort Tong

Noble Consort Tong (3 June 1817 – 1877), of the Manchu Šumuru clan, was a consort of the Daoguang Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Her personal name has not been recorded in historical sources. She was born during the reign of the Jiaqing Emperor and entered the Forbidden City around 1831, when she was approximately fourteen or fifteen years old.

Family Background:

Her father was Yuzhang, who held the title of fifth rank literary official (郎中). She had at least one known sibling, a sister who was married to Fuca Heshun, a first class imperial guard.

Career and Titles:

Upon entering the palace, she was granted the honorary title "Noble Lady Mu" (睦貴人), corresponding to the sixth rank of imperial consorts. Her residence was in Xianfu Palace on the west side of the Forbidden City.

Her rank was elevated multiple times over the years:

- In December 1832 or January 1833, she was promoted to "Concubine Tong" (彤嬪), fifth rank.

- On 3 December 1834, she attained the rank of "Consort Tong" (彤妃), fourth rank.

- On 26 January 1837, she was promoted to "Noble Consort Tong" (彤貴妃), third rank.

She bore three daughters during her tenure as Noble Consort:

- The seventh princess, born 30 July 1840, died prematurely on 27 January 1845.

- Princess Shouxi of the Second Rank, born 7 January 1842, married Jalafungga of the Niohuru clan in 1863.

- The tenth princess, born 4 May 1844, also died prematurely on 26 February 1845.

In October 1844, she was demoted to "Noble Lady Tong" (彤貴人) (sixth rank) following an incident involving conferring gifts to an eunuch, Li Dexi. The demotion was notably severe—three ranks—compared to previous disciplinary actions for similar offenses.

Later, during the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor, she was granted the title "Dowager Imperial Concubine Tong" (彤嬪) in 1850, following the emperor's death.

In the Tongzhi era, her rank was restored to "Noble Consort Tong" (彤貴妃) in December 1874 or January 1875. She died in 1877 and was buried in Mu Mausoleum of the Western Qing tombs.

Historical Timeline and Titles:

- During Jiaqing (1796–1820): Lady Šumuru.

- During Daoguang (1820–1850): She held successive titles from Noble Lady Mu to Noble Consort Tong.

- During Xianfeng (1850–1861): Concubine Tong.

- During Tongzhi (1861–1875): Reinstated as Noble Consort Tong.

Death and Burial:

She died in 1877 and was interred in Mu Mausoleum of the Western Qing tombs.

Cultural Portrayal:

She was portrayed by Deborah Poon in the 2011 television series "Curse of the Royal Harem".

Note:

Her life details prior to her palace entry are scarce, and her personal name remains unknown, consistent with common practices of the period, where many imperial consorts' personal names were not recorded.