Princess Mukushen

Mucushan (Mushush) (1595 – May 1659), was the fourth daughter of Nurhaci, the founding Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Her biological mother was the concubine Jiamo Huoer Luo. She shared the same mother with Babutai and Babuhai.

Key points of her life are as follows: She was born in the 23rd year of the Ming Wanli Emperor's reign (1595). In the 36th year of Wanli (1608), Mucushan Gege was married to Buzantai, the ruler of Ula. Subsequently, relations between the Jurchen Jianzhou and Ula clans deteriorated. In 1613, Nurhaci led an army against the Ula tribe; Buzantai fled to Yehe, and Mucushan Gege was returned to Jianzhou. Later, she married Eiyadu, with whom she had a prematurely lost son, Yebirong, and a daughter. After Eiyadu's death in 1621, Mucushan, following customary levirate marriage practices, married Eiyadu’s eighth son, Turgge. Yebirong had two daughters who entered the imperial court and became consorts of Emperor Kangxi: the Xiaozhao Ren Empress and the Wenxi Guifei.

In the first year of the Chongde era (1636), in November, Hong Taiji conferred titles upon seven princesses. Mucushan was recorded as her sister and was granted the title of Heshuo Princess, with orders for her to observe court ceremonies. There is differing scholarly opinion on whether Mucushan is the same person as Mucushan (穆库什).

In the second year of Chongde (1637) in May, Mucushan’s daughter, along with accomplices Meng Guji, Suni, Bao Qihei, Meng Guji’s mother, and a Han servant woman, a total of six, were executed. Mucushan was spared the death penalty but was stripped of her Heshuo Princess title and their relationship with Turgge was severed. She was thereafter supported by her brothers Bupantai and Babu Hai. Yebirong, who had sheltered his mother and sister from concealment, reported to the Prince Zheng in Heshuo, leading to her being deprived of her position as an Angbang zhangjing. Biezi Nikan was exonerated. In May of the 16th year of the Shunzhi Emperor’s reign (1659), Mucushan passed away at the age of 64.