Noble Consort Yu

Noble Consort Yu (15 June 1714 – 9 July 1792), of the Mongol Keliyete clan belonging to the Bordered Blue Banner, was a consort of the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Her personal name has not been recorded in historical sources. She was born during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor and lived through the reigns of multiple Qing emperors.

Family Background:

Her father was E'erjitu, who held the position of a fifth rank literary official (員外郎). There is no available information on her early family life prior to her entry into the imperial court.

Timeline of Life:

Noble Consort Yu was born on 15 June 1714, corresponding to the fourth day of the fifth lunar month in the 53rd year of Kangxi's reign. The records do not specify when she became a mistress to Hongli, the fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor.

In 1735, the Yongzheng Emperor died, and Hongli ascended the throne as the Qianlong Emperor on 8 October. Shortly thereafter, on 8 November 1735, Lady Keliyete was granted the title "First Attendant Hai," which was a seventh-rank consort. In 1736, she was promoted to "Noble Lady Hai," a sixth-rank consort.

Her most notable child, Yongqi, was born on 23 March 1741. She was elevated to "Concubine Yu" around December 1741 or January 1742, a fifth-rank consort. On 9 December 1745, she was further promoted to "Consort Yu," a fourth-rank consort.

Yongqi, her son, was granted the status of a first-rank prince and was posthumously honored as Prince Rongchun. His death occurred on 16 April 1766, after which Noble Consort Yu's favor with the emperor diminished.

She died on 9 July 1792. In 1793, the Qianlong Emperor posthumously granted her the title "Noble Consort Yu" (愉貴妃) and arranged for her burial in the Yu Mausoleum within the Eastern Qing tombs.

Titles and Ranks:

- 8 November 1735: First Attendant Hai (常在; seventh rank)

- 1736: Noble Lady Hai (貴人; sixth rank)

- December 1741 or January 1742: Concubine Yu (嬪; fifth rank)

- 9 December 1745: Consort Yu (妃; fourth rank)

- 23 November 1793: Noble Consort Yu (貴妃; third rank)

Issue:

Lady Keliyete's recorded issue is her son Yongqi (1741–1766), the fifth son of the Qianlong Emperor, who was posthumously titled Prince Rongchun of the First Rank.

Representation in Culture:

Noble Consort Yu has been depicted in various television dramas, including Zhuang Qingning's portrayal in "New My Fair Princess" (2011), Lian Lian's role in "Story of Yanxi Palace" (2018), and Janine Chang's portrayal in "Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace" (2018).

See Also:

- Ranks of imperial consorts in China

- Qing imperial and noble ranks

References:

- Zhao, Erxun. Draft History of Qing (Qing Shi Gao), 1928.