Fengshen Yinde

Fengshen Yinde (Manchu script: ᡶᡝᠩᡧᡝᠨᠶᡝᠨ᠋ᡩᡝ; Möllendorff transcription: Fengšenyende; February 18, 1775 – June 3, 1810), also known as Tianjue Daoist, was a Manchu of the Manchu Plain Red Banner. He was born on the 19th day of the first lunar month in the 40th year of Qianlong’s reign. His biological mother was Feng (a daughter of Yin Lian and a primary wife of Heshen), and his primary wife was Princess Hes mina, the youngest daughter of Emperor Qianlong.

Life

In the first month of the 4th year of Jiaqing (1799), Heshen died. Fengshen Yinde was stripped of his official posts and the title of Earl, but retained the rank of a Grand Minister with detached rank. In the 7th year of Jiaqing (1802), during the nationwide amnesty for the Righteous Lotus Sect, Fengshen Yinde was restored to the title of Earl. In the 8th year of Jiaqing (1803), the chief steward of Princess Hes mina’s residence, Kui Fu, accused Fengshen Yinde of plotting rebellion, claiming that during the period of his imperial robe he had daughters and other issues. Although the rebellion accusation was considered baseless, records showed that he had children born with his concubine during his court service. As a result, his Grand Minister rank and Earl title were revoked once again.

In the 11th year of Jiaqing (1806), he was appointed as a First-Class Guard and served as vice commander of the Manchu Banner Blue Flag. He was restored to the Earl rank and then left the capital to serve in the Mongolian Uliastai army. In the 15th year of Jiaqing (1810), in February, he returned to Beijing for health reasons and was promoted to Duke. In May of the same year, Fengshen Yinde died at the age of thirty-six. His son died young, leaving two daughters, who were adopted by his foster son Fu’en, inheriting the peerage and the former officer rank of Third-Class Light Carriage Duyvé, a hereditary position held by Heshen’s father, Shangbao.

Foster Son Fu’en and Marriage Alliances within the Imperial Clan

Fu’en was Fengshen Yinde’s adopted son and inherited his peerage. He had a daughter, Nuohoulu (Niuhoolu), who married Zhuanmin’s grandson, Prince Yichun’s descendant, Zongshi Yuhou (Yichun-Zaiming-Puxian-Yuhou; see the Aisin Gioro genealogy). Fu’en also had another daughter, Nuohoulu, who married Prince Zheng of the First Rank, Duanhua’s fifth son, Zhengshan (Zhengshan was the second son of Sushun and was adopted posthumously into the Duhua lineage as the heir).