Imperial Noble Consort Duanke

Imperial Noble Consort Duanke (Chinese: 端恪皇贵妃; pinyin: Duānkè huángguìfēi), born on December 3, 1844, and died on May 7, 1910, was a Qing dynasty imperial consort of Manchu ethnicity from the Tunggiya clan. Her personal name has not been recorded in historical sources.

Family Background:

She was born in Jinling, which is present-day Nanjing. Her father was Yuxiang (裕祥), who held the position of a leader of imperial guards (Chinese: 头等侍卫; pinyin: Tóuděng shìwèi). The Tunggiya clan was considered prominent among Manchu families.

Early Life and Entry into the Forbidden City:

In 1858, at the age of fourteen, she entered the Forbidden City. Upon her entry, she was granted the title of "Concubine Qi" (棋嫔). The character "qi" (棋) in her title is associated with "fortune," as noted in official records of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Her residence within the palace was the Palace of Celestial Favor (承乾宫; pinyin: Chéng gān gōng).

Career Progression:

In November 1861, she was promoted from Concubine Qi to "Consort Qi" (棋妃). Medical records from 1862 document that she suffered from depression and anemia during this period. Subsequently, she moved to the Eastern Longevity Palace and became a concubine of the former emperor. In December 1874, she received another promotion to "Noble Consort Qi" (棋贵妃), a third-rank consort within the imperial harem hierarchy.

Later Title and Final Years:

In 1908, during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor, she was promoted to "Dowager Imperial Noble Consort Qi" (棋皇贵太妃). In 1910, shortly before the fall of the Qing dynasty, she fell critically ill prior to a sacrificial ceremony at Jingshan Eastern Grieving Palace. She passed away on May 7, 1910.

Posthumous Honors:

Following her death, she was posthumously honored as "Imperial Noble Consort Duanke" (端恪皇貴妃). According to tradition, her coffin was presented with newly created golden insignia in accordance with the practice established for Qianlong Emperor's Noble Consort Xin. In 1911, she was interred in Ding Mausoleum within the Eastern Qing tombs.

Titles Summary:

- During Daoguang Emperor's reign (1820–1850): Lady Tunggiya

- During Xianfeng Emperor's reign (1850–1861): Concubine Qi (from 1858)

- During Tongzhi Emperor's reign (1861–1875): Consort Qi (from November 1861), Noble Consort Qi (from December 1874)

- During Guangxu Emperor's reign (1875–1908): Dowager Imperial Noble Consort Qi (from 1908)

- During Xuantong Emperor's reign (1908–1912): Imperial Noble Consort Duanke (from 1910)

She was associated with the ranks of imperial consorts in the Qing dynasty and was a member of the Qing royal and noble family structure until her death in 1910. Her final resting place is within the Ding Mausoleum complex at the Eastern Qing tombs.