Chuang-ching

Princess Zhuangjing Heshuo, of the Aisin Gioro clan, was the third daughter of Emperor Jiaqing. Her biological mother was Consort Liu Jia, known as Empress He Yu. Regarding her birth date, historical records vary; it is commonly noted as January 30, 1782 (the 46th year of Qianlong), while some sources cite December 17, 1781. Her father was Emperor Jiaqing. After ascending to the throne, Emperor Jiaqing bestowed upon her the title of Princess Zhuangjing Heshuo. On October 21, in the sixth year of Jiaqing (1801), she held her formal betrothal ceremony, with a banquet held at the Yu Baohe Hall, and the imperial consorts in the palace celebrated at the Yikun Palace.

The princess was married on November 19, in the sixth year of Jiaqing, to Borsüg Jügedi Sòténāmòdǔbùjì, a prince of the Mongolian Khorchin Banner, a member of the Borjigin clan. Her son was Zasak Bothoregatai Prince Senggelinqin. Following her marriage, she gave birth to a daughter on March 28, in the tenth year of Jiaqing. In addition to the customary gifts for the princess’s daughter's birth, her wet nurse and her husband were also rewarded with a set of gifts. In February, the thirteenth year of Jiaqing, since Princess Zhuangjing Gutlun and Princess Zhuangjing Heshuo, after their marriages, had not yet visited the ancestral tombs of their Mongolian in-laws, Emperor Jiaqing permitted them to go and pay respects.

Princess Zhuangjing Heshuo died on March 12, in the sixteenth year of Jiaqing (1811), at the age of thirty-one. Sòténāmòdǔbùjì expressed gratitude for the imperial grace in handling her funeral affairs and requested permission to host a memorial offering himself, which Emperor Jiaqing approved for six days. In May of that year, during the internal affairs office’s inspection and recovery of the princess’s estate, it was noted that Sòténāmòdǔbùjì had been granted permission to cultivate land in Changtu E’erke, with an annual income of approximately 40,000 to 50,000 taels of silver, but there was no such record in the princess’s estate documents; thus, Shengjing General was asked to verify.

Princess Zhuangjing Heshuo was buried alongside her sister, Princess Zhuangjing Gulun, in Wangsuo Village (now the site of Beijing’s Prince Gong’s Mansion), where stone steles, a precious tomb top, and underground chambers still remain. The tomb top is currently damaged, and nearby earthen mounds have been partly buried due to the heightening of local housing. After her death, her consort Sòténāmòdǔbùjì was required to return her consort attendants to the Internal Affairs Office; Empress Dowager Xiaheiru ordered one of her twenty-five-year-old attendants to be given to her as a concubine. Official Qing palace records refer to her as a “yi” (female attendant).