State Princess Kejing

Princess Goolun Kexi Jing, the sixth daughter of Emperor Kangxi, was the first princess of the Qing Dynasty to marry far away to the Khalkha Mongols. She was born on the twenty-seventh day of the fifth lunar month in the eighteenth year of Kangxi’s reign (May 27, 1679), during the Yin hour (3–5 a.m.), to concubine Guo Luo Luo. Her aunt, Consort Yikun (Guo Luo Luo), took over her upbringing. Her father was Emperor Kangxi, and her mother was concubine Guo Luo Luo.

On March 17, 1696 (the thirty-fifth year of Kangxi), the Imperial Household Department began preparations for the princess’s marriage. In May 1697 (the thirty-sixth year of Kangxi), the marriage was delayed because Galdan hadn’t been defeated yet. The grandson of the Tushiyatu Khan, Wang Duntuobudorje, was to marry the princess, but the wedding was postponed. Tushiyatu Khan and others came to Beijing to negotiate the marriage, which was approved by Empress Dowager. In the same year, Princess Kexi was conferred the title of Heshuo Kexi Gongzhu (Respectful and Peaceful Princess of the Heshuo rank) and was officially married in November to the eldest grandson of Tushiyatu Khan, Prince Doro Wang Duntuobudorje. After marriage, the princess received tens of thousands of acres in the territory of the Nihexia town Tumert, officially recorded as 48,375 acres, with additional land documented during the early Qianlong Emperor’s administrative inspections. Initially, the princess did not immediately reside in the Mongolian north.

On August 21, 1698 (the thirty-seventh year of Kangxi), Princess Kexi gave birth to a daughter. While in Beijing, she received gifts, and routine affairs related to her status were reported. Starting from 1701–1702 (the fortieth year of Kangxi), due to instability in the Mongolian north, the princess and her retinue did not reside far away. Her residence in Nihexia town was completed, and she lived between the capital and Nihexia. On the third anniversary of her residence’s completion in 1707 (the forty-sixth year of Kangxi), Kangxi Emperor visited her and hosted Emperor Shizu’s visit to Nihexia. Some of the princess’s dowry and belongings were selectively transported, while other items were shipped by the Imperial Household Department and merchants from Zhangjiakou.

In 1709 (the forty-eighth year of Kangxi), Doru Eerden Aha, with Princess Kexi’s approval, drafted the “Regulations for the Three Banner Khalkha” (Ka’erka Sanqi Dahui Fa), with the preface stating that it was a regulation “approved by the Mongolian bell and approved by the princess.” The Lifan Yuan (Board for Central Tyranny Affairs) reported that Princess Kexi owed money to the Imperial Household Department; she partially repaid the debt herself, without court funds. On February 25, 1723 (the first year of Yongzheng), she was conferred the title of Empress Goolun Kexi Gongzhu. In November 1725 (Yongzheng 3), she visited Beijing alone to pay respects, and her consort, Duntuobudorje, also came to Beijing. On March 9, 1735 (the thirteenth day of the third month, Yongzheng year), Princess Kexi died in Nihexia. She was fifty-seven years old. Yongzheng Emperor bestowed 3,000 taels of silver and performed funeral rites. Her consort Doru Jire arrived from Dörön Nör to handle the funeral arrangements, including the placement of her casket and related affairs.

The Goolun Kexi Princess Mansion in Nihexia remains a key national cultural heritage site today, one of the best-preserved examples among Qing Dynasty princess residences. Nihexia was the seat of the Khalkha Mongol princes, located in what is now Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.