Erdeni Bumba

Erdeni Bumba (Mongolian: Эрдэнэбумба; Chinese: 額爾德尼布木巴; fl. 17th century) was a member of the Khorchin Mongol Borjigit clan and held the title of empress consort during the early Qing dynasty in China. Her tenure as empress consort lasted from September 27, 1651, until her deposition on October 25, 1653.

Family Background:

Erdeni Bumba was the daughter of Wukeshan (吳克善), who held the title of first-rank prince (親王). Her paternal grandfather was Jaisang (寨桑), also a first-rank prince. Her paternal grandmother was Boli. She had prominent relatives in the imperial court: her paternal aunt was Primary Consort Minhui (1609–1641), and her great aunt was Empress Xiaoduanwen (1599–1649). Her paternal aunt was Empress Dowager Zhaosheng (Xiaozhuangwen), who lived from 1613 to 1688 and was the mother of the Shunzhi Emperor.

Marriage and Reign:

Erdeni Bumba was selected as the primary consort of the Shunzhi Emperor by her aunt, Empress Dowager Zhaosheng. On September 27, 1651, she was installed as empress. Her marriage was also supported by Prince-Regent Dorgon, a key political figure of the period. Her tenure as empress endured for approximately two years until her deposition in October 1653.

Deposition and Later Life:

Her removal from the position of empress was accompanied by her demotion to the rank of "Consort Jing," a fourth-grade consort rank. Official records, such as the Draft History of Qing, suggest that her deposition may have been due to personal characteristics such as love of luxury and jealousy, traits viewed unfavorably by the emperor. Alternative interpretations posit that her deposition was related to political factors, including the estrangement between the emperor and his mother, Empress Dowager Zhaosheng, and internal court power struggles. During her time residing in the Palace of Eternal Longevity, some sources claim she became pregnant and left the Forbidden City, giving birth to a son elsewhere; however, the details of her subsequent life remain unclear in historical records.

Titles:

- During Hong Taiji’s reign (1626–1643): Lady Borjigit

- During Shunzhi’s reign (1643–1661): Empress (from 27 September 1651)

- From 25 October 1653: Consort Jing (靜妃), fourth rank consort

In Popular Culture:

Erdeni Bumba has been portrayed in various television series, including "The Rise and Fall of Qing Dynasty" (1987) by Lee Ying-tong, "Xiaozhuang Mishi" (2003) by Wu Zitong, "The Life and Times of a Sentinel" (2011) by Winnie Ma, and "Royal Romantic" (2013) by Viola Mi.

See Also:

- List of people who disappeared

- Ranks of imperial consorts in China § Qing

- Royal and noble ranks of the Qing dynasty

References:

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