Yicong

Yicong (23 July 1831 – 18 February 1889), also known as Prince Dun (or Prince Tun), was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty. He was born in the Aisin Gioro clan as the fifth son of the Daoguang Emperor. His mother was Consort Xiang from the Niohuru clan.

Yicong was adopted by his uncle, Miankai, the third son of the Jiaqing Emperor, due to Miankai’s lack of surviving sons. Upon Miankai's death in 1838, Yicong inherited his adoptive father's peerage and was titled "Prince Dun of the First Rank" (惇親王).

Following the death of the Daoguang Emperor in 1850, Yicong's fourth brother, Yizhu, ascended the throne as the Xianfeng Emperor. When the Xianfeng Emperor died in 1861, Yicong and his seventh brother, Yixuan (Prince Chun), were in Rehe Province with the emperor, whereas their sixth brother, Yixin (Prince Gong), was in Beijing, the imperial capital. Yicong supported Yixin in the Xinyou Coup of 1861, aiding him in seizing power from a group of eight regents appointed during the late Xianfeng Emperor's reign to assist the succeeding Tongzhi Emperor. In 1865, Yicong was appointed as the head of the Imperial Clan Court.

Yicong died in 1889 during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor. His lineage includes a great-grandson, Yuyan, who claimed to be a successor to Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing dynasty. His former residence is located at Qinghua Gardens, which is the site of present-day Tsinghua University.

Family details include a primary consort from the Ulanghaigimot clan. His primary consort bore three daughters, born in 1852, 1855, and 1858, with the first and second daughters passing away in childhood. He also had secondary consorts and mistresses, with children sired from these relationships. His second son, Zaiyi, was known as Prince Duan of the Second Rank, and his third son, Zaiying, was titled Prince of the Third Rank. Other children include Zailan, who was awarded the Duke of the Fourth Rank, and several other sons and daughters, most of whom died young or in childhood.

Yicong’s ancestry traces back through the Qing imperial family, rooted in the Aisin Gioro clan. His role in the Qing court and familial relationships positioned him among the prominent Manchu princes of his time.