Imperial Concubine Cheng

Concubine Cheng (died 29 May 1784), of the Manchu Niohuru clan from the Plain Red Banner, was a consort of the Qianlong Emperor during the Qing dynasty. Her given Chinese family name was Niohuru, and she held various titles throughout her life in the imperial court.

Family Background:

Concubine Cheng was born into the Manchu Niohuru clan, which belonged to the Plain Red Banner. Her father was Mukedeng, a second-class imperial guard and a commander of Niru. Her paternal grandfather was A'ersong'a, the son of Alingga and grandson of Ebilun. A'ersong'a held the title of a second-class duke.

Life in the Qing Court:

She entered the Forbidden City in 1757 under the title of "Noble Lady Lan" (兰贵人), which was a sixth-rank consort designation. Her residence was in Yongshou Palace, and she was under the supervision of Consort Shu. In 1759, she was involved in an incident where she punished a eunuch who had stolen and sold her clothes, a common occurrence in the palace environment. Following this incident, she was demoted to the rank of "First Class Female Attendant Lan" (兰常在), a seventh-rank consort.

In 1768, she was restored to the rank of "Noble Lady Lan." In 1777, she received a promotion to "Concubine Cheng" (诚嫔), which was a fifth-rank consort position; however, the formal ceremony was deferred until 1779 due to the mourning period after the death of Empress Xiaoshengxian. During this time, she cohabited with Noble Lady Shun.

Concubine Cheng died on 29 May 1784 during the Qianlong Emperor's southern tour. She was interred at Yu mausoleum in the Eastern Qing tombs.

Titles and Ranks:

- Lady Niohuru (date unknown)

- Noble Lady Lan (兰贵人; from 1757), sixth rank

- First Class Female Attendant Lan (兰常在; from 1758), seventh rank

- Noble Lady Lan (兰贵人; from 1768), sixth rank

- Concubine Cheng (诚嫔; from 1777), fifth rank

References:

Information about her titles and career tracks are aligned with the Qing dynasty's ranking system of imperial consorts and the historical records of the Imperial Palace during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor.