Li Jia Shi

Li Jiasi, born in 1675 and died in 1745, was a member of the Manchu Plain White Banner and a branch of the Ningshu family. Her father was the Escort of the Light Cavalry, Shurdekhu. She was a secondary consort of Crown Prince Yunreng during the Kangxi era, residing together with Yunreng and his wives and concubines in Yuqing Palace. In 1692, she bore Yunreng's eldest son, who died at eleven months old; in 1694, she gave birth to his second son, Hongxi. In the thirty-sixth year of Kangxi (1697), she was promoted to Noble Lady and was the only secondary consort other than Yunreng's primary consort to receive an official title. In the forty-sixth year of Kangxi (1707), she was promoted to Imperial Concubine and continued to reside in Yuqing Palace, ranking just below the Crown Prince’s wife. After the two dethroned Crown Princes, Yunreng’s concubines, including her, followed him to Xian'an Palace; Yunreng was not granted a rank, and most of the serving women had no titles, including Li Jiasi. In December of the second year of Yongzheng (1724), Yunreng died. The court posthumously honored him as Lǐ Prince and bestowed the posthumous title Mi. According to imperial edict, Hongxi’s mother, Li Jiasi, who had served the Second Prince for many years, was enfeoffed as Lǐ Prince’s Side Consort and was ordered to live in Hongxi’s residence. Hongxi was filial and attentive in his care; if the concubines had children, he was willing to support and raise them, and those wishing to reside with the Side Consort were allowed to do so; those unwilling could establish separate residence. She passed away in the tenth year of Qianlong (1745), at the age of 70. Before her death, Li Jiasi distributed Yunreng’s calligraphy and Heart Sutra album to Yunreng’s sons and grandson Yong Jing.