Zailian

Zai Lian, born October 8, 1854, died November 13, 1917. He was a member of the Qing imperial family, the grandson of the Daoguang Emperor, the eldest son of Prince Dunqin Yi Long, and held the title of Duke of the Third Rank (Doro Beile), which had been abolished.

Biographical Highlights: Born on the 17th day of the eighth month in the fourth year of the Xianfeng era. In the seventh year of Xianfeng, he was awarded the top tribute hat and double-eyed flower plume; in the first year of Tongzhi, he was granted the title of Provincial Military Commander; in the third year of Tongzhi, promoted to the rank of Non-Enter Eight-Grade Zhenduo Prince (a noble rank); in the eleventh year of Tongzhi, promoted to Feng’en Supporter of the State Duke. In the sixth year of Guangxu, he served as the main clan head of the Plain Blue Banner; in the fifteenth year, he inherited the title of Beile and a Duke of the Third Rank, inheriting Prince Dunqin's Chinghua Garden. In the sixteenth year, awarded as a Grand Secretary; in the seventeenth year, appointed as a Han Army Commander of the Mianghong Banner; in the twentieth year, became Inner Guard Secretary.

In the twenty-fifth year of Guangxu (1899), he was involved in the Jisi (Ji Hai) plan to establish the crown prince, with his brother Prince Duanjun Zai Yi and nephew Pu Jun becoming key political figures. In the twenty-sixth year of Guangxu (1900), during the Gengzi Incident, Zai Yi condoned the Boxers. The same year, Empress Dowager Cixi issued instructions under the name of Emperor Guangxu to discipline those involved in the Gengzi incident. Prince Zhuang Zai Xun, Prince Yi Pujing, Beile Zai Lian, and Zai Ying were stripped of their titles; Prince Duanjun Zai Yi had all his appointments revoked, and was handed over to the Zongren Court for strict judgment, with his stipend suspended. Zai Lian died on the 29th day of the ninth month, in the sixth year of the Republic of China (1917).

Family: His primary wife was A'lu Tashi, daughter of the Official Lang Chong Gang; his secondary wife was Fimo, daughter of the Tibetan Minister Wen Shuo; his concubine was Wang, daughter of Wang Da. Children: First son Pu Cheng (1893–1931), born of the primary wife, awarded the top tributes to the gate of the Ganfeng Hall, died in 1931; granddaughter Yujuying. Eldest grandson Yudai (1913–1946); second grandson Yuyang (1918–1999), both from the primary wife Fucha. Second son Pu Xiu (1896–1956), born to secondary wife Fimo, was adopted by Zai Jin as heir, granted the rank of Second-Class Zhen Guo Jiang Jun, and returned to the clan in 1915.