Kurun Princess Hejing

Princess Hejing of the First Rank (固倫和靜公主; August 10, 1756 – February 9, 1775) was a member of the Qing Dynasty royal family. She was the first daughter and oldest child of the Qianlong Emperor and Consort Ling, who was later honored as Empress Xiaoyichun posthumously. She was also the seventh daughter and twentieth child of the emperor.

Her birth occurred in the Hall of Five Fortunes within the Old Summer Palace. During her early years, her residence was temporarily located in the Xichun Garden, as her family manor was still under construction. The initial residence was previously owned by Gao Heng, who was a brother of Imperial Noble Consort Huixian.

In 1761, during the Qing military campaign that led to the capture of the Mongolian Dzungars, Lhawang Dorji was selected as Princess Hejing's prince consort (efu). He was the seventh grandson of Princess Chunque of the First Rank, who was a daughter of the Kangxi Emperor, and her husband Celing. His father, Chenggunzhabu, was involved in military campaigns under the Qing and held the title of jasagh.

On August 1770, at the age of 14, Princess Hejing received the title "Princess Hejing of the First Rank." Her marriage to Lhawang Dorji took place at the Palace of Brightness and Justice located inside the Old Summer Palace. Although tradition typically restricted the highest-ranking princess titles to daughters of the empress, an exception was granted in her case. The reasons included her mother’s status as an imperial noble consort who effectively served as an empress and her position as the first daughter of Consort Ling, which emphasized the emperor's intention to demonstrate friendship with Lhawang Dorji.

Following the marriage, Princess Hejing and her husband moved to Mongolia. This relocation was consistent with Qing diplomatic policies, which often involved marital alliances to integrate Mongolian aristocrats into the empire. In November 1771, she traveled to Tamir with a consort of Chenggunzhabu, possibly her mother-in-law. The journey was intended to be temporary, with plans to return to Beijing in spring, due to the difficult winter conditions typical of the Khalkha region.

Princess Hejing died on February 9, 1775, at the age of 18. While it is generally believed she died in Mongolia, specific details regarding her cause of death are scarce in historical records.

In contemporary popular culture, she has been portrayed by Wang Herun in the Netflix series "Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures" (2019), a sequel to "Story of Yanxi Palace" (2018), and by Jin Ziqi in the television series "Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace" (2018).