Hongzhou

Hongzhou (5 January 1712 – 2 September 1770), known formally as Prince He, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty. He was born in the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan as the fifth son of the Yongzheng Emperor. His mother was Imperial Noble Consort Chunque of the Geng clan, the daughter of Geng Dejin, a guanling (an official position) in the Qing imperial court.

In 1733, Hongzhou was granted the title "Prince He of the First Rank" (和碩和親王). During his childhood, he was adopted and raised by Empress Xiaojingxian. Unlike his brothers Hongli and Hongshi, Hongzhou chose to avoid involvement in the competition for succession to their father's throne. It is noted that he reportedly pretended to be mentally unsettled and feminine as a means of avoiding political rivalry.

Hongzhou was married to Imperial Princess Consort Hegong of the Ujaku clan. His marriage produced several children, including:

- Yongying (17 May 1731 – 28 July 1732), his first son,

- Yongbi, Prince Heqin of the First Rank (23 July 1733 – 4 April 1772), his second son,

- Princess Hewan of the Second Rank (24 July 1734 – 2 May 1760), his first daughter, who married Deleke of the Barin Borjigit clan in 1751,

- Yongbin, General of the First Rank (24 December 1735 – 2 February 1799), his fourth son,

- A son who was born and died in January 1739,

- Yongkun, Duke of the Fourth Rank (11 March 1743 – 16 February 1803), his seventh son,

- Yongzeng (19 September 1745 – 5 July 1768), his eighth son.

He also had secondary marriages, resulting in additional children:

- A third son (22 May 1734 – 31 December 1734) with a secondary consort from the Janggiya clan,

- Yonghuan, General of the First Rank (7 July 1740 – 3 November 1783), his sixth son, with a secondary consort from the Cui clan.

Hongzhou was referenced in popular culture, notably portrayed by Wang Xiao in "Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace" (2018) and by Hong Yao in "Story of Yanxi Palace" (2018).

His title of Prince He is part of the noble hierarchy of the Qing dynasty, and the succession of his title follows the familial and imperial protocol established during his era.

References for his biography include the "Draft History of Qing" (Qing Shi Gao), volume 220, authored by Zhao Erxun in 1928.