Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang

Empress Xiaozhuangwen
Empress Consort of the Qing Dynasty
(Title granted posthumously)
Predecessor Empress Xiaoduanwen
Successor Borjigit, Demoted Empress
Spouse Hong Taiji
Issue
Kurun Princess Yongmu
Kurun Princess Shuhui
Kurun Princess Duanxian
Fulin
Full name
Borjigit Bumbutai
(博爾濟吉特·布木布泰)
Posthumous name
Empress Xiaozhuang Renxuan Chengxian Gongyi Zhide Chunhui Yitian Qisheng Wen
(孝莊仁宣誠憲恭懿至德純徽翊天啟聖文皇后)
House House of Borjigit (by birth)
House of Aisin-Gioro (by marriage)
Father Jaisang
Born 28 March 1613(1613-03-28)
Died 27 January 1688(1688-01-27) (aged 74)
Beijing, China
Burial Zhaoling Mausoleum, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang
Traditional Chinese 孝莊太后
Simplified Chinese 孝庄太后
Empress Xiaozhuangwen
Traditional Chinese 孝莊文皇后
Simplified Chinese 孝庄文皇后

Empress Xiaozhuangwen (Manchu: Hiyoošungga Ambalinggū Genggiyenšu Hūwanghu; 28 March 1613 – 27 January 1688), better known as Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, was a concubine of the Qing Dynasty ruler Hong Taiji. She was the mother of Hong Taiji's successor, the Shunzhi Emperor, and grandmother of Shunzhi's successor, the Kangxi Emperor. She wielded significant influence in the Qing imperial court during the reigns of her son and grandson. Known for her wisdom and political insight, Empress Xiaozhuangwen is a respected figure in the history of the Qing Dynasty.

Contents

Biography

Empress Xiaozhuangwen was born of the Mongol Borjigit clan. Her father Jaisang (寨桑), a beile of the Khorchin Mongols, was a descendant of Hasar, a younger brother of Genghis Khan. Although her personal name was "Bumbutai" (Chinese: 布木布泰; pinyin: Bùmùbùtài), she is also referred to as "Dayu'er" (Chinese: 大玉儿; pinyin: Dàyùěr; literally "Great Jade"), although it is unclear whether it is simply a product of folktales, or is, in fact, a name used by Empress Xiaozhuangwen herself.[1]

Bumbutai became Hong Taiji's concubine in 1625 when she was 12 years old. She bore Hong Taiji three daughters and a son, Fulin. Her aunt Jere was Hong Taiji's empress consort, and she also became an empress dowager after Hong Taiji's death.

Hong Taiji did not leave behind a will after his death in 1643, and this resulted in a struggle for succession among his brothers and eldest son, Hooge. Daišan and Dorgon, Hong Taiji's brothers, agreed that Fulin should be the successor, and they pledged to serve Fulin with absolute loyalty. Fulin ascended to the throne as the Shunzhi Emperor. Hooge was not pleased with this arrangement and argued that he should be the rightful successor because he was the eldest son. Hooge was eventually put under house arrest by Dorgon and died during his confinement.

Dorgon became regent and was in charge of making decisions for the Shunzhi Emperor because the latter was still young. The relationship between Dorgon and the Shunzhi Emperor has been a topic for discussion among historians. When Dorgon died in 1650, Shunzhi posthumously stripped him off his titles and had Dorgon's corpse mutilated. It is believed that Bumbutai married Dorgon after Hong Taiji's death, since levirate marriage was a common practice among Mongols then. This was considered to be a reason as to why Dorgon and his brother Dodo were posthumously stripped off their titles of nobility.

Bumbutai kept a low profile during the reign of her son, the Shunzhi Emperor, and had little interference in politics. Shunzhi died in 1661 and was succeeded by his son Xuanye, who became known as the Kangxi Emperor. Bumbutai advised her grandson to learn from the Four Regents (appointed by the Shunzhi Emperor before his death to aid the Kangxi Emperor). She also took charge of the Kangxi Emperor's upbringing after the death of the emperor's mother. When the Kangxi Emperor came to of age and officially took personal control of the government in 1667, he faced the threat of the growing influence of Oboi, one of the Four Regents. Two years later, Bumbutai assisted her grandson in making plans to get rid of Oboi - Oboi was lured into a trap, placed under arrest, and stripped off his power.

Throughout her life, Bumbutai disliked living in the palace despite its luxurious conditions. She also refused to hold any birthday celebrations as she felt that it would be costly.

When Bumbutai fell sick in the autumn of 1687, the Kangxi Emperor personally took care of his grandmother.[2] Bumbutai died a year later in 1688 and was interred in the Zhaoling Mausoleum in Shenyang, Liaoning.

Family

[3]

Titles held

Modern references

Literature

Television

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Yu" (玉) means "jade", which was the meaning of her older sister's name "Harjol"
  2. ^ Bennet Peterson. p. 328. 
  3. ^ Draft history of the Qing dynasty. Princess files 《清史稿·公主表》.

References

Succession

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang
Chinese royalty
Preceded by
Empress Xiaoduanwen		 Empress Dowager of China
1646 – January 27, 1688		 Succeeded by
Empress Xiaokangzhang