Empress Xiaozhaoren

Empress Xiaozhaoren (Manchu: Hiyoošungga Genggiyen Gosin Hūwanghu; 1653 – 18 March 1678^[1]) was the second empress consort of the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty.

Biography

Empress Xiaozhaoren was born in the Manchu Niuhuru clan, under the Bordered Yellow Banner of the Qing Dynasty's Eight Banners. Her personal name was unknown. She was the daughter of Ebilun, one of the Four Regents of the Kangxi Emperor. It is unknown when Lady Niuhuru first entered the Forbidden City, but it is believed that she made her entry around the same time as the Kangxi Emperor's first empress, Empress Xiaochengren, because Kangxi had to choose his empress from among the daughters of the Four Regents. Lady Niuhuru was not given any title or rank. In 1674 Empress Xiaochengren died but the Kangxi Emperor did not promote another consort to empress. In 1677 Lady Niuhuru was mentioned for the first time as she was promoted to the status of Empress. As empress she was put in charge of the emperor's concubines. Lady Niuhuru died six months later and was interred in the Jingling Mausoleum in Hebei together with Empress Xiaochengren.

Lady Niuhuru's younger sister entered the Forbidden City as well and was given the posthumous title of Honored Consort Wenxi in 1694.

Posthumous title

Empress Xiaozhaoren's full posthumous title is:

Empress Xiaozhaojingshuminghuizhenghe'anyuduanmuqintianshunshengren (孝昭静淑明惠正和安裕端穆钦天顺圣仁皇后)

Notes

↑ Empress Xiaozhaoren's exact date of birth is not recorded

References

Draft history of the Qing dynasty. 《清史稿》卷二百十四．列傳一．后妃傳．
Qing dynasty’s "Imperial Kinsmen Genealogy" Manchu nationality history, material and value (清代<玉牒>中的满族史资料及其价值)
Royal archives of the Qing dynasty (清宫档案).
Qing imperial genealogy(清皇室四谱).
Niuhuru clan genealogy,(钮祜禄家谱).
Biographies of the Qing dynasty consorts (清历朝后妃列传).
Daily life in the Forbidden City, Wan Yi, Wang Shuqing, Lu Yanzhen. ISBN 0-670-81164-5.

Succession