Yinzhi, Prince Zhi

Yinzhi (1672 - 1734), also known as Yunzhi, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty.

Biography

Yinzhi was born of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan as the fifth son of the Kangxi Emperor. His mother was Consort Hui (惠妃) from the Nara clan. As the first four sons of Kangxi died prematurely, and Yinzhi was the eldest son of Kangxi to survive into adulthood, he was therefore designated by his father as the eldest son and First Prince. He was granted the title of "Prince Zhi of the Second Rank" (直郡王) in 1698.

Yinzhi participated in the Qing dynasty's campaign against Galdan Boshugtu Khan of the Zunghar Khanate. In 1708 the Kangxi Emperor removed Yinreng from the position of crown prince after the latter fell out of his father's favour. Kangxi regarded Yinzhi highly and placed Yinreng under Yinzhi's custody. Yinzhi had long harboured the intention of seizing the succession to the throne, so he used the opportunity to urge his father to have Yinreng put to death, but that incurred the Kangxi Emperor's displeasure instead. Later, the Third Prince Yinzhi (胤祉) accused Yinzhi (First Prince) of using sorcery to unseat Yinreng from his position of crown prince. The Kangxi Emperor was furious with Yinzhi (First Prince), calling him as a "treacherous subject" and stripped him off his princely title and placed him under house arrest.

When the Kangxi Emperor died in 1722, his fourth son Yinzhen succeeded him and became known as the Yongzheng Emperor. Yinzhi changed his name to "Yunzhi" to avoid naming taboo because the Chinese character for "Yin" (胤) in "Yinzhi" is the same as the one in the Yongzheng Emperor's personal name "Yinzhen" (胤禛). Yunzhi died in 1734 and was given a funeral befitting his title of a beizi (貝子; two grades below a Prince of the Second Rank).

Family

• Father: Kangxi Emperor
• Mother: Consort Hui (惠妃), from the Nara clan. Her father was Suo'erhe (索爾和), who served as a langzhong (郎中).

• Spouses:
  • Primary spouses:
    • Lady Irgen-Gioro (伊爾根覺羅氏), daughter of Imperial Secretary (尚書) Ke'erkun (科爾坤).
    • Lady Zhangjia (張佳氏), daughter of Military Commander (總兵官) Zhang Haoshang (張浩尚).
  • Concubines:
    • Lady Wuya (吳雅氏), daughter of Langzhong (郎中) Baqina (巴奇納).
    • Lady Guan (關氏), daughter of Mase (麻色).
    • Lady Qian (錢氏)
    • Lady Ruan (阮氏), daughter of Yatu (雅圖).
    • Lady Guo (郭氏), daughter of Guo Yong (郭永).
    • Lady Jin (晉氏), daughter of Dase (達色).
    • Lady Fan (范氏), daughter of Erge (二格).
    • Lady Wang (王氏), daughter of Wang Zhong (王忠).
    • Lady Gao (高氏), daughter of Gao Dengke (高登科).
    • Lady Li (李氏), daughter of Li Haoshan (李浩山).
    • Lady Chao (晁氏)

• Children:
  • Sons:
    • Hongyu (弘昱,1696—1718), Yinzhi's eldest son, born to Lady Irgen-Gioro,no issue.
    • Hongfang (弘昉,1704—1772), Yinzhi's second son, born to Lady Wang, granted the title of "Duke Who Receives Grace and Guards the Nation" (奉恩鎮國公).
    • Hongwei (弘暐,1705—1710), Yinzhi's third son, born to Lady Zhangjia.
    • Hongyao (弘曜,1707—1710), Yinzhi's fourth son, born to Lady Zhangjia.
    • Fifth son, born to Lady Guan, died prematurely.
    • Honghan (弘晗,1708—1755), Yinzhi's sixth son, born to Lady Qian.
    • Hongdi (弘旳,1708—1741), Yinzhi's seventh son, born to Lady Ruan.
    • Eighth son, born to Lady Zhangjia, died prematurely.
    • Ninth son, born to Lady Guo, died prematurely.
    • Tenth son, born to Lady Wuya, died prematurely.
    • 11th son, born to Lady Jin, died prematurely.
    • Hongxiang (弘晌,1717—1780), Yinzhi's 12th son, born to Lady Gao, granted the title of "General Who Receives Grace" (奉恩將軍).
    • Hongtong (弘晍,1722—1759), Yinzhi's 13th son, born to Lady Guo.
    • Hongming (弘明,1732—1806), Yinzhi's 14th son, born to Lady Jin.
    • Hongtun (弘旽,1732—1805), Yinzhi's 15th son, born to Lady Fan.
  • Daughters:
    • Eldest daughter, born to Lady Irgen-Gioro, granted the title of a junzhu.
    • Second daughter, born to Lady Irgen-Gioro, granted the title of a junzhu.
    • Third daughter, born to Lady Irgen-Gioro, granted the title of a xianjun.
    • Fourth daughter, born to Lady Irgen-Gioro, granted the title of a xianjun.
    • Fifth daughter, born to Lady Wuya, granted the title of a xianjun.
    • Sixth daughter, born to Lady Li, died prematurely.
    • Seventh daughter, born to Lady Chao.
    • Eighth daughter, born to Lady Zhangjia, granted the title of a xianjun.
    • Ninth daughter, born to Lady Guo, granted the title of a xianjun.
    • Tenth daughter, born to Lady Guo, granted the title of a xianjun.
    • 11th daughter, born to Lady Guo, died prematurely.
    • 12th daughter, born to Lady Guo, died prematurely.
    • 13th daughter, born to Jin, granted the title of a junzhu.
    • 14th daughter, born to Lady Guo, granted the title of a xianjun.

Ancestry

See also

• Qing dynasty nobility
• Ranks of Imperial Consorts in China#Qing