Jinfei
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Consort Jin posthumously known as the Imperial Honoured Consort Duankang , was a concubine of the Guangxu Emperor
of the Qing Dynasty
. She was the daughter of Zhangxu of the Tatala clan and the elder sister of Consort Zhen, who was also a concubine of the Guangxu Emperor.
in 1888 together with her younger sister. On 25 February 1889 she was granted the title of Consort Jin (瑾妃). It is thought that the Jadeite Cabbage
sculpture, which is now a treasured item in Taiwan's National Palace Museum
, was part of the dowry settlement. The Guangxu Emperor did not really like her, and it was her younger sister who became the emperor's favourite.
During the Boxer Rebellion
in 1900, the court fled to the city of Xi'an. It is said that the imperial court forgot Consort Jin, and left her at the Forbidden City
. Eventually, Consort Jin was brought back to the imperial court by help of a Manchu prince. Consort Zhen had already died after being thrown in a well by orders of the Empress Dowager Cixi
, although another theory claims she may have committed suicide.
After the imperial court returned to Beijing
in 1902 the Qing Dynasty has lost its influence. The Guangxu Emperor
died six years later in 1908, followed by Empress Dowager Cixi, who died one day after. This was considered a great loss as she was the most important person of the Qing imperial court. Just before her death, Empress Dowager Cixi made Puyi
the new emperor. The Guangxu Emperor's wife Empress Longyu
would become Regent Empress Dowager, and Consort Jin would become Dowager Consort Jin.
Besides Puyi's biological mother, he gained five new adoptive mothers. Among them, Empress Dowager Longyu
was the highest ranking one and Dowager Consort Jin was the lowest. The other three adoptive mothers were consorts of the late Tongzhi Emperor
.
In 1912, Empress Dowager Longyu
signed the abdiction of the fall of the Qing Dynasty. A few months later in 1913, the empress dowager died, and Dowager Consort Jin became the highest ranking woman in the Imperial Palace (though she used to be the lowest ranking one) and was granted the title of the Dowager Consort Duankang (端康太妃). In 1921 the mother of Puyi committed suicide by swallowing opium after being scolded at a public audience by Dowager Consort Duankang for the misconduct of the young emperor Puyi.
Inside Puyi's biography he wrote that Dowager Consort Duankang saw the Empress Dowager Cixi
as her role model for behaviour, even though that Dowager Consort Duankang's own sister (Consort Zhen) was executed by Empress Dowager Cixi. Her strict rules and behaviour often made Puyi angry, but after the death of his mother, Dowager Consort Duankang became much nicer and easier.
When the time was ready for Puyi to marry, the two dowager consorts Duankang and Jingyi (敬懿太妃) had an argument about who should be the emperor's principal wife. Dowager Consort Duankang wanted Wanrong as his principal wife while the Dowager Consort Jingyi chose Wenxiu. In the view of Dowager Consort Duankang, Wenxiu was not beautiful enough to be an empress, and her family background was much lower than that of Wanrong. However, Puyi's first choice was Wenxiu, which made the Dowager Consort Duankang frustrated. She summoned the ministers and princes to discuss this matter, and they agreed to persuade Puyi to change his decision together. Eventually, Puyi agreed to select Wanrong as his empress, and Wenxiu as his consort.
Guangxu Emperor
The Guangxu Emperor , born Zaitian of the Aisin-Gioro clan, was the eleventh emperor of the Manchurian Qing Dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, under Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, only from 1889 to 1898...
of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. She was the daughter of Zhangxu of the Tatala clan and the elder sister of Consort Zhen, who was also a concubine of the Guangxu Emperor.
Biography
Lady Tatala entered the Forbidden CityForbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
in 1888 together with her younger sister. On 25 February 1889 she was granted the title of Consort Jin (瑾妃). It is thought that the Jadeite Cabbage
Jadeite Cabbage
The Jadeite Cabbage or Jadeite Cabbage with Insects is a piece of jadeite carved into the shape of a Chinese cabbage head, and with a locust and katydid camouflaged in the leaves...
sculpture, which is now a treasured item in Taiwan's National Palace Museum
National Palace Museum
The National Palace Museum is an art museum in Taipei. It is the national museum of the Republic of China, and has a permanent collection of over 677,687 pieces of ancient Chinese artifacts and artworks, making it one of the largest in the world. The collection encompasses over 8,000 years of...
, was part of the dowry settlement. The Guangxu Emperor did not really like her, and it was her younger sister who became the emperor's favourite.
During the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
in 1900, the court fled to the city of Xi'an. It is said that the imperial court forgot Consort Jin, and left her at the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
. Eventually, Consort Jin was brought back to the imperial court by help of a Manchu prince. Consort Zhen had already died after being thrown in a well by orders of the Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
, although another theory claims she may have committed suicide.
After the imperial court returned to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
in 1902 the Qing Dynasty has lost its influence. The Guangxu Emperor
Guangxu Emperor
The Guangxu Emperor , born Zaitian of the Aisin-Gioro clan, was the eleventh emperor of the Manchurian Qing Dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, under Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, only from 1889 to 1898...
died six years later in 1908, followed by Empress Dowager Cixi, who died one day after. This was considered a great loss as she was the most important person of the Qing imperial court. Just before her death, Empress Dowager Cixi made Puyi
Puyi
Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the...
the new emperor. The Guangxu Emperor's wife Empress Longyu
Empress Dowager Longyu
Empress Xiao Ding Jing ; is better known as the Empress Dowager Longyu , . Also , she had the nickname was Xizi （喜子）. Empress Xiao Ding Jing was the Qing Dynasty Empress Consort of the Guangxu Emperor who ruled China from 1875 till 1908...
would become Regent Empress Dowager, and Consort Jin would become Dowager Consort Jin.
Besides Puyi's biological mother, he gained five new adoptive mothers. Among them, Empress Dowager Longyu
Empress Dowager Longyu
Empress Xiao Ding Jing ; is better known as the Empress Dowager Longyu , . Also , she had the nickname was Xizi （喜子）. Empress Xiao Ding Jing was the Qing Dynasty Empress Consort of the Guangxu Emperor who ruled China from 1875 till 1908...
was the highest ranking one and Dowager Consort Jin was the lowest. The other three adoptive mothers were consorts of the late Tongzhi Emperor
Tongzhi Emperor
The Tongzhi Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro Dzai Šun, was the tenth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1861 to 1875. His reign, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother, the Empress...
.
In 1912, Empress Dowager Longyu
Empress Dowager Longyu
Empress Xiao Ding Jing ; is better known as the Empress Dowager Longyu , . Also , she had the nickname was Xizi （喜子）. Empress Xiao Ding Jing was the Qing Dynasty Empress Consort of the Guangxu Emperor who ruled China from 1875 till 1908...
signed the abdiction of the fall of the Qing Dynasty. A few months later in 1913, the empress dowager died, and Dowager Consort Jin became the highest ranking woman in the Imperial Palace (though she used to be the lowest ranking one) and was granted the title of the Dowager Consort Duankang (端康太妃). In 1921 the mother of Puyi committed suicide by swallowing opium after being scolded at a public audience by Dowager Consort Duankang for the misconduct of the young emperor Puyi.
Inside Puyi's biography he wrote that Dowager Consort Duankang saw the Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
as her role model for behaviour, even though that Dowager Consort Duankang's own sister (Consort Zhen) was executed by Empress Dowager Cixi. Her strict rules and behaviour often made Puyi angry, but after the death of his mother, Dowager Consort Duankang became much nicer and easier.
When the time was ready for Puyi to marry, the two dowager consorts Duankang and Jingyi (敬懿太妃) had an argument about who should be the emperor's principal wife. Dowager Consort Duankang wanted Wanrong as his principal wife while the Dowager Consort Jingyi chose Wenxiu. In the view of Dowager Consort Duankang, Wenxiu was not beautiful enough to be an empress, and her family background was much lower than that of Wanrong. However, Puyi's first choice was Wenxiu, which made the Dowager Consort Duankang frustrated. She summoned the ministers and princes to discuss this matter, and they agreed to persuade Puyi to change his decision together. Eventually, Puyi agreed to select Wanrong as his empress, and Wenxiu as his consort.