Empress Xiaohuizhang


Empress Xiaohuizhang, of the Khorchin Mongol Borjigit clan, personal name Alatan Qiqige, was a consort of the Shunzhi Emperor. She was three years his junior.

Life

Family background

The future Empress Xiaohuizhang was born on the third day of the tenth lunar month in the 16th year of the reign of Hong Taiji, which translates to 5 November 1641 in the Gregorian calendar.

Shunzhi era

On 25 October 1653, the Shunzhi Emperor deposed his first empress consort, who was also from the Borjigit clan. In June or July 1654, the Lady Borjigit that would become Empress Xiaohuizhang entered the Forbidden City and became a concubine of the Shunzhi Emperor. In July or August 1654, she was officially designated as the Empress to replace the deposed Lady Borjigit.
However, the Shunzhi Emperor showed little interest in his new empress consort because he favoured Consort Donggo more than any other consort of his. Some historians believe that the Shunzhi Emperor made Empress Xiaohuizhang his new empress consort because he wanted to reduce tensions between the Aisin Gioro and Borjigit clans after demoting his first empress consort. The Aisin Gioro and Borjigit clans had a long history of political marriages, so the emperor had to choose a Borjigit woman to be his empress consort in order to keep up with tradition.

Kangxi era

The Shunzhi Emperor died on 5 February 1661 and was succeeded by his third son, Xuanye, who was born to Lady Tunggiya. Xuanye was enthroned as the Kangxi Emperor, while Lady Borjigit, as the empress consort of the previous emperor, was granted the title "Empress Dowager Renxian". She died on 7 January 1718 and was interred in a separate tomb in the Xiao Mausoleum of the Eastern Qing tombs.

Titles