Empress Xiaozheyi
Posthumous name |
Empress Xiaozhe Jiashun Shushen Xianming Gongduan Xiantian Zhangsheng Yi
(孝哲嘉順淑慎賢明恭端憲天彰聖毅皇后) |
Empress Xiaozheyi (25 July 1854 – 27 March 1875), also known as the Jiashun Empress, was the Empress Consort of the Tongzhi Emperor of the Qing dynasty.
Empress Xiaozheyi was born in the Alute clan (阿魯特氏), which was of Mongol origin and under the Mongol Plain Blue Banner. Her personal name is unknown. Lady Alute's father, Coci (崇綺; Chongqi; 1829–1900), was the top candidate in the 1865 imperial examination, and was also the only top candidate of Mongol ancestry in Qing dynasty history. He was a shijiang (侍講; lecturer) at the Hanlin Academy and also served as Minister of Revenue. Lady Alute's mother was a daughter of Duanhua (Prince Zheng), a member of the imperial clan, and his wife, a paternal aunt of Empress Dowager Ci'an. Lady Alute was thus a first cousin once-removed of Empress Dowager Ci'an.
Lady Alute was tutored by her father since young and she demonstrated high potential and intelligence as a child. She also showed interest and talent in poetry, literature, music and art. Under the influence of her father, she learnt to write with both hands aptly. She was famous among the Manchu aristocracy for her talent, moral character and looks.
On 15 September 1872, Lady Alute was chosen to be Empress Consort by the Tongzhi Emperor. She was specially chosen to help in the reconciliation of rivals in the Qing imperial court. Lady Alute's maternal grandfather, Duanhua (Prince Zheng), was a former political rival of the emperor's mother, Empress Dowager Cixi. It was said that there was an argument between the Empress Dowagers Cixi and Ci'an over the choice of empress. Ci'an, who favoured Lady Alute, claimed that the empress should possess high moral standards, while Cixi felt that the empress should be wise and shrewd. The conflict was resolved by the Tongzhi Emperor when he eventually chose Lady Alute to be his Empress. Cixi was displeased with her son's decision. Another four candidates chosen for Empress became the emperor's concubines. One of them was Lady Alute's aunt, who later became known as Imperial Noble Consort Zhuanghe.
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