Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/313

Rh be explained by his desire to create a strong element inside the Palace which would offset the influence of his mother. Be that as it may, as soon as Fu-lin died Empress Hsiao-chuang cooperated with several courtiers in reducing the power of the eunuchs and executing some of their leaders.

Following the succession to the throne in 1662 of her grandson, (q.v., who ruled under the reign-title, K'ang-hsi), Hsiao-chuang was given the title, T'ai Huang-tai-hou 太皇太后 (Superior Empress Dowager). She was very kind to the young Emperor whose own mother died in 1663. In fact she brought him up and assisted him a great deal in his education. For this she won his life-long gratitude. She responded promptly with relief from the royal stores in times of calamity, remembered the hardships of troops in time of war and sent bounties to encourage them during the San-fan Rebellion (see under ). As Empress Dowager she abolished the troublesome custom of the ruling house which required the wives of the princes to come in turn to the Palace and serve the Empress. It is said that she never interfered in national affairs, but was always consulted by her grandson, Hsüan-yeh, on matters concerning the Imperial Household. She encouraged the Emperor to keep up the vigorous pastimes of his people, such as riding, archery, and the chase. In 1670 he visited with her the Imperial Tombs at Ma-lan-yü (see under ) and in Mukden; and in 1683 she accompanied him to Wu-t'ai-shan in Shansi.

The Empress Dowager died at the age of seventy-five (sui) and was canonized as Hsiao-chuang Wên Huang-hou. Her tablet was placed in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and in 1726 she was interred at Ma-lan yü in a tomb called Chao Hsi-ling 昭西陵. A rumor gained currency in south China that she had actually married her brother-in-law,, while he was regent during her son's minority. This rumor cannot be substantiated, and may have been confused with the act for which Dorgon was later censured, namely, taking his nephew's wivewife [sic] (see ). Empress Hsiao-chuang's three daughters all married Mongol princes of the Borjigit clan. Yatu married her cousin, the son of Ukšan and nephew of Empress Hsiao-chuang. Atu was married twice, the first time in 1643 to a son of, but he died within a short time. In 1648 she married Septen 色布騰 (d. 1668), a prince of the Barin 巴林 tribe.

[1/220/4b; 1/173/1b; Ch'ing lieh-ch'ao Hou-fei chuan-kao (see under ) shang 27b; Ch'ing Huang-shih ssŭ-p'u (see under ) 2/5a, 4/6a; Ch'ing-ch'u san-ta-i-an k'ao-shih (see bibl. under ).]

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 HSIAO-hsien Huang-hou 孝獻皇后, Empress Hsiao-hsien, 1639–1660, Sept. 23, favorite consort of Emperor Shih-tsu (i.e., q.v.), was the daughter of Oši 鄂碩 (d. 1657) of the Donggo clan and the Plain White Banner. Oši took part in many campaigns from 1634 to 1650 and was rewarded with the hereditary rank of viscount, which was raised to a third class earldom in 1656, as a favor to his daughter. His son,, was the famous commander who in 1696 defeated in Mongolia.

Hsiao-hsien, also known as Tung-o Fei 董鄂妃 (Imperial Secondary Consort of the Donggo clan), entered the Palace in 1656 at eighteen sui. According to some Jesuit accounts she had been the "wife of a young Tartar Lord”, but Emperor Shih-tsu passionately loved her and after her husband's death took her to be his consort (see under ). At any rate, suddenly in 1656, she became the Emperor's favorite, was given the title of Hsien-fei 賢妃 (Virtuous Imperial Consort of the Second Class), and a month later was raised to the rank of Huang Kuei-fei 皇貴妃, or Imperial Consort of the First Class, a rank next only to that of Empress. Shih-tsu had deposed his first Empress, but was barred from deposing a second with a view to making Hsiao-hsien Empress, owing to the opposition of the Dowager Empress,, and the officials. But he lavished his love on her, and gave her more favors than were due a woman of her rank. Thus late in 1656, or early in 1657, following the ceremonies which made her Huang Kuei-fei, a general amnesty was proclaimed and her father was made an earl. She gave birth to a son on November 12, 1657 who died on February 25 of the following year. Contrary to practice this child was posthumously made a prince of the first class, with the title Jung Ch'in-wang 榮親王. In the Palace Hsiao-hsien studied Chinese and practiced calligraphy, and under the influence of the Emperor she also studied Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism. When she died the Emperor 301