Yongqi, Prince Rong

Yongqi (23 March 1741 – 16 April 1766), courtesy name Junting, art name Tengqin Jushi, formally known as Prince Rong, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty. He was the fifth son of the Qianlong Emperor. Arguably the most outstanding among the Qianlong Emperor's sons, he was, at one point, considered by his father as a potential heir to the throne. However, he died prematurely at the age of 25.

Life

Yongqi was born in the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan as the fifth son of the Qianlong Emperor. His mother was Noble Consort Yu (愉貴妃), who was from the Keliyete (珂里葉特) clan.

Yongqi was studious and diligent from a young age. Every day, of all the princes, he was the earliest to reach the palace study to attend classes. He had a close relationship with his younger brother, Yongyan. Yongqi was talented - he was fluent in the Manchu and Mongol languages, he was versed in astronomy, geography and calendrical calculation. One of his works was the Jiaotong Tenggao (蕉桐幐稿).

Yongqi was versed in poetry, painting, and calligraphy. He was also skilled in horse-riding and mounted archery. His talents earned him the favour of his father, the Qianlong Emperor. In 1763, a fire broke out in the Old Summer Palace, and Yongqi carried his father on his back and brought him to safety. Two years later, the Qianlong Emperor conferred Yongqi the title "Prince Rong of the First Rank", making Yongqi the first of the Qianlong Emperor's sons to officially receive a princely title. Besides the Chinese character "Rong" (榮) in the title literally means "glory" or "honour", which showed that the Qianlong Emperor had high hopes for Yongqi.

Yongqi died in 1766 after suffering from bone tuberculosis for several months. He was already ill when he was made "Prince Rong". He was granted the posthumous name "Chun" (純; "pure"), so his full posthumous title was extended to "Prince Rongchun of the First Rank" (榮純親王).

Tomb

Yongqi was buried with the Qianlong Emperor's eldest son, Yonghuang (永璜; 1728–1750), who also died in his 20s. The tomb, sometimes referred to as the "Crown Prince Tomb" (太子陵), is located in northern part of eastern Beijing near Bulaotun Town (不老屯鎮). In 1958 the tomb was demolished to make way for the construction of the Miyun Reservoir (密雲水庫). Its contents were carefully excavated and transferred to the Capital Museum.

Former residence

Yongqi and his descendants were merged under the Bordered Red Banner of the Eight Banners. Yongqi's house later became the residence of Prince Chun in the later part of the Qing dynasty. A Prince Rong Residence is located in the southwest of present-day Beijing at Xuanwu Gate on the west side of Taiping Lake.

Appraisal

Yongqi's mother was not one of the highly ranked consorts of the Qianlong Emperor, but yet Yongqi was instated as a Prince of the First Rank, and there were signs that the emperor had considered designating Yongqi as his heir. Another two princes, Yonglian and Yongcong, became first-rank princes because they were born to Empress Xiaoxianchun. As such it was believed that the Qianlong Emperor truly favoured and loved Yongqi.

Yongqi was the most outstanding of the Qianlong Emperor's sons and the best choice to succeed his father, but it was unfortunate that he died at a young age of 25. In 1793, when the Qianlong Emperor met British envoy George Macartney he told the latter that he regarded Yongqi highly because of his many talents, and that it was a pity that he died early.

In fiction and popular culture

• Portrayed by Alec Su in My Fair Princess (1998)
• Portrayed by Leo Ku in My Fair Princess III (2003)
• Portrayed by Zhang Rui in New My Fair Princess (2011)
• Portrayed by Chen Youwei in Story of Yanxi Palace (2018)
• Portrayed by Qu Chuxiao in Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace (2018)

Family

• Spouses:
  • Lady Silin-Gioro (西林覺羅氏), daughter of Ebi (鄂弼), a viceroy (總督). She was also the granddaughter of Ortai. She bore Yongqi his sixth son.
  • Lady Socolo (綽羅氏), daughter of Left Imperial Adviser (左都御史) Guanbao (觀保). She bore Yongqi his eldest, third, fourth and fifth sons.
  • Lady Hu (胡氏), daughter of Hu Cunzhu (胡存柱). She bore Yongqi his second son and daughter.
• Children:
  • Eldest son (1759), unnamed, died before turning a month old.
  • Second son (1760), unnamed, died on the same day he was born.
  • Third son (1761 - 1763), unnamed, died at the age of two.
  • Fourth son (1764), unnamed, Mianyi's twin brother, died before turning two months old.
  • Mianyi (綿億; 1764 - 1815), Yongqi's fifth son, twin brother of Yongqi's fourth son, titled "Prince Rongke of the First Rank" (榮恪郡王).
  • Sixth son (1765), unnamed, died before turning a month old.
  • Daughter, birth and death dates unknown, personal name unknown, granted the title of a xianjun (縣君), married a Mongol prince Wangqinbanba'er (旺親班巴爾) in 1784.

See also

• Royal and noble ranks of the Qing dynasty
• Ranks of imperial consorts in China#Qing

References

• Zhao, Erxun (1928). Draft History of Qing (Qing Shi Gao). 221. China.