Empress Xiaozhaoren

Life

Empress Xiaozhaoren's personal name was not recorded in history. Her father was Ebilun (? – 1673), who served as one of the Four Regents of the Kangxi Emperor and held the title of a first class duke. Her paternal grandfather was Eidu (1562–1621), and her paternal grandmother was Mukushen (1595–1659), Nurhaci's fourth daughter. Her mother, Lady Šušu-Gioro, was a secondary wife.

She had seven brothers: first elder brother Sailin, a third class imperial guard; a second elder brother unnamed; third younger brother Faka (17 May 1664 – 9 February 1713), first class duke; fourth younger brother Yanzhu (1665 – ?), first class imperial guard; fifth younger brother Fubao (1678 – ?), second class imperial guard; sixth younger brother Yinde, first class duke; and seventh younger brother Alingga (1670–1716). She also had five sisters: first elder sister, Princess Consort, wife of Zhashen of the Mongol Barin clan; third younger sister, Noble Consort Wenxi (? – 1694); fourth younger sister, Duchess of the Fourth Rank, wife of Yunsheng of the Aisin-Gioro clan; fifth younger sister, First Class Viscountess, wife of Ayushen; and sixth younger sister, Mistress of Kangxi, mother of the 20th daughter.

In 1665, Lady Niohuru entered the Forbidden City and became a mistress (格格) of the Kangxi Emperor, receiving no rank or title initially. After the Kangxi Emperor's first wife, Empress Xiaochengren, died on 6 June 1674, the Emperor did not elevate any imperial consort to replace her. On 18 September 1677, Lady Niohuru was first mentioned in official histories when the Kangxi Emperor instated her as the new empress. She died on 18 March 1678 and was interred in the Jing Mausoleum of the Eastern Qing tombs alongside Empress Xiaochengren.