Consort Xi

For concubine of the Yongzheng Emperor, see Empress Xiaoshengxian.

Consort Xi (Chinese: 禧妃; pinyin: Xī Fēi; 4 October 1842 – 26 June 1877), of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Cahala clan, was a consort of Xianfeng Emperor.

Consort Xi
Born	(1842-10-04)4 October 1842
Died	26 June 1877(1877-06-26) (aged 34) Forbidden City
Burial	Ding Mausoleum, Western Qing tombs
Spouse	Xianfeng Emperor ​ ​ (m. 1855; died 1861)​
House	Cahala (察哈喇; by birth) Aisin Gioro (by marriage)
Father	Changshun

Consort Xi
Traditional Chinese	禧妃
Simplified Chinese	禧妃
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xī Fēi

Life

Family background

Consort Xi was a booi aha of Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Cahala clan.

Father: Changshun, a cook in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (厨师).^[1]

Daoguang era

Consort Xi was born on 4 October 1842.

Xianfeng era

Haitangchun was one of the palace maids of Empress Dowager Cixi living in Changchun palace in the Forbidden City. In 1855, she was promoted to “Noble Lady Xi" (禧贵人，'xi' meaning "auspicious").^[2] She formed a clique called "Four Spring Ladies" (四春娘娘) together with Noble Lady Lu, Noble Lady Ji and Noble Lady Qing. The name of the group corresponded personal names of ladies containing character "chun" (spring).^[3] In 1861, she was promoted to "Concubine Xi", but the promotion ceremony was held during Tongzhi era.^[4]

Tongzhi era

In 1874, lady Cahala was promoted to "Consort Xi".^[5]

Guangxu era

Cahala Haitangchun died on 26 June 1877. She was interred at the Ding Mausoleum in the Eastern Qing tombs.

Titles

• During the reign of the Daoguang Emperor (r. 1820–1850):
  • Lady Cahala (from 4 October 1842)
• During the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor (r. 1850–1861):
  • Noble Lady Xi (禧贵人; from 1855), sixth rank consort
  • Concubine Xi (禧嫔; from 1861), fifth rank consort
• During the reign of the Tongzhi Emperor (r. 1861–1875):
  • Consort Xi (禧妃; from 1874), fourth rank consort

See also

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

References

1. Shang, Si (2018). 垂帘听政：慈禧真相/"The truth about Cixi".
2. Wang/ 王, Peihuan/佩環 (1993). "Qing dynasty imperial consorts"/"清宫后妃". Shenyang: 辽宁大学出版社/ Liaoning university press. p. 351.
3. Shang, Si (2018). 垂帘听政：慈禧真相/"The truth about Cixi".
4. 庄/Zhuang, 吉发/Jifa (2008). "咸丰事典"/"Records of Xianfeng era". p. 242.
5. 晏/Yan, 子有/Ziyou (2000). "清东西陵"/"Eastern and Western Qing tombs". 中国青年出版社. p. 328.