Empress Xiaoyichun

Empress Xiaoyichun's personal name was not recorded in history. She was a Han Chinese Booi Aha of the Plain Yellow Banner by birth.

• Father: Qingtai (清泰), served as a fifth rank literary official (內管領) in the Imperial Household Department, and held the title of a third class duke (三等公)
  • Paternal grandfather: Jiuling (九齡)
• Mother: Lady Yanggiya
• Two brothers

The future Empress Xiaoyichun was born on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month in the fifth year of the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor, which translates to 23 October 1727 in the Gregorian calendar.

It is not known when Lady Wei entered the Forbidden City and became a lady-in-waiting of the Qianlong Emperor. In 1745, she was granted the title "Noble Lady". She was elevated on 9 December 1745 to "Concubine Ling", and on 20 May 1749 to "Consort Ling". She gave birth on 10 August 1756 to the emperor's seventh daughter, Princess Hejing of the First Rank, on 31 August 1757 to his 14th son, Yonglu, who would die prematurely on 3 May 1760, and on 17 August 1758 to his ninth daughter, Princess Heke of the Second Rank.

On 3 February 1760, she was elevated to "Noble Consort Ling". She gave birth on 13 November 1760 to the emperor's 15th son, Yongyan, and on 13 January 1763 to his 16th son, who would die prematurely on 6 May 1765.

On 28 July 1765, she was elevated to "Imperial Noble Consort". On 17 June 1766, she gave birth to the emperor's 17th son, Yonglin.

The Qianlong Emperor's second empress consort, Empress Nara, died on 19 August 1766 and he did not designate any of his consorts as the new Empress. However, Lady Wei, who held the highest rank among all of the Qianlong Emperor's consorts, was placed in charge of the imperial harem. She accompanied the Qianlong Emperor on his excursions to Mount Tai, Jehol and the areas south of the Yangtze River.

Lady Wei died on 28 February 1775. On 12 March 1775, she was posthumously granted the title "Imperial Noble Consort Lingyi", and on 19 November, she was interred in the Yu Mausoleum of the Eastern Qing tombs. After the Yu Mausoleum grave robbery occurred in 1928, it was revealed that her remains were well-preserved during inspection.

On 9 February 1796, the Qianlong Emperor abdicated and became a Retired Emperor. Yongyan was enthroned as the Jiaqing Emperor. At the same time the Qianlong Emperor announced his successor, he posthumously elevated Lady Wei to "Empress Xiaoyi". After the Qianlong Emperor died on 7 February 1799, the Jiaqing Emperor honoured his mother with the posthumous title "Empress Xiaoyichun".