During the Qing Dynasty, "Manchu-Han intermarriage" meant that Manchus were not allowed to intermarry with Han chinese outside of the Eight Banners. However, Qianlong had a Han empress and the only Han empress in the Qing Dynasty, although her name as empress was posthumously honored after her death.
So, is there any other Han chinese woman in Qianlong's harem?
Opinions vary.
However, most answers refer to two people:
One is the Chen clan from Yangzhou;
The other is Lu from Suzhou.
These two can be found in some written records of the time.
First look at the Lu family, the Han nationality of Suzhou, should enter the palace in an abnormal way. On November 14, the twenty-fifth year of Qianlong (1760), Lu Shi was initially enthroned as Lu Changzai, and together with Concubine Chen, she was a Han Woman from Jiangnan. The "Great View of the Qing Dynasty Tombs" says very clearly, when he died, he was a Lu Guiren and was buried in the garden of the Pure Hui Emperor's noble concubines.
In addition, according to some information, Lu Shi was posthumously awarded the title of imperial concubine because he raised the Jiaqing Emperor before his death. It should be known that according to the rules of the harem of the Qing Dynasty, the concubines are not qualified to raise young children, including their own flesh and bones.
So, can it be said that Lu Shi was very favored by the Qianlong Emperor?
This is not the case.
In the thirty-eighth year of Qianlong, Yongyan, later the Jiaqing Emperor, was secretly made crown prince. In the forty years of Qianlong, Yong Yan's birth mother died, and in the same year, Lu Shi was given the title of Lu Gui. Judging from the title alone, Lu Shi's presence in Qianlong's heart was very low, so how could she be qualified to raise the future monarch? This is still a mystery.
Moreover, from some written archives at that time, it can also be seen that Qianlong did not have the same love and pity for the women in the water towns of Jiangnan as shown in film and television dramas.
At that time, there was a recital about Lu's family, which was a complaint, saying that a person who claimed to be Lu Niangniang's uncle was very restless: "Suzhou Weaving Pufu Song Ordered the Person who handed over the control of the fraudulent person to fold, and Lu Yunyi, a native of Changshu County, went to the door and claimed to be Lu Niangniang's uncle and asked to see..."
At that time, Qianlong's reply was very crisp, strictly controlled, and he was not allowed to make trouble, nor could he say to the outside world: "If Ruoyi is no longer quiet, he even sent someone to be escorted to the Beijing JiaoneiFu." It can be seen that Qianlong did not buy him as a "relative" of the Han nationality at all. In addition, he also deliberately stressed that he was not allowed to speak out, which showed that Lu Gui's status in the harem was not enough.
Looking at the Chen family, this woman is very long-lived. In the same year, he was promoted to the title of Ming Guiren, nineteen years later he was promoted to Fang Concubine, and Jiaqing was honored as Fang Concubine in the third year. There are sources that say that she is a concubine, and I don't know where the evidence came from. Also clearly stated in the "Great View of the Qing Dynasty": she was named Fang Concubine by Fang Concubine Jin, and later buried in YuFei Garden.
But even so, don't think that this Han woman is very qianlong's eyes, look at the documents that Fang Concubine canonized: "Concubine Chen, bing and gentle, holding a gentle and gentle lady." Early transmission of Wan Jiao, the etiquette of the Pepper Court to teach Wei Xian; counting the years..." To put it bluntly, it is that she has a good personality and does not cause trouble, and more importantly, she has lived a long time and is an old man in the palace.
Later, the Jiaqing Emperor succeeded to the throne, and the Chen clan was given the title of Princess Wangui. At this point, Chen Shi became the highest-ranking woman in the palace by virtue of her age, and lived until the age of 92, which can be said to be the longest-lived concubine of Qianlong. It can be seen that if a woman does not get too much grace, then if she can live a long time in the end, she can also get very good treatment.
There is also a written document here that clearly explains how inferior the status of Han women who are not in the flag is. At that time, Ming Guiren, the brother of the Chen clan, ran to the capital to find an errand. After the Qianlong Emperor knew about it, when he replied, the first thing he emphasized was that "it seems that this person is a person who is uneasy."
It can be seen that in Qianlong's view, people who come to find things and do things in the face of the identity of relatives in the harem are restless people.
After that, Qianlong asked the minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to "weigh" and gave him a task to do, once again stressing that "it is forbidden to have trouble outside", and also took care to send his family members to the capital as well.
At that time, Qianlong also stressed in his reply, "The family of concubines cannot yet be called Qi Qi, that is, the actual descendant clan, and The Concubines are not willing to borrow it a little. ”
It can be seen that Qianlong repeatedly stressed how strict his control over the palace dependents was, and ordered the officials to also strictly control these "state relatives." It seems that Qianlong was very reluctant to let people know that he had such a relative, and stressed that "in the forty-fifth year, the scavenger patrols Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and it is forbidden to let such people pick up and drive along the way, and mix and beg for favors." ”
Although Qianlong's reply was aimed at Ming Guiren's brother, at the end, Qianlong also mentioned Lu Guiren, and also stressed the need to strictly discipline her relatives and family. In addition, during his tour of the south, these Han relatives were forbidden to appear.
Looking at these approval texts alone, the whole article is full of strict care of the families of the two nobles, and no trouble is allowed. It seems that Qianlong's idea has completely subverted the cognition of many people, and he has no pity for Han women at all.
In fact, in the Qing Dynasty, Han women determined their status as soon as they were born. Perhaps, the same into the palace, the same posture, talent, but no matter what they do, they are not as good as the Manchu flag women.
Although Qianlong was able to include them in the harem, it did not mean that they could blatantly break the rules of the ancestors. Therefore, for Han women, Qianlong must cover up everywhere, not only the title is extremely low, but also can not let people grasp the handle.
As for Empress Xiaoyichun of the Wei Jia clan, she originally belonged to the Manchurian coat of the Yellow Banner, and was later carried by Qianlong into the Yellow Banner Manchuria. It can be seen that behind the favor of the queen concubine, there is often a matching status, especially for the royal family with a bunch of rules.
In addition, neither the Chen nor the Lu clan had any children.
Perhaps, when they entered the palace, in the eyes of their families, they were the supreme honor. However, how can the superficial glory resist the grievances of the heart, I am afraid that only they themselves know best.
As for, how did they enter the palace?
Perhaps, as folklore goes, it was brought back by Qianlong's southern tour.
If that's the case, then they're nothing more than a favored gift from some officials. As for some other beautiful legends, they are really just everyone's imagination.
After all, in those days, women's status was already inferior.
Resources:
[Draft History of the Qing Dynasty, Volume 10, Emperor Gaozong Benji I, Mid-palace Records, Draft History of the Qing Dynasty, Biography of The Later Concubines, Grand View of the Qing Dynasty Tombs]