Yonglian (Chinese: 永璉; 9 August 1730 – 23 November 1738), formally known by his title as Crown Prince Duanhui (端慧皇太子), was an imperial prince of the Manchu-ruled Qing dynasty. Yonglian was the second son of the Qianlong Emperor by his first wife, Empress Xiaoxianchun.[1]

Aisin-Gioro Yonglian
愛新覺羅永璉
Crown Prince of the Qing dynasty
PredecessorYunreng, Prince Limi of the First Rank
SuccessorYongyan, Prince Jia
Born(1730-08-09)9 August 1730
(雍正八年六月二十六日)
Changchun Palace, Forbidden City, Beijing
Died23 November 1738(1738-11-23) (aged 8)
(乾隆三年十月十二日)
Ningshou Palace, Forbidden City, Beijing
Burial
Crown Prince Duanhui's Garden
HouseAisin-Gioro
FatherQianlong Emperor
MotherEmpress Xiaoxianchun

Life

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The prince was named by his grandfather, the Yongzheng Emperor. The character lian (璉) in his name means vessel for holding grain offerings in an ancestral hall, which suggests that he would eventually inherit the imperial throne.[2]

Yonglian was intelligent, noble and was the only direct son of the Qianlong Emperor at that time. His father secretly appointed him as his heir. On 8 August 1736, the Qianlong Emperor issued a secret decree to establish Yonglian as the crown prince. The decree was hidden behind a plaque in the Qianqing Palace.[3][4]

He suffered from smallpox[5] and died on 23 November 1738, while he was staying in Ningshou Palace (宁寿宫).[6][4] The Qianlong Emperor and Empress Fuca were devastated. The Qianlong Emperor didn't go to court for five days, and he made public the secret appointment of Yonglian as crown prince. The Qianlong Emperor ordered Yonglian's funeral to be treated as that of a crown prince. Yonglian was given the posthumous name Duanhui (端慧) and his father built a garden for his dead son to be buried. The garden is known as Crown Prince Duanhui's Garden.

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Ancestry

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Shunzhi Emperor (1638–1661)
Kangxi Emperor (1654–1722)
Empress Xiaokangzhang (1638–1663)
Yongzheng Emperor (1678–1735)
Weiwu
Empress Xiaogongren (1660–1723)
Lady Saiheli
Qianlong Emperor (1711–1799)
Wulu
Lingzhu (1664–1754)
Lady Qiao
Empress Xiaoshengxian (1692–1777)
Wugong
Lady Peng
Yonglian (1730 – 1738)
Lirongbao
Empress Xiaoxianchun (1712–1748)

References

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  1. ^ 孟森 (2018). 清朝简史. Beijing Book Co. Inc. ISBN 978-7516815786.
  2. ^ 《清史稿 列傳八 諸王七》端慧太子永璉,高宗第二子
  3. ^ 杨发兴 (2013). 清高宗乾隆. 青苹果数据中心.
  4. ^ a b 孟森, 楊國楨 (2006). 明清史講義 (in Chinese). 五南圖書出版股份有限公司. p. 851. ISBN 9867332512.
  5. ^ Lily Xiao Hong Lee,Clara Lau,A.D. Stefanowska (2015). Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: v. 1: The Qing Period, 1644-1911. Routledge. p. 355. ISBN 978-1317475880.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ 《乾隆帝起居注》:乾隆三年十月十二日辛卯,皇太子病笃,上往宁寿宫视疾。巳时,上奉皇太后至宁寿宫看视,皇太子薨逝。上痛悼不已,辍朝五日。