Empress Xiaochengren (3 February 1654 â 6 June 1674), of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Heà ¡eri clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and first empress consort of Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor. She was empress consort of Qing from 1665 until her death in 1674. Although her marriage to the Emperor was initially arranged for purely political reasons, the Kangxi Emperor became truly fond of her. The Empress' death affected the Emperor deeply, leading him to take the unusual step of leaving the position of empress vacant for about three years after her death.
Empress Xiaochengren's personal name was not recorded in history. Before her death she was recorded as the Lady Heà ¡eri.
Lady Heà ¡eri's grandfather, Sonin (索尼; 1601âÂÂ1667), served as one of the Four Regents of the Kangxi Emperor, and held the title of first class duke. Her father, Gabula (å¶å¸ÂÃ¥ÂÂ; d.1681), served as a military general and also held a title of duke. One of her aunts married with the grandson of Nurhaci, Yolo (å²³æ¨Â; 1625âÂÂ1689), Prince of the first rank (Ã¥ÂÂ碩å®Â親çÂÂ); another aunt married with a grandson of Nurhaci, the son of Dodo (å¤Âé¸), Cani (å¯Âå°¼; 1640âÂÂ1688), Prince of the third rank (å¤Âç¾ è²ÂÃ¥ÂÂ).
The future Empress Xiaochengren was born on the 17th day of the 12th lunar month in the tenth year of the reign of the Shunzhi Emperor, which translates to 3 February 1654 in the Gregorian calendar.
In October or November 1665, Lady Heà ¡eri married the Kangxi Emperor and became empress consort, in a marriage organised due to her powerful family, which was expected would assist the Emperor's rule. Although it was an arranged political marriage, the Kangxi Emperor was very fond of the Empress. On 4 January 1670, she gave birth to a son, Chenghu, who would die prematurely on 3 March 1672. The death of Prince Chenghu profoundly affected the Empress, and she became very sick. The Emperor was staying in Chicheng at the time, but upon receiving reports that Lady Heà ¡eri was seriously ill, and he set off for Beijing immediately to take care of her. After the Empress recovered, she became pregnant again.
The Empress died on 6 June 1674 shortly after giving birth to the emperor's second son, Yunreng. Distraught at the death of his wife, the Kangxi Emperor made her son the crown prince, and left the position of empress vacant for three years. Eventually he remarried one of his consorts, Lady Niohuru, who became Empress Xiaozhaoren on 18 September 1677.