China: Noble Lady Shun (1748-1788), consort of the Qianlong Emperor. Handscroll painting by Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766), c. 1736-1770s. The Worthy Lady Shun came from the Manchu Niuhuru clan and was the daughter of the Governor-General Aibida. Lady Niuhuru entered the Forbidden City in 1766 and became a concubine of the Qianlong Emperor, granted the rank of 'Noble Lady Chang'. She was promited to 'Concubine Shun' in 1768, and in 1776 to 'Consort Shun'. She was eventually demoted to 'Noble Lady Shun' in 1788 for unknown reasons, and died the same year.


The Worthy Lady Shun (1748 - 1788) came from the Manchu Niohuru clan. She was the daughter of the Governor General Aibida. Lady Niohuru was born on November 25, during the thirteenth year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. She entered the imperial court aged 18, on June 26, during the thirty-first year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, and she was 37 years younger than the Qianlong Emperor. When she first entered the imperial palace, she was given the title Worthy Lady Chang (the sixth lowest rank among an emperor's wives). During the thirty-third year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, Lady Niohuru was elevated to an imperial concubine, and given the title Imperial Concubine Shun, meaning "conformity". In June during the forty-first year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, Lady Niohuru was again elevated to an Imperial Consort, and was given the title Imperial Consort Shun. However, on January 29 during the fifty-third year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, Lady Niohuru was demoted to a Worthy Lady (back to the third-lowest rank). On October 28 the same year, Lady Niohuru died, aged 41.


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Photo credit: © Pictures From History / Alamy / Afripics
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