“Lost dynasties forgotten gates.” This whispers through the wind as we approach the \u5e86\u50d6\u4eb2\u738b\u6c38\u7498\u5893. It is more than a final resting place. It is a silent testament to a life intertwined with imperial power.
Here lies Yonglin. He was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty. He lived from 1766 to 1820. Formally he was known as Prince Qing. Yonglin was the 17th and youngest son of the Qianlong Emperor. His mother was Empress Xiaoyichun. She also bore the Qianlong Emperor’s 15th son. This was Yongyan the Jiaqing Emperor. Yonglin and the Jiaqing Emperor were full brothers.
Imagine the brothers’ shared childhood. Court life was opulent yet constrained. In 1775 Yonglin’s mother died. Noble Consort Ying raised him in Jingren Palace.
Years passed. 1789 marked a turning point. Yonglin received the title of beile. A promotion followed in 1799. He became a junwang a second-rank prince. First he was called “Prince Hui of the Second Rank”. Later the name changed to “Prince Qing of the Second Rank”. The Jiaqing Emperor gifted him Heshen’s former residence. It became Yonglin’s personal mansion.
In 1820 Yonglin’s status rose again. He was promoted to qinwang a first-rank prince. This is how he became known as “Prince Qing of the First Rank”. Sadly death came in the same year. Yonglin was buried in today’s Baiyanggou Natural Scenic Area. This area is southwest of Beijing’s Changping District.
Interestingly around 1851 things shifted. During the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor the Imperial Household Department reclaimed Yonglin’s mansion. A year later the Xianfeng Emperor gave it to his sixth brother Prince Gong. Today the Prince Gong’s Mansion is a museum. The public can visit it.
Yonglin was not just a prince of high rank. He was a son a brother and a father. He had two primary consorts Lady Niohuru and Lady Ugiya. With them he had children. They included Mianmin Prince Qingliang of the Second Rank Mianti and Mianxing.
Consider this a glimpse into Yonglin’s character. Historical texts say he was simple and honest. He valued friendship. Yonglin treated his subordinates with kindness. He lacked the airs of a typical prince. Guards joked with him without fear of reprimand.
After Jiaqing became emperor he watched Yonglin closely. Yonglin began to restrain himself. He entertained himself in his residence with music.
The Jiaqing Emperor gave his younger brother Yonglin the confiscated residence of the corrupt official Heshen.
In 1799 the Emperor made Yonglin a Prince. In 1820 Yonglin fell ill. The Emperor visited him and promoted him to Prince of the First Rank. Soon after Yonglin died. He was buried in Changping County. Only the stele tower and a stone bridge remain today at the \u5e86\u50d6\u4eb2\u738b\u6c38\u7498\u5893.
The story of \u5e86\u50d6\u4eb2\u738b\u6c38\u7498\u5893 and Yonglin reminds us of imperial China’s intricate tapestry. Family loyalty political maneuvering and the ever-present shadow of mortality are interwoven here. Though time erodes stone the echoes of Yonglin’s life linger.