Imperial Noble Consort

Imperial noble consort (Chinese: 皇貴妃, Vietnamese: hoàng quý phi, Korean: 황귀비) was the title of women who ranked second to the Empress in the imperial harem of China during most of the period spanning from 1457 to 1915.

In Ming Dynasty, the rank of Imperial Noble Consort was only a highest honorary title of an imperial consort.

On the contrast, in Qing Dynasty, the rank of Imperial Noble Consort was considered to be Vice-Empress, making the rank closer to the Empress, therefore, the Emperor was very careful in promoting one of his imperial consorts in this rank while the Empress was alive. If the Empress agrees to the promotion of an imperial consort to Imperial Noble Consort, it should be in the following causes:

When an imperial consort, (usually a noble consort), was gravely ill, the Emperor promotes to her to Imperial Noble Consort to pray for her and to comfort her.
The Imperial Noble Consort will help the Empress as assistant in managing the inner court.
If the Empress was incapable of ruling the Imperial Harem or she died, the Imperial Noble Consort will take over her duty as chief of the Imperial Harem.

^[1]^[2] The title was also adopted in the Empire of Dainam (Vietnam) and the Empire of Korea.^[3]

List of titleholders

China

Ming:

Jingtai Emperor: Imperial Noble Consort Tang
Chenghua Emperor: Imperial Noble Consort Wan
Jiajing Emperor: Imperial Noble Consort Rong'an, Imperial Noble Consort Duanhe, Imperial Noble Consort Zhuangshun
Longqing Emperor: Imperial Noble Consort Li
Wanli Emperor: Imperial Noble Consort Li, Imperial Noble Consort Gong
Taichang Emperor: Imperial Noble Consort Kang
Tianqi Emperor: Imperial Noble Consort Kang, Imperial Noble Consort Hui
Chongzhen Emperor: Imperial Noble Consort Gongshu

Qing:

Vietnam

Empire of Dainam:

Emperor Tự Đức: Empress Lệ Thiên Anh
Emperor Đồng Khánh: Empress Phụ Thiên Thuần
Emperor Thành Thái: Nguyễn Gia Thị Anh

Korea

Empire of Korea:

Emperor Gojong: Imperial Noble Consort Sunheon

References

^ 萬曆野獲編卷三：「...皇貴妃之體，鄰於正嫡...」
^ 《明世宗实录》嘉靖十九年正月：“进封皇贵妃王氏，沈氏。”
^ Quốc sử quán triều Nguyễn 2007 "Tập 7・Chính biên đệ tứ kỷ・Quyển XLII" ^{[full citation needed]}

[1] 萬曆野獲編卷三：「...皇貴妃之體，鄰於正嫡...」

[2] 《明世宗实录》嘉靖十九年正月：“进封皇贵妃王氏，沈氏。”

[3] Quốc sử quán triều Nguyễn 2007 "Tập 7・Chính biên đệ tứ kỷ・Quyển XLII" ^{[full citation needed]}

[1]

[2]

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