Gege (title)

Gege (Manchu: ᡤᡝᡤᡝ; Chinese: 格格; pinyin: Gégé; Wade–Giles: Ko2-ko2) is the Manchurian word for an unmarried daughter. During the Qing Dynasty, it was the Manchu style of an imperial-born princess of an emperor. Daughters of the all imperial princes above the rank of jiangjun also used the same title.

For other uses, see Gege.
"Ko-ko" redirects here. For 'Ko-Ko' or other similar expressions, see Koko (disambiguation).

When a Manchu prince had concubines, the status of the wives, from highest to lowest, are the following: difujin (the official wife), cefujin (the first rank concubine), and gege. Historically, there were many gege, but few ever ascended to the status of cefujin. A gege could also be a daughter of imperial princess, even if she was promoted to gulun or heshuo princess. Only difujin and cefujin names are recorded in the royal family lists of family members.

Princess

Before the establishment of the Qing dynasty, the daughters of khans were referred to as "gege" by personal names or the names of lands they lived after the marriage. After 1658, the personal names of imperial princesses were not recorded in imperial genealogy.All the titles for imperial princesses were conferred upon the marriage. Sometimes title could be granted before the marriage. The following titles were granted to the princesses born to the emperor:

  • Gulun Gongzhu (固伦公主), or Princess of the First Rank, was granted to daughter born to the Empress. The title included 2-character honorifical name, rarely 4-character honorifical name, eg. Princess Shuzhe Duanxian of the First Rank, Hong Taiji's seventh daughter born to Empress Xiaozhuangwen, Princess Yong'an Duanzhen (永安端贞固伦公主). The title was not a personal name. If the honorifical name was not conferred,the princess was known by the name of land where she lived after the marriage, e.g. Princess Aohan of the First Rank (敖汉固伦公主), Hong Taiji's daughter born to lady Ula Nara.
  • Heshuo Gongzhu (和硕公主), or Princess of the Second Rank, was granted to the daughter born to imperial consort. Prior to the formalisation of the rank system, the princesses born to imperial concubines could hold ranks lower than Princess of the Second Rank, but no lower than clanswomen (宗女). The title included the 2-character honorifical name. The title could be granted to the princess born to imperial prince adopted into the palace. Could be promoted to Princess of the First Rank

Other titles

Prior to the formalisation of rank system, there existed several ranks typical for Ming dynasty. The following ranks could be granted solely to Emperor's daughter.The prefixes were included in the whole title.

  • Zhang Gongzhu (长公主), Elder Princess or Chief Princess, also translated as Princess Imperial, was granted to the eldest emperor's daughter or emperor's sister. The title was granted to the eldest dughter of Nurhaci (Nenzhe) and various daughters of Hong Taiji.
  • Dazhang Gongzhu (大长公主), Grand Princess Imperial or Princess Supreme, was granted to emperor's paternal aunt. The title received Gurun Princess Yongmu, Kangxi Emperor's paternal aunt.


Gege was sensu stricte used for the titulature of princesses born to imperial princes or daughters of princesses. However, the title of gege was reserved for several mistresses who died before emperor's coronation and were not granted honorifical names. Gege could be adopted into the imperial palace and raised by dowager consorts and empress dowager if the emperor did not have enough daughters. The following titles were granted to princesses born to imperial clansmen:

  • Heshuo gege (和硕格格), or Princess of the Third Rank (郡主), also known as "Princess of Commandery", was granted to the daughter of Prince of the First Rank born to his primary consort. Princess of the Third Rank could be promoted to the imperial princess (公主) in case of adoption to the imperial palace. The title did not include any honorifical names. As an exception, the princess of the third rank who did not hold a title of imperial princess could be granted honorifical name, e.g. Princess Daokexin of the Third Rank (道恪欣郡主), Boguoduo's second daughter adopted into the palace in childhood. In that case, the honorifical name could consist of max. 4 characters. The title could be granted to a daughter of Gurun Princess.
  • Duoluo gege (多罗格格), or Princess of the Fourth Rank (县主), also known as "Princess of County", was granted to the daughter of Prince of the Second Rank born to primary consort, as well as daughter of shizi. Princess of the Fourth Rank could be rare promoted to Princess of the Third Rank, e.g. after the marriage or in case of father's promotion. Title could be granted to the daughter of Heshuo Princess.[1] The title rarely conveyed a honorifical name, e.g. Princess Zhenjie of the Fourth Rank (贞节县主), ninth daughter of Mianqin, Prince Cheng of the First Rank, known by the personal name Sula (苏拉)
  • Duoluo gege (多罗格格), or Lady of the First Rank (郡君), also known as "Lady of Commandery", was granted to the daughter of the Prince of the Third Rank born to primary consort or daughter of the Prince of the First Rank born to secondary consort, as well as daughter of zhangzi. Lady of the First Rank could be promoted to Princess of the Fourth Rank after the marriage.The title did not convey honorifical name.
  • Gushan gege (固山格格), or Lady of the Second Rank (县君), also known as "Lady of County", was granted to the daughter born to the Prince of the Fourth Rank or daughter of the Prince of the Second Rank born to secondary consort.The title did not convey honorifical name.
  • Gong gege (公格格), or Lady of the Third Rank (乡君), also known as "Lady of Village", was granted to the daughter born to the duke with eight privilleges (mostly to fuguo duke) or daughter of the Prince of the Third Rank born to secondary consort.[2] The title did not convey honorifical name.

Stipends of princesses

The following stipends were received annually. Rarely princesses could be awarded a double annual stipend and treated as imperial consorts, e.g. Princess Hejing of the First Rank, who was treated as Imperial Noble Consort and received double annual stipend. Princess, who commited a crime, could be stripped of her title and deprived of her stipend.

  • Princess of the First Rank:
    • 400 taels and 400 hu of rice and meal for princess residing in a capital
    • plus 1000 taels and 30 rolls of fabrics for living in the vassal states
  • Princess of the Second Rank:
    • 300 taels and 300 hu of rice and meal for residing in a capital
    • plus 400 taels and 15 rolls of fabrics for living in the vassal states
  • Princess of the Third Rank:
    • 160 taels and 160 hu of rice and meal for residing in a capital
    • plus 160 taels and 12 rolls of fabrics for living in the vassal states
  • Princess of the Fourth Rank:
    • 110 taels and 110 hu of rice and meal for residing in a capital
    • plus 110 taels and 10 rolls of fabrics for living in the vassal states
  • Lady of the First Rank
    • 60 taels and 60 hu of rice for residence in a capital
    • plus 60 taels and 8 rolls of fabrics for living in the vassal states
  • Lady of the Second Rank
    • 50 taels and 50 hu of rice for residence in a capital
    • plus 50 taels and 6 rolls of fabrics for living in the vassal states
  • Lady of the Third Rank
    • 40 taels and 40 hu of rice for residence in a capital
    • plus 40 taels and 5 rolls of fabrics for living in the vassal states

Garments for imperial princesses

The described garments below were dictated by the "Illustrated Precendents for Ritual Paraphernalia of the Imperial Court" published in 1759.

1.Princess of the First Rank

  • Crown, diadem, earrings, necklace and court robes befitting imperial princess consort
  • Semiformal court robes befitting princess consort of the first rank

2.Princess of the Second Rank

  • Court and semiformal robes befitting imperial princess consort
  • Crown and diadem befitting hereditary princess consort of the first rank

3.Princess of the Third Rank

  • Court robes befitting imperial princess consort
  • Crown, diadem and semiformal robes befitting princess consort of the second rank

4.Princess of the Fourth Rank

  • Crown and diadem befitting princess consort of the third rank
  • Semiformal robes befitting princess consort of the second rank
  • Court robes befitting imperial princess consort

5.Lady of the First Rank

  • Crown and diadem befitting princess consort of the fourth rank
  • Court and semiformal robes befitting princess consort of the third rank

6.Lady of the Second Rank

  • Crown and diadem befitting state duchess of the first rank
  • Court robes befitting princess consort of the third rank
  • Semiformal robes befitting princess consort of the fourth rank

7.Lady of the Third Rank

  • Born to grace defender duke
    • Crown and diadem befitting state duchess of the second rank
    • Court robes befitting princess consort of the third rank
    • Semiformal robes befitting state duchess of the first rank
  • Born to grace bulwark duke
    • Crown befitting state duchess of the second rank; finial decorated with three pearls enclosed in golden ornaments and ruby
    • Diadem befitting state duchess of the second rank; decorated with three ruyi cloud shaped plaques with pearls and three strings of pearles connected with two lapis lazuli inlaid plaques hanging on the back
    • Court robes befitting princess consort of the third rank
    • Semiformal robes befitting state duchess of the first rank[3]

Gallery

  • Princess Hejing of the First Rank, Qianlong Emperor's third daughter
  • Princess Rongshou of the First Rank, Yixin's biological daughter adopted by Empress Dowager Cixi
  • Princess Shouzang of the First Rank, Daoguang Emperor's fifth daughter by Consort Xiang
  • Princesses Shou'en and Shou'an , daughters of the Daoguang Emperor in 1848
  • Princess Heshun of the Second Rank, adopted daughter of the Shunzhi Emperor

Other persons being honoured as gege

Sumalagu, a confidant of Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and foster mother of several Kangxi Emperor's sons, including Yuntao, was addressed as "gege" by the Grand Empress Dowager.[4]

Lady Yehe Nara (1722-1793), wife of Fuheng, prominent general of the early Qianlong era, was an elder sister of Qianlong Emperor's Consort Shu.[5] During her lifetime, she held a title of first rank Mingfu, madam Fu Zhongyong (傅忠勇夫人).She was described as the most beautiful Manchu woman of Qing dynasty. She was posthumously honoured as "fujin" (title reserved for princesses consorts) as the mother of prince consort Fulong'an, Prince Jiayong of the Second Rank Fuk'anggan.[6]

Yu Deling (1885-1944) was Western-educated court lady of Empress Dowager Cixi. She stayed in the imperial court from 1905 to 1907, when she married Thaddeus C. White. During her stay, she served as a translator when Empress Dowager received foreign guests.[7] She developed a close relationship with empress dowager, as well as with another Qing dynasty princesses (6th daughter of Yikuang) and princesses consorts (Jingrong) interested in modernisation of the Qing empire.[8] She was rewarded a ruyi scepter and a dragon robe befitting imperial princess. The similar rewards received mother of Deling and her sister, Rongling.[9] In contrast to earlier historiography, Deling was not a member of imperial clan, but claimed Manchu descent despite her family belonged to Plain White Banner Han forces.[7] Moreover, Deling's books were published under the name of princess Der Ling.[10]

See also

References
  1. The princess should be married to Mongolian Prince holding noble title.
  2. The upper titles were granted to daughters of Nurhaci and Hong Taiji born to their concubines.
  3. Dai, Yuji; Hu, Maoxiang; Aisin Gioro, Yunlu (1759). "Illustrated precedents of the ritual paraphernalia of the imperial court". 6. pp. 219–325.
  4. "孝莊文太后身邊最神秘的女人:蘇麻喇姑". big5.huaxia.com. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  5. 《清实录·清高宗实录·卷之一千四百二十九》. 1429.
  6. 《大清通礼·卷之十六》. 16.
  7. Hammond, Kenneth James; Stapleton, Kristin Eileen (2008). The Human Tradition in Modern China. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 90.
  8. Power|Play: China's Empress Dowager, exhibition at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, September 24, 2011–January 29, 2012
  9. 《清代野記·卷下》/"Daily life of Qing dynasty descendants".
  10. Yu, Deling (1911). "Two years in the Forbidden City". p. 2.
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