Life

Family background

Consort Ji was a member of Han Chinese Plain Yellow Banner Wang clan.

Father: Qingyuan (清远), served as a guard in imperial gardens department.

Mother: Lady Wu (伍氏)

One brother:Wenyuan (文元)

Daoguang era

Consort Ji was born in 1846. Her father and grandfather died, leaving her together with mother, lady Wu, who received only one tael monthly.

Xianfeng era

In 1858, Lady Wang entered the Forbidden City, and was given the title of "Noble Lady Ji" (吉贵人; "ji" meaning "auspicious"). She lived under the supervision of Empress Xiaozhenxian in Zhongcui palace. Lady Wang joined a clique called "Four spring ladies" (四春娘娘 Sì chūn niángniáng) together with Noble Lady Lu, Noble Lady Xi and Noble Lady Qing. According to the "Early years of Cixi" lady Wang and Consort Yi were holding crippled Xianfeng Emperor. Once, when Noble Lady Ji was pregnant, she was walking together with Lady Yehe Nara in Imperial Garden. Lady Nara accidentally kicked lady Wang causing her a miscarriage.

Tongzhi era

In 1861, Noble Lady Ji was promoted to "Concubine Ji" (吉嫔) together with other Four Spring ladies.

Guangxu era

In 1875, Concubine Ji was promoted to "Consort Ji" (吉妃). Consort Ji died on 12 November 1905. She was interred at the Ding Mausoleum in Eastern Qing tombs in 1907.

Titles

• During the reign of the Daoguang Emperor (r. 1820–1850):

　• Lady Wang (from 1846)

• During the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor (r. 1850–1861):

　• Noble Lady Ji (吉贵人; from 1858), sixth rank consort

• During the reign of the Tongzhi Emperor (r. 1861–1875):

　• Concubine Ji (吉嫔; from 1861), fifth rank consort

• During the reign of the Guangxu Emperor (r. 1875–1908):

　• Consort Ji (吉妃; from 1875), fourth rank consort

Issue

• As Noble Lady:

　• Miscarriage (male; 1859 or 1860)

生平

道光二十年六月初十日出生。

咸豐初年，經內務府選秀而入宮，成為皇后鈕祜祿氏所居的鐘粹宮的宮女。咸豐八年五月十五日，內務府正黃旗維翰佐領下園戶清遠之女封為吉貴人，次序在玉貴人之次，五月十六日，總管內務府代為謝恩。

族人王文善在新中國初期寫過文史資料，題名《慈禧早年軼事》，文中稱咸豐帝有點行走不便，所以吉貴人和那拉氏經常扶著清文宗，倆人因而被戲稱為御拐棍兒。有次，懷孕的吉貴人在御花園假山旁和那拉氏玩捉迷藏時，竟被那拉氏故意推了一把而小產一個已成形的男胎。

咸豐十一年十月，被剛登極的同治帝尊封為皇考吉嬪。

同治元年十一月，吉嬪「肝胃滯熱，外受風瘟」，以致「牙根腫痛，項側宣腫」、「右腮有紅腫一塊」，並且「憎寒惡熱，夜間少寐」。

同治四年四月，吉嬪因為「肝胃熱盛，外受風邪」，引致「天行赤熱之症」，令其「右目白睛紅赤，青睛有白膜一片，沙澀難睜，時流熱淚」。

同治四年八月十五日，如意館「實銷恭繪吉嬪半身像用過材料買辦銀兩」，所以如意館在同治年間曾經繪畫吉嬪半身像。

同治五年十一月二十八日，吉嬪因為「肝熱脾濕，右手次指、左足大指腫破之症」，引致「心悸不安，胸脅煩滿，兩指已然成膿」。

同治十三年十一月，被剛登極的光緒帝尊封為皇考吉妃。

光緒三十一年十月十六日，吉妃逝世，葬於定陵妃園寢。

注釋