A Sudden Death and a Power Vacuum

On the ninth day of the eighth lunar month in the eighth year of the Chongde era (1643), Emperor Hong Taiji of the Qing Dynasty sat upright on the southern kang (heated bed) in his Qingning Palace bedchamber—and suddenly died at the age of 52. His unexpected passing left the empire in turmoil. At the time, his consort Lady Borjigit of the Yongfu Palace, later known as Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, was just 32 years old.

This moment marked the beginning of one of the most debated mysteries in Qing court history: Did Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang remarry her brother-in-law, the powerful Prince Regent Dorgon? The question has fascinated historians for centuries, with arguments both for and against the controversial union.

The Political Landscape After Hong Taiji’s Death

Hong Taiji’s death created an immediate power struggle. His successor, the five-year-old Fulin (later the Shunzhi Emperor), was too young to rule. Two regents were appointed: Dorgon, Hong Taiji’s half-brother, and Jirgalang, a trusted nobleman. However, Dorgon quickly overshadowed his co-regent, consolidating military and political control.

For Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, the situation was precarious. With her son’s throne at risk, some historians argue she may have entered a relationship with Dorgon to secure his loyalty. This theory is bolstered by several key pieces of evidence.

Evidence Supporting the Remarriage Theory

### 1. Securing the Throne for Her Son

The most compelling argument is political necessity. Dorgon held overwhelming military power, and without his support, the young Shunzhi Emperor’s reign could collapse. By forming a personal alliance with Dorgon, Xiaozhuang may have ensured her son’s safety—a pragmatic move in an era where royal women often served as political pawns.

### 2. The “Jianyi Palace Poems”

Zhang Huangyan, a Ming loyalist poet, wrote verses that many interpret as evidence of the marriage. His lines—

“The birthday toast became a wedding cup,
Cining Palace brimmed with revelry;
The Ministry of Rites presented new protocols,
For the grand ceremony of the Empress Dowager’s marriage.”

—suggest a public union between Xiaozhuang and Dorgon. However, as Zhang was an anti-Qing propagandist, his account may be biased.

### 3. Dorgon’s Changing Titles

Dorgon’s titles evolved suspiciously: from “Prince Regent” to “Imperial Uncle Prince Regent,” and finally, in 1648, to “Imperial Father Prince Regent.” This last title implied a paternal relationship with the young emperor—fueling speculation that he had married Xiaozhuang.

### 4. Visits to the Inner Palace

Court records note Dorgon frequently entering the inner palace, ostensibly for private meetings with Xiaozhuang. Later, these visits were cited among the charges against him when Shunzhi posthumously condemned him.

### 5. Manchurian Marriage Customs

Early Manchu traditions permitted levirate marriage—where a man married his brother’s widow. This practice, common among steppe nomads, was meant to keep property (including wives) within the family. If Xiaozhuang and Dorgon did marry, it would have been culturally acceptable—at least before the Qing fully adopted Han Chinese norms.

### 6. Shunzhi’s Vengeance Against Dorgon

After Dorgon’s sudden death in 1650, Shunzhi launched a brutal retaliation: stripping Dorgon’s titles, confiscating his property, exhuming and beheading his corpse, and demolishing his tomb. Such extreme posthumous punishment suggests deep personal resentment—possibly over his mother’s remarriage.

### 7. Xiaozhuang’s Unusual Burial

Unlike most Qing empresses, Xiaozhuang was not buried beside her husband Hong Taiji in Shenyang. Instead, she was interred at the Eastern Qing Tombs near Beijing. Some argue this was because remarrying made her “unworthy” of sharing Hong Taiji’s tomb. Others believe her burial site was a punishment by her descendants.

Counterarguments: Why the Marriage Might Not Have Happened

Despite the intriguing evidence, many historians dismiss the remarriage as myth.

– Lack of Official Records: No Qing court documents confirm the marriage. Given the dynasty’s meticulous record-keeping, a formal union would likely have been noted.
– Political Risks: By the 1640s, the Qing were adopting Confucian norms, where such a marriage would have been scandalous. A public ceremony would have undermined their legitimacy.
– Alternative Explanations: Dorgon’s “Imperial Father” title may have been purely honorific, and his palace visits could have been for state affairs.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

The rumor of Xiaozhuang’s remarriage became a staple of Qing-era gossip and later, historical fiction. It reflects tensions between Manchu traditions and Han morality, as well as the precariousness of power in early Qing politics.

Modern historians remain divided. Some, like scholar Chen Yuan, argue the marriage was a quiet reality; others, like Meng Sen, see it as anti-Qing slander. What’s undeniable is that the story endures as a symbol of the complex interplay between love, power, and survival in imperial China.

Conclusion: A Mystery That Endures

Whether Xiaozhuang and Dorgon married may never be settled. What’s clear is that their relationship—real or imagined—shaped Qing history. For Xiaozhuang, it was a possible act of political survival; for Dorgon, a potential overreach that led to his posthumous downfall. And for us, it remains one of history’s most tantalizing unsolved puzzles.