The Crucial Role of Wet Nurses in the Qing Imperial Court

In 17th-century China, the Forbidden City operated under strict protocols regarding imperial offspring. When the future Emperor Shunzhi (1638-1661) was born as Fulin, third son of Emperor Huang Taiji, the Qing court immediately appointed three primary caregivers following Manchurian royal tradition. These women – Park (朴氏) of Korean ethnicity, Li Jia (李嘉氏) from the Hanjun Banner, and Ye Heile (叶黑勒氏) – became far more than temporary staff; they shaped the emotional world of a boy destined to rule one of history’s largest empires.

This system emerged from Manchurian customs blended with Confucian principles. Imperial consorts like Shunzhi’s mother, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, were prohibited from breastfeeding – forced to drink lactation-suppressing herbal concoctions immediately postpartum. Court physicians believed this preserved royal women’s figures and prevented “undignified” maternal attachments. Consequently, imperial children bonded more deeply with their wet nurses than biological mothers, creating unique psychological dynamics that sometimes influenced state affairs.

The Three Women Who Raised an Emperor

Park, the Korean caregiver, entered the palace shortly after Shunzhi’s birth in 1638. Described in records as having a “gentle and wise disposition,” she came with her husband Hala, who assisted in childcare duties. Their presence reflected the Qing’s multicultural court, where ethnic Koreans held respected positions.

Li Jia, the Han Chinese nurse, proved most influential. Married to Manduli (满都理), a Manchurian official, her bicultural background helped navigate palace politics. Historical accounts emphasize Shunzhi’s emotional dependence on her – she became his primary maternal figure, with the toddler reportedly obeying her unquestioningly.

Ye Heile, the third caregiver, specialized in infant care protocols. Unlike Park and Li who provided milk, she focused on hygiene, sleep routines, and early education. This trio worked in shifts, ensuring 24-hour supervision of the precious heir.

A Wet Nurse’s Extraordinary Political Intervention

The depth of Li Jia’s influence became startlingly apparent during the 1659 Nanjing Crisis. When Ming loyalist Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga) besieged Jiangning (modern Nanjing), 21-year-old Shunzhi exhibited uncharacteristic panic. Court chronicles describe him hacking his throne’s armrest with a sword before announcing a reckless plan to lead troops personally.

As senior officials and even Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang failed to dissuade him, the desperate dowager summoned Li Jia. The logic was simple: the emperor who defied ministers and mother might still heed the woman who raised him. Though ultimately unsuccessful (Shunzhi abandoned the campaign due to strategic reassessments), this episode revealed wet nurses’ unique psychological hold over imperial charges.

Death and Imperial Mourning Beyond Protocol

When Li Jia died in December 1660, Shunzhi demonstrated unprecedented gestures of filial piety. Breaking with tradition, he ordered construction of an elaborate tomb near the Eastern Qing Mausoleums – a privilege typically reserved for imperial family members. Her husband Manduli was buried alongside her, another exceptional honor.

The emperor personally composed a 500-character funerary inscription praising Li’s devotion: “When I was in swaddling clothes, she entered the palace to nurture me… ensuring my meals met hunger, my robes matched the season.” Most remarkably, he declared even educated scholars “could not surpass her virtue,” elevating a servant’s status beyond Confucian class norms.

The Psychological Legacy of Palace Upbringing

Shunzhi’s reign (1644-1661) witnessed several unconventional decisions possibly rooted in this upbringing. His 1653 edict allowing Han Chinese women to avoid foot-binding – though short-lived – reflected unusual empathy toward female suffering. Historians also note his later conflicts with Xiaozhuang may stem from early maternal deprivation.

The wet nurse system endured throughout the dynasty. Kangxi Emperor (Shunzhi’s son) maintained similar bonds with his caregiver Sun, while Qianlong Emperor famously commissioned portraits of his nurse. However, none achieved Li Jia’s political influence or posthumous honors.

Modern Perspectives on Imperial Childrearing

Contemporary scholars analyze this system through multiple lenses:

– Gender Studies: The enforced separation of birth mothers and children reinforced patriarchal control over royal women’s bodies
– Cross-Cultural Exchange: Ethnically diverse nurses like Park facilitated cultural blending in the early Qing court
– Child Psychology: These arrangements likely created attachment disorders among imperial offspring

Archaeological work continues at Li Jia’s tomb site, where 2018 excavations uncovered rare examples of Shunzhi-era funerary art. Meanwhile, the Forbidden City’s archives preserve meticulous records of wet nurses’ salaries – Li received monthly payments equivalent to a mid-ranking official’s income, plus seasonal silk allotments.

This peculiar institution reminds us that behind the grandeur of imperial history lay very human stories of surrogate motherhood, emotional bonds, and occasionally, the wet nurses who quietly shaped empires.