"The Deeds of Empress Dong E" is a eulogy written by Emperor Shunzhi for his beloved concubine Dong E. It has about 4,000 words, and the lines are full of deep sorrow and sincere emotions.
The opening chapter begins with beautiful and elegant words: "The empress Xiaoxianzhuang and the most virtuous Xuanren, gentle and dunjing died. Woohoo! Internal governance of the virtuous, praise of the helpless..." The reader is quickly drawn into the unforgettable atmosphere of farewell.
The whole article looks back at the life of Dong E (later posthumously honored as Empress Xiaoxian Duanjing): she was born in the Zhengbai Banner nobles of Manchuria and was the daughter of the Minister of Internal Affairs E Shuo. Soon after entering the palace at a young age, she was favored by Emperor Shunzhi and was named a virtuous concubine and promoted to an imperial concubine. She was promoted at a rare speed. She is known for her respectful, gentle, kind and benevolent character: she is considerate of the empress dowager, takes care of the concubines, takes care of the monarch's daily life, and advises the government day and night.
In his account, Emperor Shunzhi also mentioned every detail of their time together: she accompanied the empress dowager when he was unwell; he worked overtime at night to read music, and she was worried that the emperor would be overworked, so she comforted him and served him tea; she was selfless in dealing with palace affairs, with little savings, and often gave gifts to others. When she was pregnant with the prince, the pain of his death, coupled with her own frailty, caused her to eventually die of illness at the age of only twenty-two.
"The Deeds of Empress Dong E" is not only a memorial article, but also has historical value: it vividly presents the image of this short-lived but extremely dazzling concubine in the Qing Dynasty, and also reflects the entanglement between love, power and state affairs of a generation of emperors. Reading it, you can not only see the monarch who dotes on women deeply, but also feel the sad atmosphere of the harem coexisting with tenderness and coldness through the text.
