Hongzhou

Overview

Hongzhou, of the Aisin Gioro clan, was the fifth son of the Yongzheng Emperor and the younger brother of the Qianlong Emperor. He was a prince of the Qing imperial family, posthumously honored as "Prince Hegong," and commonly referred to as "Prince Hegong." Volume 220 of the *Draft History of the Qing Dynasty* records that he was granted the title of Prince He in the eleventh year of Yongzheng's reign; this was a title of imperial family rank and did not automatically grant him fixed administrative authority in any ministry.

In the thirteenth year of Yongzheng's reign, the court established the Office for Handling Miao Affairs, which Hongzhou jointly managed with the then-unmarried Hongli (later Emperor Qianlong). During the Qianlong era, Hongzhou participated in political discussions and was also ordered to supervise the examinations of the Eight Banners' sons. He had verbal conflicts with the Qianlong Emperor regarding issues such as examination supervision, but historical records indicate that the emperor was lenient towards him. These historical events reflect that he possessed both imperial family kinship and indeed undertook specific duties.

The *Draft History of the Qing Dynasty* also records that Hongzhou enjoyed discussing funeral rites and had independently ordered funeral arrangements, commissioning the creation of funerary objects such as tripods, ritual vessels, plates, and bowls. This account should not be interpreted without evidence as intentionally "feigning madness to avoid disaster," as historical records do not provide sufficient evidence to support such a political motive. Hongzhou died in the thirtieth year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. His son, Yongbi, inherited the title, and his descendants followed the Qing dynasty's system of succession within the imperial clan. Hongzhou's personal experiences, the succession of his descendants, and later folk legends should be explained separately.