Princess Rongxian’s Tomb

Princess Rongxian’s Tomb

Princess Rongxian’s Tomb is a cultural tourism attraction.

Princess Rongxian was the third daughter of Emperor Shengzu Ren, Emperor Xuan Ye of the Qing Dynasty. She married Dorbo Jong, the Doroi Beile of Balin in the Zhaowuda League (present-day Right Balin Banner, Chifeng City) at the age of nineteen (June 1691 AD). Like the renowned historical events "Wang Zhaojun’s Marriage to the Xiongnu" and "Princess Wencheng’s Entry into Tibet," the marriage of Princess Rongxian to a Mongolian noble helped turn weapons into gifts, replacing the smoke of war with the smoke of peace. It fostered communication and strengthened the ties and mutual influence between the two ethnic groups, accelerating cultural exchange.

Princess Rongxian was the third daughter of Emperor Kangxi. Her mother was Lady Maogi, Empress Kangxi’s honored consort Rong. She shared the same mother with her eldest brother Chengrui, fourth brother Saiyinchahan, sixth brother Changhua, eighth brother Changsheng, and tenth brother Yunzhi. She was born on the sixth day of the fifth month in the twelfth year of Kangxi’s reign. In January of the thirtieth year of Kangxi’s reign, she was granted the title of Heshuo Princess Rongxian and married Dorbo Jong of the Balin tribe from Mongolia, of the Borjigit clan, in the same year at the age of 19. In the forty-eighth year of Kangxi’s reign, she was elevated to the title of Gūrlun Princess Rongxian. She passed away on the twenty-first day of the fourth month in the sixth year of Yongzheng’s reign at the age of 56.

Among the princesses who were married off, not many were able to return to Beijing. The same was true for Princess Rongxian. After her marriage, she rarely returned to the capital, but in the forty-seventh year of Kangxi’s reign, shortly after Emperor Kangxi deposed his crown prince for the first time, Princess Rongxian was summoned back to the capital to visit her father. Emperor Kangxi called Princess Rongxian back during one of his most vulnerable and sorrowful times, showing how much she meant to him.

From the above analysis, it is not difficult to see that Gūrlun Princess Rongxian was the most beloved daughter of Emperor Kangxi. She was also one of the few Qing princesses who had a relatively happy marriage, which was her good fortune. However, because her husband was often away at war, the couple spent little time together, and he even passed away on his way back from the battlefield, which was a great regret. Later, however, after Princess Rongxian’s death, she was buried together with Dorbo Jong in front of Uruhetu Mountain in the Right Banner (present-day Shijiazi Gacha, Bayan’erdeng Sumu), allowing the couple to be together for eternity in death.

Dorbo Jong was the second son of Eje, the Zasak Doroi Beile of the Balin tribe. Eje’s mother was Shuhui Princess, the fifth daughter of Emperor Taizong Hong Taiji of the Qing Dynasty. In the forty-third year of Kangxi’s reign, Dorbo Jong inherited the title of Zasak Doroi Beile of the Balin tribe. He joined Emperor Kangxi’s military campaigns in the eighteenth year of Kangxi’s reign and died on the battlefield in the sixtieth year.

The tomb of Princess Rongxian is grand in scale, featuring a ground hall, an underground palace, and stone tablets. The burial objects in the tomb are extremely rich, and describing this Mongolian queen as a “golden branch and jade leaf” is no exaggeration. The princess wore a golden phoenix crown and a pearl-embroidered dragon robe. The phoenix crown, adorned with countless gems and pearls, was complemented by gold-threaded kingfisher-feather ornaments and various golden peacock hairpins. It also featured resplendent golden hairpins engraved with motifs such as the “Three Friends of Winter” and “Plum Blossoms in Joyful Bloom,” making it magnificent and dazzling. Among the many luxurious ornaments, the “Moon Surrounded by Stars Golden Hairpin with Cat’s Eye Gem” stands out the most — it has a golden base, pearls as stars, and a cat’s eye gem in the center, creating a stunning “moon surrounded by stars” effect. The “Pearl-Embroidered Dragon Robe” is made with over 100,000 pearls woven into the pattern of eight auspicious dragons, surrounded by auspicious clouds and ocean waves. The vibrant patterns and the pure, elegant pearls come together to form this exceptionally rare, shimmering robe, showcasing the grace and elegance Princess Rongxian had in life.