Life

Family background

Consort Xi was a booi aha of Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Cahala clan. Her personal name was Haitangchun (海棠春, literally: Spring Begony).

Father: Changshun, a cook in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (厨师).

Daoguang era

Consort Xi was born on 4 October 1842.

Xianfeng era

Haitangchun was one of the palace maids of Empress Dowager Cixi living in Changchun palace in the Forbidden City. In 1855, she was promoted to 「Noble Lady Xi" (禧贵人，'xi' meaning "auspicious"). It was said that Noble Lady Xi was killed by the Concubine Yi after the birth of Tongzhi Emperor but that event has no confirmation in the history. She formed a clique called "Four Spring Ladies" (四春娘娘) together with Noble Lady Lu, Noble Lady Ji and Noble Lady Qing. The name of the group corresponded personal names of ladies containing character "chun" (spring). In 1861, she was promoted to "Concubine Xi", but the promotion ceremony was held during Tongzhi era.

Tongzhi era

In 1874, lady Cahala was promoted to "Consort Xi".

Guangxu era

Cahala Haitangchun died on 26 June 1877. She was interred at the Ding Mausoleum in the Eastern Qing tombs.

Titles

• During the reign of the Daoguang Emperor (r. 1820–1850):

　• Lady Cahala (from 4 October 1842)

• During the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor (r. 1850–1861):

　• Noble Lady Xi (禧贵人; from 1855), sixth rank consort

　• Concubine Xi (禧嫔; from 1861), fifth rank consort

• During the reign of the Tongzhi Emperor (r. 1861–1875):

　• Consort Xi (禧妃; from 1874), fourth rank consort

生平

察哈喇氏經內務府選秀入宮，成為長春宮某妃位下的一名宮女。

咸豐帝晚期，她和吉貴人、璷貴人、慶貴人共四名出身低微但得寵的女子，並稱「四春娘娘」，居圓明園中。咸豐九年（1859年）四月十一日，敬事房傳旨長春宮宮女子海棠春封為禧貴人，位在吉貴人之次。

咸豐帝逝世後，「四春娘娘」並未如傳說中被慈禧太后處死或驅逐。四人同被同治帝尊封為嬪。同治八年五月十二日，容嬪伊爾根覺羅氏薨逝，遺體挪至吉安所安放，慶嬪張氏和壽二所禧嬪出宮前往吉安所送別。

同治帝逝世後，四人又一起被光緒帝尊封為妃。光緒三年（1877年）禧妃逝世，死後葬於定陵妃園寢。

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