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Shengjing and Beijing, and one replacement made during have followed the previous established practices and were
the Xuantong reign, all three carved with finials of entwined made during the seventh year of Guangxu’s reign when she
dragons. The Guangxu Emperor and Empress Dowager Cixi passed away, each dedicated at the two Ancestral Temples
7
each had one posthumous seal. respectively. The present posthumous jade seal was the one
that was originally dedicated and placed at the Ancestral
Lastly, let us consider Empress Xiaozhenxian and her
posthumous jade seal. Temple in Beijing. The pair to it, was sent to the Ancestral
Temple in Shengjing in the fourteenth year of Guangxu’s
Empress Xiaozhenxian, also known as Dowager Empress reign (1888), and is now preserved in the Shengyang Palace
Ci’an, or East Empress Dowager, of the Manchu Bordered Museum (fig. 1). The two were made at the same time, to the
Yellow Banner Niohuru clan, was the daughter of Muyang’a, same standards and are comparable in terms of seal face
a third rank official of Guangxi. Born on the twelfth day of the inscription, its calligraphy, and measurements. In the early
seventh month of the seventeenth year of the Daoguang reign twentieth century. because of the loss of seals at the Ancestral
(1837), she was selected and given the name ‘Concubine Zhen’ Temple in Beijing, the Qing court proceeded to replace these in
during the auditions for the Xianfeng Emperor’s consorts in the second year of the Xuantong reign, this included the seal of
the second year of his reign (1852). Within the same year, she Empress Xiaozhenxian, now preserved in the Palace Museum,
was received into the Palace on the twenty-seventh day of Beijing, and accounts for the last of the three seals made for
the fourth month, elevated to the title ‘Noble Consort Zhen’ the Dowager Empress (fig. 2). As the replacement also came
on the twenty-fifth day of the fifth month, and designated as right after the Xuantong Emperor added to the posthumous
Empress the next month. In the seventh month of the eleventh name of the Dowager Empress, the two were done at the same
year of Xianfeng’s reign (1861), the Tongzhi Emperor ascended time and the new posthumous seal was carved with her newly
the throne, in the same month, on the eighteenth day, the modified, and final posthumous name. Unfortunately, because
Empress was elevated to Empress Dowager, and assumed of time constraints, the seal was carved rather roughly and one
regency for the young Emperor. Of the twenty-fifth day of of the two newly added characters to the title was mistakenly Fig. 1 Impression of the Posthumous Jade Seal of Empress Xiaozhenxian, courtesy of
the fourth month of the first year of Tongzhi Emperor’s reign carved – the character jing 靖 (peaceful) was carved as jing 静 The Shenyang Palace Museum
(1862), she was designated ‘Empress Dowager Ci’an’. In the (quiet) instead. 圖一 孝貞顯皇后玉寶之印文，瀋陽故宮博物院藏
eleventh year of Tongzhi’s reign (1872), in celebration of the
In conclusion, within the above-mentioned historical
Emperor’s wedding, the Empress Dowager was bestowed
two further characters ‘duanyu’ to her name. ‘Kangqing’ was context, the present jade seal for Empress Xiaozhenxian
is an incredibly important work of art that pertains to the
further bestowed to her in the twelfth year of Tonzhi’s reign
(1873) as he assumed personal control of the empire. However, elaborate and meticulous ancestral, political and ceremonial
Empress Dowager Ci’an resumed her regency again as practices of the Qing dynasty. Furthermore, although the
Guangxu Emperor ascended the throne. Of the second year of seal face was carved during the seventh year of the Guangxu
Guangxu’s reign (1876), to celebrate the Emperor’s new ascent Emperor’s reign (1881) after the Empress’s passing, the
and Ci’an’s fortieth birthday, ‘zhaohe zhuangjing’ was added stones and carving of posthumous seals for future emperors
to her name, as such, her official name was now ‘Ci’an duanyu and empresses were already selected and completed during
kangqing zhaohe zhuangjing huangtaihou’. In the seventh year the Qianlong period. Thus, the carving of the finial of the seal
of Guangxu’s reign (1881), she passed away in Zhongcuigong is representative of the style and impeccable standard of
(Palace of Accumulated Purity), at the age of forty-five. In the jade carvings in the Qianlong period. Once the present seal
same year, on the thirteenth day of the fifth month, she was face was completed, gold was added to the reserved areas in
conferred the posthumous title ‘Xiaozhen Ci’an yuqing hejing order to highlight the seal face inscription and impressively,
yitian zuosheng xianhuanghou’. Of the fourth month of the first the gold is still exquisitely preserved, retaining its original
year of the Xuantong Emperor’s reign (1908), the new Emperor condition. The important discovery of the present jade seal
added the two characters ‘chengjing’ to her posthumous then is a critical piece of history that allows us to further our
title with her final posthumous name reading ‘Xiaozhen Ci’an current understanding of the ancestral ceremonial practices
yuqing hejing chengjing yitian zuosheng xianhuanghou’. 6 of the Qing dynasty and its transformation overtime.
1 Qing shi gao [Draft History of Qing], juan 86
Indeed, the posthumous seals that were created for Empress 2 Qing shi gao [Draft History of Qing], juan 86
Xiaozhenxian (or Dowager Empress Ci’an) corroborates 3 Qing shi gao [Draft History of Qing], juan 86
4 Qingchao wenxian tongkao [Comprehensive examination of literatures of the Qing], juan 109
these above-mentioned events regarding the conferring of 5 Qing Gaozong shilu [Veritable Records of Gaozong], juan 1109
6 Qing shi gao [Draft History of Qing], juan 214 houfei zhuan [Biographies of Consorts]
her posthumous title. There are a total of three seals made 7 Liu Jinzao, Qingchao xu wenxian tongkao [Continued comprehensive examination of
Fig. 2 Impression of the Posthumous Jade Seal of Empress Xiaozhenxian, courtesy of
for the Dowager Empress. The first two were recorded to literatures of the Qing], juan 160 The Palace Museum, Beijing
圖二 孝貞顯皇后玉寶之印文，北京故宮博物院藏
152 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N11275 153