Biography

Yunsi was born Yinsi of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan as the eighth son of the Kangxi Emperor. His mother was Consort Liang (良妃) of the Wei (衛) clan, which was also of Manchu origin.

Yunsi (29 March 1681 - 5 October

In 1722, Yinsi's older half brother Yinzhen ascended to the throne as the Yongzheng Emperor after the death of their father. Yinsi changed his name to "Yunsi" to avoid naming taboo because the Chinese character for "Yin" (胤) in "Yinsi" is the same as the one in the Yongzheng Emperor's personal name "Yinzhen" (胤禛). Yunsi was appointed as one of Yongzheng's four chief advisers and granted the title of "Prince Lian of the First Rank" (和碩廉親王). However, having been a serious contender for succession to the throne during their father's reign, Yunsi soon found himself a subject of mistrust and suspicion for the Yongzheng Emperor. In 1726 Yunsi was expelled from the imperial household after a series of unjust accusations of incompetence made against him by the Yongzheng Emperor. In the same year, Yunsi was forced to rename himself "Akina" (阿其那; means "pig" in Manchu) after falling from grace. He died of illness in custody after being found guilty on 40 counts that allegedly endangered the stability of the Qing Dynasty.

Family

Father: Kangxi Emperor

Mother: Consort Liang (良妃), from the Wei (衛) clan, daughter of Interior Guanling (內管領; similar to the Japanese kanrei) Abunai (阿布鼐).

Spouses: Lady Gorolo (郭絡羅氏), Yunsi's primary spouse, daughter of Heshuo Prince Consort (和碩額駙) Mingshang (明尚).

Lady Zhang (張氏), Yunsi's concubine, daughter of Zhang Zhibi (張之碧).

Lady Mao (毛氏), Yunsi's concubine, daughter of Mao Erge (毛二格).

Children: Hongwang (弘旺; 27 January 1708 - 16 December 1762), Yunsi's son, born to Lady Zhang.

Daughter (24 June 1708 - 11 January 1776), personal name unknown, born to Lady Mao, married Sun Wufu (孫五福) in 1724.