依照清宮體制，后妃應循滿蒙聯姻或八旗選秀體制入宮，只有蒙古與旗人女子，無民女。但內務府《奏案》、《來文》等材料卻記錄乾隆皇帝的純惠皇貴妃、慶皇貴妃、婉貴妃、芳妃、怡嬪與其妹、祿貴人出身民間，她們的入宮途徑應非過去的「南巡說」，優伶是較為確定的一條管道。入宮之後，這些嬪妃的娘家多數改入內務府三旗，體現清代族群階層的差異性與流動性。但為了避免聲張滋事，乾隆皇帝派遣包衣稅差管理這些皇家戚畹，不過，包衣官員卻多因此問罪受譴，突顯出管理的不易。這些民人嬪妃們入宮之後際遇各自不同，多數人默默無聞，未曾生育。純惠皇貴妃與慶皇貴妃卻頗受恩寵，生育或扶養皇嗣，民女的出身雖未限制她們的身分與位階，但其子女的婚配、仕途發展卻受母親出身的影響，與內務府產生千絲萬縷的聯繫。清代宮壼肅清，向來難窺奧秘。本文考究民人后妃與其外戚家族，除可一窺清代宮廷管理的其一側面，亦有助於重新思考乾隆皇帝對於旗民通婚的心態與立場。

According to the Qing court system, imperial empresses and concubines were to follow the Manchu-Mongol marital tradition or the Eight-Banner xiunü (秀 女) selection system to enter the court. Hence, the candidates had to be Manchu or Mongol women, while Han Chinese women were entirely excluded. However, newly published archives show that at least seven of the Qianlong Emperor’s concubines were of Han Chinese descent, including Imperial Noble Consort Chunhui, Imperial Noble Consort Qing, Noble Consort Wan, Consort Fang, Imperial Concubine Yi, Yi’s younger sister, and Noble Lady Lu. They entered the court at different times and most likely by following the route of local officials’ recommendations, rather than selected by Qianlong himself during his southern tours to the Jiangnan region. When the Han Chinese women entered the court, their families were upgraded to the upper three booi banners, showing both the hierarchy and the fluidity of Qing society. The Qianlong Emperor dispatched a number of Jiangnan-based booi bondservant officials to supervise the concubines’ relatives and to prevent any disclosure of the Manchu-Han marriages. Managing these relatives was a difficult task, since any mistakes could lead to the loss of these officials’ positions. Most of the Han Chinese imperial concubines remain unknown to the historical record and never gave birth to children, but Imperial Noble Consort Chunhui and Imperial Noble Consort Qing were favored by Qianlong, and they gave birth to or nurtured children for the royal family. Their ethnic backgrounds did not tarnish the prestige of the two concubines, but still affected their children’s marriages and official careers, which were intertwined with the Imperial Household Department. The Qing court had always been strictly managed, making it difficult for outsiders to collect inside stories. This article investigates the stories about Han Chinese imperial concubines and their relatives, which can help to understand a key aspect of the Qing dynasty court management and to reconsider the Qianlong Emperor’s attitude towards the Manchu-Han marriage.

民人嬪妃 ;內務府; 包衣; 南巡; 宮廷管理

Han Chinese imperial concubine;Department of Imperial Household; booi bondservant; southern tour; court management