China Step Empress who Disappeared from History | Step Empress Ulnara (Nara/Ruyi) 

Thanks everyone for watching it ❤ Consort Ling's Story is here : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3Y9PABk2gWg.html Empress Fuca's Story is here : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RCNpZ0dYPqA.html

this makes the series "Ruyi's royal love in the palace" so much more intriguing. The scene of her cutting her hair was ICONIC.

He chose to promote the other consort despite Nara being alive, thus labelling her dead nationally. That itself was such a disrespectful thing to do. Yet when she decides to call him dead, he wants to overreact?

cutting her hair in front of the emperor- she was so done with him, so done with palace life. To do that at that time- that screams big boss energy haha

Regardless of the real reason behind why she trimmed her hair, coming from a noble Manchurian clan she KNEW of such consequences and the implications she would have brought to her clan members upon committing the taboo. But she trimmed her hair anyway, implying that she never valued the position and power granted to her as the Empress. Truly, a revolutionary, mentally strong and independent woman of the feudal era.

The irony of this is that, she’s one of the few empresses that are now remembered for all time. She dared to be different and even though she suffered in life, she was remembered now as a heroine.

She’s gone. They buried her story but her history was so interesting that the next generations can’t afford to just ignored it. Her story lives on from mouth to mouth till we can see her story in movies and dramas made today.

Maybe she wanted to send a message: “You break the tradition offering a title that should only be given if I was dead already, maybe I should break the traditions too and cut my hair to show you that you’re already dead to me after mock me with your offenses.” I’m not a researcher in this area, but i can emphatically think that maybe her feeling was similar: She waited on line for her chance to be empress, respected the traditions and the mourning period while receiving the title of noble consort … did her respective obligations and suffered with the lost of her children too. Only to know the emperor is favoring a younger woman, that made him give the title that could only be offered if the she was dead (an indirect message maybe, that she was powerless and is dead to him or will be dead soon)… it’s like you being married and one day find the mistress living in your house, all the things that are yours become hers, and mostly important your husband given her your surname, considering you dead. Ps: Thank goodness we have legals ways to divorce today.

Whatever the argument was, Nara took an action of great power when she cut her hair. She stood her ground, even though she knew what the consequences would be and I hope we all can stand by our convictions like her. Erasing her from history or at least trying to, very petty and I’m glad it’s failed.

Lady Nara aka Step Empress is shrouded in mystery which is what makes her life so fascinating to most people. Because we don't know alot about her true life story because most of her historical evidence was destroy by the Qianlong Emperor , therefore there are different interpretations of her characters in the drama Yanxi Palace and Ruyi Royal Love. I honestly prefer to believed that Ruyi's is the more true interpretation of Lady Nara

Love love love the drama ruyi. Interesting life of the harem ! And chinese empire

Seeing there's no actual reason why she cut her hair kinda makes me want to build a time machine to travel the past just to know the reason why

Hello. In my study, the emperor fell in love with Consort Chenbi who died early. Later on in one of his travels, he met a girl who look exactly as Chenbi (the magistrate of that town, actually searched for someone who looked like Chenbi in order to gain favor from the emperor) this new girl is about 40 years younger than him. The emperor spent many days and nights with her and neglected his duty. When empress nara finally got tired of what the emperor is doing, she talked to him about it and it caused a huge argument... no one knows for sure how it ended to that huge argument but the empress cut her hair because of that and was ordered to be sent back by the emperor. My historian professor told me that the girl is someone that the empress cannot accept, because she is a prostitute eventually the empress punished her to become a nun or die, this made the emperor really mad. Another scandalous affair that the emperor has is with Fu Heng's wife. This was a huge rumor during his time. During the Airing of Yanxi palace, I often see blogs and posts similar to yours, where it says Consort Ling(Yinglou) was the reason for Empress Ula nara's downfall which isn't really the case. It was much more than that, for her to resort to cutting her hair and throwing everything she has...there's gotta be deeper reason than the emperor favoring one palace girls.

In the emperor's eyes she disobeyed him and disgraced him. Seems like he erased her from history to make sure ppl didn't remember a lady who stood her ground and made her own decision. He probably thought any kids from her would b unruly too. So sad. Women in those days had to suffer and see their clans demolished, sleep with the enemy and watch the emperor cheat on her with other women.b

There are a lot of rumours of why Empress Nara cut off her hair but obviously there was a huge fight between Qianlong and Empress Nara, the real reason of the fight, was not known and it was not being mentioned in the history or by Qianlong himself, and was only later known Qianlong disposed her 2nd empress for she cut her hair. In the olden times, after the emperor died, his concubines were to be given either white silk or poison to commit suicide to be buried together with the emperor. However, such practice was deemed cruel and abolished in the mid of Ming Dyansty or during Kang Xi emperor reign. So as a replacement of showing the fealty to the emperor or the elder, part of the hair would be cut and buried together with the dead emperor or dowager empress. So such act by Empress Nara cutting her hair was considered a huge curse to the emperor or dowager empress. There are 3 clans of Nara, notably Ula Nara (producing 2 empresses by Nurhaci and Emperor Yong Zheng), Yehe Nara (producing 3 empresses by Nurhaci (birth mother of Hong Taiji) and Xian Feng Emperor (birth mother of Tong Zhi Emperor, aka Cixi Dowager Empress) and Guang Xu Emperor (Long Yu Empress), and lastly Hoi Fa nara. The step empress actual Nara clan was also not known.

She had the last laugh, as history remembers Her as a badass, and the emperor as a pampered immature hypocrite

Very great explanation! I am Chinese and I am obsessed with the history of Qing dynasties. I think she is actually a brave lady in that feudal society!

I just realized how strong she was in that era... she was sooo strong and i admire her sooo much ( ofcourse because of the drama ruyis royal love) Love from India ( Kerala) 😍😍😍

I'm so obsessed with the drama Ruyi's Royal Love... I know it's just a fictional piece of work but I cannot help imagining how the palace life was in real life.

It's bit understated here, but what Emperor Qianlong did by promoting Consort Wei to the imperial Consort position while Step Empress Ulnara was still alive was a massive show of disrespect causing her a huge loss of face before the rest of the harem and the world, It was a heartless and cruel gut punch to Ulnara just to please a consort with ambitions so take that into consideration when faulting her action of cutting her hair. The act of cutting hair wasn't only done as a sign of deep morning for specific people it was also a symbolic act of divorce because as part of the wedding ceremony a strand od each of the couple's hair was knotted together, thus severing a lock of hair was severing the marriage bond.

The video is great but actually Consort Wei had become a consort of the Emperor long a few years before Empress Nara became the Empress. She was quite favoured by the emperor but not the most. More and more evidences have been unearthed in the recent years that Empress Nara was, surprisingly, in fact, the most favoured by the Emperor for years since she did not have a prominent family background and did not bear any children either, yet she was still promoted up through high ranks and even finally selected as the Empress. According to what Emperor Qianlong proclaimed to the public, he was ordered by his mother, the Mother Empress, to choose Lady Nara, but later people today found out there was a mistake in this edict, in which the mother empress said lady Nara was selected “the later father emperor”, which was impossible in the old Chinese style of speech. The empress mother would not call the late emperor this way, only Emperor Qianlong would. Historians suggested that this edict was in fact dictated by Emperor Qianlong himself. The reason why Emperor Qianlong would not say that the spouse was chosen on his own decision is because it was very immoral and disrespectful to marry a new empress while it was still during the mourning period of the late Empress Fuca. In the old China, a marriage is valid and respectable only with the agreement from the parents. If Qianlong had to have a new empress, he would have to say it was due to the will of the Mother Empress. Consort Wei indeed bore the most children, but her rewards were because of her contribution to the imperial family by giving birth to children, which was common in the old China, while Empress Nara got her first child only after she became the Empress.

Like the step empress is legit shrouded in so much mystery that it must have been a bad argument to the point that Qianlong removed every trace she existed away and it makes more sense as to why consort Wei’s son became emperor after him instead of Yongji because he DIDNT want the whichever Nara clan having one of theirs on the throne. Like after the step empress no other woman from the Nara clan was taken as a consort

Wait.... but we don't know the exact reason why she cut her hair. According to history, in the trip the conversation between the second empress and the emperor occured privately, that is the reason why no one know the reason why his second empress did that.

Edit: Regardless of it being real or not - getting rid of her records or not being able to be recorded in history was the best protection the emperor has given to Ruyi. That "protection" lasted till this day - the privacy and freedom that she wanted.

I’m not going lie after watching this video and finishing Ruyi Royal Love in the Palace I see the Emperor just as another man with too much power and didn’t care about his Empress/wife, let alone about any other woman. The way these woman would fight each other and plot is scary all for the Emperors favor…

In Ruyi, I love the part where he came to ask her to let bygones be bygones. Just can't get over the way she reacted and told him about 兰因絮果 (good in the beginning with a bad ending) and told him, 花开花落自有时 (Flowers bloom flowers fall, they have their own timing). It's like she had lost faith in him and did not wish to have anything to do with him anymore. I cried each time I watched that episode.

Ruyi in the Palace is my favorite. Yanxi was good buy Ruyi showed drama throughout the series, whereas Yanxi, the fiddle was solved in every episode.

Right now, I'm watching Ruyi's Love Story. I must admit, the Emperor has already triggered me in the first five episodes! There are several scenes that show a major red flag about this insecure emperor: 1. When Ruyi tries to have a conversation about western culture, where a man can only marry one woman. The emperor was furious at her for having such a thought. He even thinks she's insane! 2. When he prefers the commoner pipa player over his noble consort. Even if I didn't like the consort, still, in my eyes she is a prideful girl that honour herself very well. Throughout the episode, I've seen that the emperor favours the defenceless female. 3. When he gets angry at her just because she asking the Emperor to honor the past consort with tittle. Like dude I know you want to avoid internal war, but that your birth mother right there! He get angry for monthssss! Dude, she just want to help you? What a chicken! I still watching this drama, yet I already can predict that Ruyi won't be happy with this man-child Emperor!

Qianlong was a depraved and sick human. The insane one was him, most of his empress and concubines which he favoured didnt have good endings. What empress nara did was a courageous move to claim back her own dignity by rejecting the disgusting qianlong. Thumbs up to her , she didnt give a damn about the empress position and luxuries . The defying action by her was very rare in her times.

I feel so bad for ruyi. I can't even imagine how serious the background was for that she needed to cut her hair in a way to put a end in everything and be free.

Ula Nara cut her hair as a sign of protest to Emperor Qianlong not to take another consort anymore. Because emperor Qianlong wants to take a girl from Jiangnan as a concubine but the girl was already a nun. Another one, a Hostess. And the last one that looks like Consort Rong.

I never cried so hard in my life then when I watched Ruyis Love in the palace 😞

Ruyi's Royal Love and Story of Yanxi Palace in one. I love both!

I wish she had got the respect she deserved! Let's at least honor her memory with remembering her as the boss lady

Empress Nara became the first in women's fight for liberation and dignity.

If she was impressed with Buddhism then I can see why she sought to leave that world. As a spirit she knew she would look down on that society as small and not important any longer. Death and being wiped out were a blessing in disguise for her. I get her. Practiced Buddhists can see life from an above human viewpoint. Siddhartha also had to flee the palace life, and fortunately he could live to tell about it. Empress Nala did not have those same privileges. Sometimes being rejected can be a GOOD THING :-)

This is what I'm waiting for.

The pendant earrings in the painting confirm (to me) that this IS Step-Empress Nara. They match the official drawings of her coronation jewellery.

even if he was furious of her the way he treated their son makes me think that show got it right, he knew she didn’t want that kind of power placed upon her son as she saw how it changed her own husband over time. Sad he only had 25 yrs.

Why was a story told about Nara was it true or not ? This documentary story about her was horrible. I truly want to know about her. Yet I think the more I find out it will be just as horrible. I never look at any drama. Like a dummy I was drawn to this one. The drama Ruyi was done so very well. I look at it each day. Now to find out this. Thanks so very much. 🧐😭

The step empress is not evil but resr peaceful but it's not important to give a title to her coz she doesn't need a status or power she needs a true love

Thank you for this video. Lots of good information and you have a sweet calm voice

Thank you for the video!

From watching Ruyis royal love in the palace, ive come to love her, especially her defiance in cutting her hair infront of the emperor. The series I recommend, their story makes so much more sense.

This was super interesting and well told! You have a beautiful voice and your English is very good, great work! ❤️

這樣分享文化的視頻實在是太棒了！之前看過如懿傳和延禧攻略，裡頭劇情顯然是改修過的。還好看見你的視頻，替我解析了正確知識！

After hearing all of this, I'm on Team Ruyi's Royal Love. I know it's possible that Wei wasn't really a bad Cinderella but given the evidence when explorer's found her body perfectly preserved after over 100 years, which includes evidence of high levels of poisons, what other conclusion comes to mind?

Me not sleeping till 3am has gotten me to find the thing i needed :)

In both Ruyi and Yanxi, the most they have in common regarding Ulnarasi is that she loved the emperor dearly from the very beginning but still ended up cutting her hair and had her title as Empress stripped

I know this because of Ruyi's Royal Love in Palace. I love that drama.

Some of you guys obviously watch too many palace dramas, this is real life history, not an exaggerated story

Thank you so much for this information about Empress Nàra. I have been trying to find out historical information about her and she seems to be left out. I also wanted to see a picture of her. The picture you thought was Empress Nàra looks a lot like the super star actress that played her in the drama. We will never know the complete truth but the Emperor had to be very bad for her to go to the extreme of cutting her hair when she knew what could happen to her. He continually douches her with dirty water and she couldn't take it anymore seemed to be obvious. My heart break's for her💔 RIP Empress Nara. Fly high to heaven's gate💟👸💟🙏🌟

Its really disappoint me that there is no real history documented. We don’t know for sure which story tell the truth. Everyone just give their own theories but still not sure about it. When i watch tge historical drama, i love yanxi better because it shows everyone has flaw, which is i think more rational . But in ruyi series, empress nara is the only good person without any wrong deeds. Again we don’t the story. In each series, the authors put their own theories in it. So disappointed 😞

Lady Ulanara her story stands out among others

Fascinating, Thanks🏆🇺🇸

at about 4.05 to 4.25 minute mark of the video, the newly restored Qian Long Garden - a masterpiece of art, design and architecture commissioned by Qian Long within the present Beijing Palace Museum Forbidden City is shown here - an artistic legacy in world art history left to posterity by Qian Long.

That was helpful.

Thank you. Just finished ruyis love in the palace . What an amazing actress

Further back in ancient times, cutting the hair was divorce, cutting away a piece of clothing was a resignation of a position of power & goes into retirement. Ruyi was fed up. She would have remembered about ancient ancestors cutting a strand of hair as divorce instead of making a repudiation agreement.

Why am I so obsessed with this woman It's like no matter how much I learn I can't get enough. I wish I could go back and stop them from destroying those records. Anyway, I prefer Ruyi's Royal Love. I'm even more obsessed with that series and of course Zhou Xun 🥰👉🏽👈🏽

Great video, but I'm not sure how much of this videos given information is true. A lot about the Step-Empress Nara(Ula or Hoifa) have been lost in time and many things are just based on rumors and speculation. Even the portrait of her is probably not even of the real lady. The truth about her downfall is shrouded in mystery with only Qianlong being the only other person that knows the truth, considering he was the cause, but even he never publicly mentioned it throughly and took it to his grave.

Watching this now the dramas Drama Ruyi and Legend of Yanxi palace was actually a combination of history. So cool

Ruyi's Royal Love..very nice C-Drama.. definitely a must watch!!!

There are some anecdotes that say that the reason she cut her hair was because the Qianlong Emperor wanted to make a palace courtesan as his concubine (Fāng pī chén shì), then Queen nara did not agree, which led to her cutting her hair.

Hi thank u for this amazing video, I really appreciate it! I learned a lot of information from your channel stay safe♡ love from the Philippines🇵🇭🇵🇭

Love artwork. Very well done.

This channel deserves mire subsribers

Story of yanxi palace is nice the drama brought me here 💕

That hair cutting scene was the reason why I decided to watch the drama. Such a elegant woman.

In the Ruyi’s royal in the palace ep 87 he was confronted by Empress Dowager by the way he treat Ruyi’s funeral which is not intended for Empress, completely erase her records in the palace and place it near Imperial noble consort chun’s tomb without any sign. He died alone without any of his concubine.

Nice to see something about the imperial concubines online. But I'm sure things like "she asked the emperor to promote her" were not recorded. TV drama's add a lot of things to spice up the daily life of the concubines at the Qing court and some things, unfortunately, seem to become fact because of these drama's. Also the portrait of the Step Empress is debateable. A French/ Chinese movie has added to the portrait being that of the Step Empress. There are discussion going on that suggest that, that portrait might be of the mother of Qianlong's fifth son.

Thank you for sharing this! Is there any way you could do one on all of Qinglon's sons?

I watched the drama. 10/10

We will never know what truly transpired. but this story has inspired so many interpretations and imaginative stories.

I Stan this Empress and the actress who played her in Ruyi's Royal love, deserves an award.

I just realised that at the end of the Ruyi show, Qianlong kept her cut hair in a tin after all those years. When he was about to pass on, he cut a bit of his own and put it in the same tin. Reading a few of the comments, it looks like the living royal spouses would usually cut and place that bit of hair in the tomb with the buried royal spouse. It's as if to say that even if she wasn't given a proper royal burial then, he wanted her to be with him in the afterlife as a past lover. ONLY WITH REFERENCE IN THAT PARTICULAR DRAMA. In real life, we can't be too sure if he actually was really a childhood love.

Wow so the drama did base on the real character- but the king didn't love her like the main character did at least he morn for her. He should have given her a proper funeral as a queen. The drama did the same wiped away in history was correct as well. Wow just too painful. Maybe this king is bad luck bec his sons all died as well as wives

Love Nara

Reminds me of Story of a Yanxi palace … the scene she cuts her hair in front of all other people on the boat 🔥

It's a good history... In this historic has made a series'"Ruyi Royal Love Palace"

So interesting, I love the history of the chines imperial harems. Also those women had a sad and tragic life

this hits different after watching ruyi's story (the drama)

There is a drama with a story like this. The name is Yanxi Palace and it basically follows the story of the maid who became a consort. It's worth watching

Not every partner will act according to your wish just because you are the King. Bold woman.

That is the myth of this Step Empress, that we don´t know the whole story. Of Course is the Story of Ruyi - Royal Love in the palce really romantic. But by looting the grave of Emperor Qianlong we don´t know that he was buried with the hair of Ulnara. Somehow it was also a good thing that Nara didn't rest with the emperor, so she could still Rest in Peace. So I think the act to cute her Hair off make she to a popular Woman like Dowager Cixi and Wu Zetian. And we shouldn´t forget how many year are between they Lifetime and our. In all History there are only a few reliable sources that report everything 100% accurately. Because they are public records and not private ones. A big thanks For very interesting video.

Moral of the story : don't marry too many just because you had option.. Being a king is lik u have to bare the weight of your crown 👑.., Aaaah.. it says everything 😅

I had no idea that drama was based off of real people and events. Considering how little is known for sure, it kind of makes you want to weep that the drama might not be that far from the truth that emperor wanted to cover up. Someone that high up KNEW what she was doing by cutting her hair, and honestly, I don't blame her at all.

Aaaaah la actriz es igualita ❤️🤭

Please also make one for Consort Wei.

Empress Nara was ahead of her time. Even if the emperor tired to erase her from history., she's still the champ even after hundreds of yeara😄😊❤️ goes to show she was a remarkable person.

Is there no another possible historical record source about her, like from neighboring countries like Korea or Japan?

I'm still salty Wei YingLuo ended up with QianLong even if it's history 😤😤😤

The way he was so in love with the Han princess was the last straw for Ruyi.

N I'm literally watching the Ruyi's royal love drama

*"Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace"* This drama on her and that emperor was the most depressing C-drama I've ever seen. *"Empresses in the Palace"* had the best ending ever, tho. Boy talk about a woman scorn. Her and Empress Ki both were great Palace dramas!👍🏼🔥💯🥳♥️🤎💛

Wow so, this is where the cdrama Yanxi palace was inspired from. This is interesting.

The music is beautiful. Is there a link or reference to it by any chance? Also very informative thank you :)

The cutting of hair was a scene from a series where Wei Ying Lou was the lead.

My jade bracelet is a Ruyi Scepter and have Green Plum Blossom

If only she had realized that life is not fair, that her husband did not love her, and only “favored” her and his son by her as long as his eyes did not lust for another, or others. If only she had realized that rules were meant for her, not for him. If only she had kept her love exclusively for her son, and kept her lovely hair for herself and the son who loved her. The emperor was actually in love with himself. This bit of history is actually a very modern story. I appreciate it’s delicate and lovely telling. I hope many good blessings for you!