Family background

Consort Hua was a booi of Han Chinese Hougiya clan belonging to the Bordered Yellow Banner. Her personal name was Liuniu (六妞). Her ancestral home was located in Shenyang.

Father: Taozhu, a Minister of Imperial Stables (Chinese: 上驷院; pinyin: Shangpiyuan)

• First paternal uncle: Changshu (常舒), served as third rank military official (参领)
• Paternal grandfather: Liuge (六格).^[1]

One elder sister: Wife of grace general Fuming'a (福明阿) from the Prince Keqin peerage.^[2]

Qianlong era

It is not known when Lady Hougiya entered the residence of Prince Jia of the First Rank as a servant (Chinese: 管女子; pinyin: Guǎn nǚzǐ) and was promoted to concubine (Chinese: 格格; pinyin: gege). On 2 August 1789, she gave birth to Jiaqing Emperor's 6th daughter who would die prematurely in 1790.

Jiaqing era

On 22 January 1796, Lady Hougiya was granted a title "Concubine Ying" (莹嫔, "ying" meaning "luster of gems") comparing her beauty to the reflection of gemstones.^[3] On January 1797, she attended court session conducted by Empress Xiaoshurui together with all consorts of the Jiaqing Emperor.^[4] In 1801, Concubine Ying was promoted to "Consort Hua" (华妃).^[5] That year, a secretary of Inner Court Jilun wrote two poems about the promotion of Consort Hua.^[6] According to "Swangoose sees through needs"(Chinese: 鸿称通用; pinyin: Hongchentongyong), "hua" means "elegant and beautiful", while "ying" means "sparkling like gemstones". Hougiya Liuniu died on 3 August 1804. Her coffin was temporarily placed at the Antian Grieving Palace and later interred in Chang Mausoleum in Western Qing tombs.