Xingde Nalan

Born Nalan Chengde in Beijing on January 19, 1655, he belonged to a prominent Manchu family connected to the imperial court. He later changed his name to Nalan Xingde after the character “cheng” became taboo when the Kangxi Emperor named Yunreng crown prince. He also used the courtesy name Rongruo and the pen name Lengjia Shanren.

Nalan earned his jinshi degree in 1676, but instead of becoming a civilian bureaucrat, he was appointed to the Imperial Bodyguard. He accompanied the Kangxi Emperor on inspection tours and was later sent to the northern border to assess damage from Russian raids and skirmishes.

Best known for his ci poetry, Nalan wrote about love, grief, nature, and the restrictions of privileged life. His wife died in childbirth a few years after their marriage, an experience that deepened the melancholy associated with his work. He died in Beijing on July 1, 1685, at the age of 30. His poetry is associated with the collection commonly known as Drinking Water Poems.