Gege (Manchu: ; ) is the Manchu word for an unmarried daughter. During the Qing dynasty, it was the Manchu style of an imperial-born princess of an emperor. Daughters of all imperial princes above the rank of jiangjun also used the same title.
When a Manchu prince had concubines, the status of the wives, from highest to lowest, are the following: difujin (the official wife), cefujin (the first rank concubine), and gege. Historically, there were many gege, but few ever ascended to the status of cefujin. A gege could also be a daughter of imperial princess, even if she was promoted to gulun or heshuo princess. Only difujin and cefujin names are recorded in the imperial family lists of family members.
Princess
Before the establishment of the Qing dynasty, the daughters of khans were referred to as "gege" by personal names or the names of lands they lived after the marriage. After 1658, the personal names of imperial princesses were not recorded in imperial genealogy.All the titles for imperial princesses were conferred upon the marriage. Sometimes title could be granted before the marriage. The following titles were granted to the princesses born to the emperor:
Gulun Gongzhu (固伦公主), translated as "Gurun Princess", "State Princess" or "Princess of the First Rank", was granted to a daughter born to the Empress. The title included a 2-character honorific name, sometimes a 4-character honorific name, ex. Princess Shuzhe Duanxian of the First Rank, Hong Taiji's seventh daughter born to Empress Xiaozhuangwen. This title could also sometimes be granted to a favored daughter of the Emperor, for ex: Princess Hexiao of the First Rank (固倫和孝公主), the Qianlong Emperor's tenth daughter by his concubine, Consort Dun. Heshuo Gongzhu (和硕公主), translated as "Heshuo Princess" or "Princess of the Second Rank", was granted to the daughter born to imperial consort. Prior to the formalization of the rank system, princesses born to imperial concubines could hold ranks lower than Princess of the Second Rank, but no lower than clanswoman (宗女). The title included the 2-character honorific name. The title could also be granted to the daughter of an imperial prince adopted into the palace, for example: Princess Shushen of the Second Rank (和碩淑慎公主), the daughter of Yunreng who was adopted by the Kangxi Emperor.
Other titles
Prior to the formalization of rank system, there existed several ranks typical for Ming dynasty. The following ranks could be granted solely to Emperor's daughter. The prefixes were included in the whole title.
Zhang Gongzhu (长公主), Elder Princess or Chief Princess, also translated as Princess Imperial, was granted to the eldest emperor's daughter or emperor's sister. The title was granted to the eldest daughter of Nurhaci and various daughters of Hong Taiji. Dazhang Gongzhu (大长公主), Grand Princess Imperial or Princess Supreme, was granted to emperor's paternal aunt. The only to receive this titles is Princess Yongmu, the Kangxi Emperor's paternal aunt.