The future Empress Xiaoquancheng was born on the 28th day of the second lunar month in the 13th year of the reign of the Jiaqing Emperor, which translates to 24 March 1808 in the Gregorian calendar.

On 8 April 1825, she gave birth to the emperor's third daughter, Princess Duanshun of the First Rank, who would die prematurely on 27 December 1835.

Reports on her pregnancy in 1831 suggest that the bulk of the medical attention she received was during the last five weeks, when a physician and a midwife were in constant attendance to await the onset of labour.

The young Empress was greatly favored by the Emperor, and this caused him to often ignore the other palace women.

The only woman who stood a threat to her in the Forbidden City was Empress Xiaojingcheng, who was greatly favored and had given birth to a large amount of imperial children.