The character cheng (成) became taboo because it was phonetic part of Yunreng's birth name.

However, success at the national civil service examination eluded him until 1676, when he obtained the Chin-shih Degree.

In contrast to the more common practice of naming a chin-shih a bureaucrat/official, the Kangxi Emperor gave Xingde a military position as a junior grade officer in the Imperial Bodyguard (三等侍衛).

Coming from a rich family, Nalan did not value the material comforts, and literature was his favorite.

His dear wife's death made him feel pained and pessimistic, and intensified his eagerness to get close to nature.