The series tells the story of Dayu'er, who is better known historically as Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang. Born a Khorchin Mongol princess, she became a concubine of the Later Jin emperor Hong Taiji , even though her true love was actually Hongtaiji's 14th brother, Dorgon. She became empress dowager and grand empress dowager during the reigns of her son (Shunzhi Emperor) and grandson (Kangxi Emperor) respectively. Her political wisdom and insight helped to shape the history of the early Qing dynasty. 孝庄秘史。多尔衮，他不只是个情圣更重要的，他是个英雄！。重温《孝庄秘史》——昨夜今晨的人物们（长文慎入）。灯火已黄昏---福临和宛如。最经典最感人的清宫感情大剧。孝庄不再是玉儿，多尔衮最终还是多尔衮。美人玉与阿巴鲁。物是人非今又是，凭纸话凄凉。倾尽天下。宁静真美。 来自蒙古科尔沁旗的大玉儿（宁静 饰）从小被誉为“满蒙第一美女”，她和皇太极（刘德凯 饰）之弟、睿亲王多尔衮（马景涛 饰）从小青梅竹马、按许终身，却被皇太极纳为侧福晋，被封永福宫庄妃，与多尔衮成了叔嫂关系，但始终余情未了。皇太极突然驾崩，帝位之争风起云涌，掌握兵权的多尔衮成为皇太极长子豪格的最大敌手，却出乎意料拥护大玉儿之子福临（严昆 饰）即位，大玉儿至此成为孝庄太后。为了儿子的帝位、大清基业，孝庄始终和多尔衮保持若即若离关系，而为了太后的清誉，两人多年的炙热感情也只剩下发乎情止乎礼的遗憾。多尔衮英年早逝，孝庄也只能把痛苦埋在心底，用尽手段辅佐顺治帝的统治，而顺治遭遇爱妃董鄂氏（舒畅 饰）病故，萌发出世念头，孝庄不得已立顺治之子玄烨为帝，年号康熙，开创一代大清盛世。
