 His mother was Consort Xiang from the Niohuru clan.He was adopted by his uncle Miankai (綿愷), the third son of the Jiaqing Emperor, because Miankai had no surviving sons to succeed him.Upon Miankai's death in 1838, Yicong inherited his adoptive father's peerage and became known as "Prince Dun of the First Rank" (惇親王).