(Not to be confused with Empress Wang – Emperor Goazong’s First Empress)
Empress Wang was the first empress of Emperor Xuanzong. She married him when he was the Prince of Li Longji. However, Empress Wang’s reign as empress was very uneasy.[1] She was childless and could not give Emperor Xuanzong a son.[2] Empress Wang’s barrenness would ultimately lead to her downfall.[3]
The birthdate of Empress Wang is unknown.[4] Her personal name is unknown.[5] Her father was Wang Renjiao.[6] Her mother is unknown.[7] She had a brother named Wang Shouyi.[8]
Lady Wang eventually married Li Longji (the future Emperor Xuanzong and the Prince of Linzi).[9] Therefore, she became the Princess of Linzi.[10] It was said that Princess Wang was very supportive of her husband, Prince Li Longji.[11] It was said that she was actively involved in the palace coup d’etat that occurred on 21 July 710.[12] The palace coup d’etat overthrew Emperor Shao and placed Prince Li Longji’s father, Li Dan, on the throne.
On 25 July 710, Li Dan ascended the throne as Emperor Ruizong for the second time. Li Longji was made the Crown Prince. Therefore, Princess Wang was made the Crown Princess.[13] On 8 September 712, Emperor Ruizong officially abdicated. On that same day, Crown Prince Li Longji ascended the throne as Emperor Xuanzong. Princess Wang was invested as the Empress of China.
Empress Wang was childless and did not give Emperor Xuanzong a son.[14] Therefore, she often feared that she would be deposed.[15] Empress Wang eventually lost Emperor Xuanzong’s favour.[16] Instead, he began to shower his affections on Wu Zetian’s great-niece, Consort Wu Huifei (posthumously known as Empress Zhenshun).[17] Because Empress Wang was childless, she was desperate to get pregnant so that she would not be deposed.[18]
In 722, Emperor Xuanzong began to consider deposing Empress Wang.[19] He secretly discussed Empress Wang’s deposition with Jiang Jiao.[20] Jiang Jiao leaked Emperor Xuanzong’s conversation about Empress Wang’s deposition.[21] When Emperor Xuanzong found out, he exiled him.[22] When Empress Wang learned about Emperor Xuanzong’s plans to depose her, she reminded him about how her father had once traded his clothes to make Emperor Xuanzong a birthday soup.[23] When Emperor Xuanzong was reminded of his father-in-law’s kindness, he abandoned his plans to depose Empress Wang.[24] Even though Emperor Xuanzong had put away his thoughts of deposing Empress Wang, Empress Wang was still desperate to get pregnant.[25]
In 724, Empress Wang’s brother, Wang Shouyi, went to a Daoist priest to perform a magic ritual to get Empress Wang pregnant.[26] “He made a wooden charm for her on a piece of wood split by thunder and lightning, on which were carved the characters heaven and earth and the taboo name of the emperor. She was to wear this at her waist. He blessed her, saying that if she wore the charm, she would bear a son and that she would be the peer of Wu Zetian.”[27] When Emperor Xuanzong found out about this magic ritual, he was furious.[28] On 15 August 724, Emperor Xuanzong officially deposed Empress Wang. He forced Wang Shouyi to commit suicide.[29]
Three months after her deposition, the deposed Empress Wang died in November 724. Emperor Xuanzong ordered her to be buried with the highest rites of a consort at Wuxiang Temple.[30] Everyone in the palace harem deeply mourned for her.[31] Emperor Xuanzong deeply regretted deposing Empress Wang.[32] In 762, Emperor Daizong restored Empress Wang’s title as empress.[33]
Empress Wang was a very tragic empress.[34] She was an active participant in restoring her father-in-law, Li Dan, to the throne.[35] Empress Wang found that her position as empress was not secured unless she gave Emperor Xuanzong a son.[36] Her desperation led her to wear a magical amulet to become pregnant.[37] This led to her deposition and death.[38] Emperor Xuanzong regretted deposing Empress Wang.[39] However, Emperor Daizong gave her some justice by restoring her empress title.[40] Therefore, Empress Wang was one of the Tang Dynasty’s most miserable empresses.[41]
Sources:
iMedia. (n.d.). “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”. Retrieved on November 24, 2025 from https://min.news/en/history/81e9574f9d62ba4172f3b6dfa3786131.html/2.
McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.
[1] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[2] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”; McMahon, 2013
[3] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”; McMahon, 2013
[4] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[5] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[6] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[7] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[8] McMahon, 2013
[9] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”; McMahon, 2013
[10] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[11] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[12] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[13] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[14] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”; McMahon, 2013
[15] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”; McMahon, 2013
[16] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”; McMahon, 2013
[17] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”; McMahon, 2013
[18] McMahon, 2013
[19] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[20] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[21] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[22] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[23] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[24] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[25] McMahon, 2013
[26] McMahon, 2013
[27] McMahon, 2013, p. 215
[28] McMahon, 2013
[29] McMahon, 2013
[30] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[31] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[32] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[33] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[34] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[35] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[36] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”; McMahon, 2013
[37] McMahon, 2013
[38] McMahon, 2013
[39] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[40] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[41] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
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