Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng was Empress to Emperor Ming of the Liu-Song Dynasty. She also witnessed the fall of her own dynasty.[1] She was said to be a smart Empress, but could not save her own dynasty.[2] Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng is also known as the Empress who refused to look at Emperor Ming’s naked Imperial Consorts.[3]
In 436 C.E., Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng was born in Linyi (modern-day Shandong Province).[4] She was from a prominent family.[5] Her grandfather was Wang Mu (the Prefect of Linhai).[6] Her father was Wang Senglang (who would be posthumously honoured as one of “The Three Dignitaries”[7]). Her mother’s name is unrecorded.[8] She had a brother named Wang Jingwen (who would later be the Prefect of Yangzhou).[9]
In 488 C.E., the twelve-year-old Wang Zhenfeng married Prince Liu Yu.[10] He was Emperor Wen’s eleventh son and the Prince of Xiandong.[11] Therefore, she became Princess of Xiandong.[12] Princess Wang Zhenfeng gave birth to two daughters.[13] They were Princess Lingchang and Princess Ling’an.[14]
On 1 January 466 C.E., Emperor Qianfei was deposed. Prince Liu Yu ascended the throne as Emperor Ming of the Liu-Song Dynasty. On 22 January 466 C.E., Wang Zhenfeng was invested as Empress.[15] It was said that Emperor Ming loved to look at naked women.[16] During one palace banquet, Emperor Ming ordered his Imperial Consorts to take off their clothes in front of everyone.[17] Empress Wang Zhenfeng refused to look at the scene and covered her face with her fan.[18] She then criticised the Emperor for taking pleasure in forcing women to take off their clothes.[19] Her criticism infuriated Emperor Ming, and he ordered her to leave the banquet.[20]
On 10 May 472 C.E., Emperor Ming died. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Prince Liu Yu (whom he had with Imperial Consort Chen).[21] He ascended the throne as Emperor Houfei. Wang Zhenfeng was made Empress Dowager and regent of China.[22] Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng tried to give Emperor Houfei a proper moral education.[23] However, Emperor Houfei refused to listen to her.[24] He even planned to poison her.[25] However, his servants dissuaded him from carrying out his plan.[26]
On 1 August 477 C.E., Emperor Houfei was deposed. The next Emperor was Liu Zhun (Emperor Ming’s third son).[27] He became Emperor Shun. On 27 May 479 C.E., Xiao Daocheng formally deposed Emperor Shun. He then founded his own dynasty known as the Southern Qi.[28] Xiao Daocheng became known in history as Emperor Gao.[29]
Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng was demoted to Princess Dowager of Ruyin.[30] On 12 November 479 C.E., Princess Wang Zhenfeng died at the age of forty-three. She was given a burial fit for an empress and was buried beside Emperor Ming.[31] She was given the posthumous name of Empress Gong.[32]
Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng was said to be morally upright.[33] When Emperor Ming forced his Imperial Consorts to strip naked at a palace banquet, Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng had the decency to turn her head away.[34] She even criticised her husband for taking pleasure in forcing his Imperial Consorts to strip naked in front of everyone.[35] Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng even tried to give her stepson a proper moral education.[36] Historians are very sympathetic to her.[37] They describe her as “a good empress.”[38] However, she could not save her own dynasty.[39] Instead, she was powerless to watch its usurpation.[40] Thus, Empress Dowager Wang Zhenfeng is often seen as a tragic figure.[41]
Sources:
Ching-Chung, P. (2015). “Wang Zhenfeng, Empress of Emperor Ming of Liu Song”. Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E. – 618 C.E.. (L. X. H. Lee, Ed.; A. D. Stefanowska, Ed.; S. Wiles, Ed.). NY: Routledge. pp. 341-340.
McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.
[1] Ching-Chung, 2015; McMahon, 2013
[2] Ching-Chung, 2015
[3] Ching-Chung, 2015; McMahon, 2013
[4] Ching-Chung, 2015
[5] Ching-Chung, 2015
[6] Ching-Chung, 2015
[7] Ching-Chung, 2015, p. 341
[8] Ching-Chung, 2015
[9] Ching-Chung, 2015
[10] Ching-Chung, 2015
[11] Ching-Chung, 2015
[12] Ching-Chung, 2015
[13] Ching-Chung, 2015
[14] Ching-Chung, 2015
[15] Ching-Chung, 2015
[16] Ching-Chung, 2015; McMahon, 2013
[17] McMahon, 2013
[18] McMahon, 2013
[19] McMahon, 2013
[20] McMahon, 2013
[21] Ching-Chung, 2015
[22] Ching-Chung, 2015; McMahon, 2013
[23] Ching-Chung, 2015; McMahon, 2013
[24] Ching-Chung, 2015; McMahon, 2013
[25] Ching-Chung, 2015; McMahon, 2013
[26] McMahon, 2013
[27] Ching-Chung, 2015
[28] Ching-Chung, 2015
[29] Ching-Chung, 2015
[30] Ching-Chung, 2015
[31] Ching-Chung, 2015
[32] Ching-Chung, 2015
[33] Ching-Chung, 2015; McMahon, 2013
[34] McMahon, 2013
[35] McMahon, 2013; Ching-Chung, 2015
[36] Ching-Chung, 2015; McMahon, 2013
[37] Ching-Chung, 2015
[38] Ching-Chung, 2015, p. 342
[39] Ching-Chung, 2015
[40] Ching-Chung, 2015
[41] Ching-Chung, 2015
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