Empress Dowager Yang Zhi – The tragic victim of imperial politics who died of starvation

Empress Dowager Yang Zhi was Emperor Wu’s second empress. She has often been portrayed as a “tragic victim of imperial politics.”^[1] She is most famous for being locked in a power struggle against Empress Jia Nanfeng.^[2] Empress Dowager Yang Zhi lost and was forced to die of starvation.^[3] Therefore, Empress Dowager Yang Zhi was one of the Jin Dynasty’s most unfortunate empresses.^[4]

In 259 C.E., Empress Dowager Yang Zhi was born in Huayin District in Hongnong Commandery (modern-day Huayin in Shaanxi Province).^[5] Her father was Yang Jun, who was a low-ranking official of the Jin Dynasty.^[6] Her mother is unknown.^[7] Yang Zhi’s life before she became empress is also unknown.^[8] She was a cousin of Empress Yang Yan.^[9] Before Empress Yang Yan died in 274 C.E., she requested that Yang Zhi be Emperor Wu’s next empress.^[10]

On 13 December 276 C.E., Yang Zhi was invested as Empress of China.^[11] Empress Yang Zhi promoted her family, especially her father.^[12] Emperor Wu was very fond of her.^[13] However, Empress Yang Zhi did not give him a son for six years.^[14] In 282 C.E., Empress Yang Zhi finally gave birth to a son named Prince Sima Hui.^[15] On 14 August 284 C.E., Prince Sima Hui died at the age of two.^[16] He was given the posthumous title of Tragic Prince of Bohai.^[17] Empress Yang Zhi did not have any more children.^[18]

Empress Yang Zhi also revived ancient palace rituals.^[19] In 288 C.E., Empress Yang Zhi and a group of imperial consorts picked mulberry leaves.^[20] This was the female role of imperial ploughing.^[21] It was to ensure good prospects for both agricultural farmers and silk farmers.^[22] This was the first time this ritual was carried out during the Jin Dynasty.^[23]

Empress Yang Zhi is most known for her turbulent relationship with her stepdaughter-in-law, Crown Princess Jia Nanfeng.^[24] Emperor Wu was furious with the Crown Princess when he learned that she had killed her husband’s pregnant palace maids.^[25] He wanted to remove Jia Nanfeng’s position as the Crown Princess.^[26] However, Empress Yang Zhi intervened on Crown Princess Jia Nanfeng’s behalf.^[27] Therefore, Emperor Wu let Jia Nanfeng keep her position as the Crown Princess.^[28] Nevertheless, Empress Yang Zhi frequently scolded Crown Princess Jia Nanfeng, hoping that she would change her behaviour.^[29] Instead, Empress Yang Zhi’s reprimands caused Crown Princess Jia Nanfeng to hate her.^[30]

In 280 C.E., Emperor Wu lost interest in state affairs.^[31] He let Empress Yang Zhi’s father, Yang Jun, run the kingdom.^[32] Therefore, Yang Jun was the unofficial ruler of the Jin Dynasty.^[33] In 290 C.E., Emperor Wu was concerned about his intellectually disabled son, Crown Prince Sima Zhong, being the next Emperor.^[34] He decided that Crown Prince Sima Zhong should have a regent.^[35] He wrote in his will that Yang Jun and Prince Sima Liang (Emperor Wu’s uncle) were to be regents. He gave his will to Yang Jun for safekeeping. However, Yang Jun hid the will because he did not want to rule alongside Prince Sima Liang. Two days later, Emperor Wu’s illness grew worse. Empress Yang Zhi asked Emperor Wu if he wanted her father to be regent. Emperor Wu nodded.

On 16 May 290 C.E., Emperor Wu died. Sima Zhong ascended the Jin throne as Emperor Hui. Yang Jun became the sole regent of China.^[36] Yang Zhi was made the Empress Dowager.^[37] However, Empress Jia Nanfeng launched a military coup headed by her brother-in-law, Prince Sima Wei, in 291 C.E.^[38] Yang Jun’s mansion was set on fire, and Yang Jun was killed.^[39]

Empress Dowager Yang Zhi was accused of treason for plotting to overthrow the Jin Dynasty.^[40] Empress Dowager Yang Zhi was stripped of her royal titles and was demoted to a commoner.^[41] Then, she was imprisoned in a detention facility located outside the capital.^[42] Empress Jia Nanfeng ordered her jailers to give the former Empress Dowager Yang Zhi no food.^[43] On 6 March 292 C.E., the former Empress Dowager Yang Zhi died of starvation.^[44]

Empress Jia Nanfeng was afraid that the ghost of Emperor Wu would haunt her one day.^[45] Therefore, she placed magical talismans in the former Empress Dowager Yang Zhi’s coffin.^[46] On 5 May 307 C.E., Yang Zhi’s titles as Empress and Empress Dowager were restored to her.^[47] A shrine was also built for her, but her spirit tablet was not placed beside Emperor Wu.^[48] In 341 C.E., Empress Dowager Yang Zhi was exonerated from all her crimes.^[49] After she was exonerated, her spirit tablet was finally placed beside Emperor Wu.^[50]

Empress Dowager Yang Zhi was very influential during her husband’s reign.^[51] She revived ancient Chinese rituals.^[52] However, her fatal mistake was letting Jia Nanfeng keep her position as the Crown Princess.^[53] This caused Empress Dowager Yang Zhi to lose her power struggle against Empress Jia Nanfeng.^[54] Therefore, Empress Dowager Yang Zhi would suffer a miserable death. It is no wonder that many people have sympathised with Empress Dowager Yang Zhi for thousands of years.^[55]

Sources:

Farmer, J. M. (2015). “Yang Zhi, Empress of Emperor Wu of Jin”. 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. 373-376.

Declercq, D. (2021). Writing Against The State: Political Rhetorics in Third and Fourth Century China. Netherlands: Brill.