Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun was the empress consort of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. She was also the mother of Emperor Cheng and Emperor Kang of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun became regent for her six-year-old son, Emperor Cheng.[1] However, she was regent for three years.[2] Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun’s short regency ended in disaster and sorrow.[3]
In 297 C.E., Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun was born in Yanling.[4] Her father was Yu Chen (the Governor of Guiji).[5] Her mother was Lady Xun. Her brothers were Yu Liang, Yu Bing, and Yu Yi.[6] She eventually married Prince Sima Shao (the son of Sima Rui, the Prince of Langya).[7] Princess Yu Wenjun’s brother, Yu Liang and Prince Sima Shao were close friends.[8]
On 26 April 318 C.E., Sima Rui was invested as Emperor Yuan of the Eastern Han Dynasty.[9] On 10 May 318 C.E., Sima Shao became crown prince.[10] Therefore, Yu Wenjun became the crown princess.[11] On 10 October 320 C.E., Emperor Yuan made his late wife, Lady Yu his posthumous Empress.[12] She became Empress Yuanjing. In 321 C.E., Princess Yu Wenjun bore a son named Prince Sima Yan (the future Emperor Cheng). In 322 C.E., Princess Yu Wenjun bore a second son named Prince Sima Yue (the future Emperor Kang).[13]
On 23 January 323 C.E., Emperor Yuan died. Sima Shao ascended the throne as Emperor Ming of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.[14] Yu Wenjun was invested as an empress.[15] Her brother, Yu Liang, became a general.[16] Her other two brothers, Yu Yi and Yu Bing, became prominent officials.[17] In 325 C.E., Emperor Ming fell critically ill.[18] He made his son, Sima Yan, the crown prince.[19] On 18 October 325 C.E., Emperor Ming of the Eastern Jin Dynasty died.
On 19 October 325 C.E., Sima Yan ascended the throne as Emperor Cheng of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Yu Wenjun was made Empress Dowager and was made Regent.[20] Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun was Regent only in name.[21] The ones in charge of government affairs were Wang Dao (Minister of Works) and Yu Liang (Director of Imperial Secretariat).[22] Yu Liang quickly ousted Wang Dao as his partner in charge of government affairs.[23] Instead, Yu Liang was solely in charge of the government.[24]
In 328 C.E., Su Jun (the governor of Linhuai) rebelled against the Eastern Jin Dynasty.[25] On 5 March 328 C.E., Su Jun and his army invaded and pillaged the imperial capital of Jiankang.[26] They burned and looted the imperial palace.[27] Su Jun’s army raped the palace women, including Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun.[28] This caused Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun to die of despair.[29] She was thirty-two years old. On 19 May 328 C.E., Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun was buried next to Emperor Ming in Mound Wuping.[30] She is given the posthumous name of Empress Mingmu.[31]
Shortly after Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun’s death, Su Jun became Regent.[32] He made Emperor Cheng his hostage and imprisoned him in Shitoucheng (a suburb of Jiankang).[33] Later that year, army commanders named Tao Kan and Wen Jiao defeated and killed Su Jun.[34] Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun’s brother, Yu Liang, was not made Regent.[35] Instead, it was Wang Dao who was appointed Regent.[36]
Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun was the mother of two Emperors. She was Regent during her first son, Emperor Cheng’s reign.[37] Even though she was Regent, she was powerless.[38] She let her brother, Yu Liang, have complete power.[39] This led Su Jun to invade the capital and burn her palace.[40] She suffered under Su Jun’s men and was raped.[41] This would cause her to be grief-stricken and die.[42] Therefore, Empress Dowager Yu Wenjun was a tragic victim of palace intrigue.[43] It is no wonder why she is considered to be one of China’s most tragic empresses.[44]
Sources:
Guang, S. (n.d.). Records of Jin Dynasty 晋纪: Zi Zhi Tong Jian资治通鉴; or Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance; Volume 79 – 118. (n.p.): DeepLogic.
Knechtges, D. R., Ed.; Chang, T., Ed. (2014). Ancient and Early Medieval Chinese Literature: A Reference Guide. Parts 3 & 4. Netherlands: Brill.
Theobald, U. (2018, June 16).“Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on December 27, 2024 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/personsjinchengdi.html.
Theobald, U. (2018, June 16). “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on December 27, 2024 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/personsjinmingdi.html.
Theobald, U. (2018, June 30). “Su Jun 蘇峻”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on December 27, 2024 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/personssujun.html.
Theobald, U. (2018, July 1, 2018). “Yu Liang 庾亮”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on December 27, 2024 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/personsyuliang.html.
[1] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[2] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[3] Guang, n.d.
[4] Theobald, July 1, 2018, “Yu Liang 庾亮”
[5] Knechtges and Chang, Eds., 2014
[6] Theobald, July 1, 2018, “Yu Liang 庾亮”
[7] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”
[8] Theobald, July 1, 2018, “Yu Liang 庾亮”
[9] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”
[10] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”
[11] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”
[12] Guang, n.d.
[13] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”
[14] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”
[15] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”
[16] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”
[17] Theobald, July 1, 2018, “Yu Liang 庾亮”
[18] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”
[19] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”
[20] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[21] Theobald, July 1, 2018, “Yu Liang 庾亮”
[22] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[23] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[24] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[25] Theobald, June 30, 2018, “Su Jun 蘇峻”
[26] Guang, n.d.
[27] Guang, n.d.
[28] Guang, n.d., Theobald, June 30, 2018, “Su Jun 蘇峻”
[29] Guang, n.d.
[30] Guang, n.d., Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Mingdi 晉明帝 Sima Shao 司馬紹”
[31] Guang, n.d.
[32] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[33] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[34] Theobald, June 30, 2018, “Su Jun 蘇峻”
[35] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[36] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[37] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[38] Theobald, June 16, 2018, “Jin Chengdi 晉成帝 Sima Yan 司馬衍”
[39] Theobald, July 1, 2018, “Yu Liang 庾亮”
[40] Guang, n.d.
[41] Guang, n.d., Theobald, June 30, 2018, “Su Jun 蘇峻”
[42] Guang, n.d.
[43] Guang, n.d.
[44] Guang, n.d.
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