Empress Jianming and Empress Erzhu were sisters.[1] They were the daughters of Erzhu Zhao, who was regent and the unofficial ruler of the Northern Wei Dynasty from 530 C.E. to 532 C.E.[2] Empress Jianming was the Empress to Emperor Jianming of the Northern Wei Dynasty.[3] [4]Empress Erzhu was the Empress to Emperor Jiemin of the Northern Wei Dynasty.[5] Both Emperor Jianming and Emperor Jiemen were puppet Emperors of Erzhu Zhao. These two Empresses’ stories show how weak the Northern Wei Dynasty was.[6] They would become witnesses to the fall of the Northern Wei Dynasty.[7]
The birthdates of Empress Jianming and Empress Erzhu are both unknown.[8] Their personal names are also unknown.[9] They were both from the Erzhu clan.[10] Empress Jianming was the elder sister of Empress Erzhu.[11] They were the daughters of Erzhu Zhao, who was a nephew of the famous General Erzhu Rong.[12] In 528 C.E., General Erzhu Rong was the most powerful man in the Northern Wei Dynasty.[13] He established a puppet ruler named Emperor Xiaozhuang with his daughter, Erzhu Ying’e as the Empress.[14] However, Emperor Xiaozhuang was tired of being General Erzhu Rong’s puppet.[15] Emperor Xiaozhuang wanted to establish power for himself.[16]
In 530 C.E., Emperor Xiaozhuang murdered General Erzhu Rong. Erzhu Zhao wanted vengeance for his uncle’s murder.[17] He overthrew and captured Emperor Xiaozhuang.[18] Erzhu Zhao then installed Prince Yuan Ye (the Prince of Changguan and a descendant of Emperor Wencheng’s brother) as the Emperor Jianming of the Northern Wei Dynasty.[19] Erzhu Zhao also married his eldest daughter, the elder Lady Erzhu, to Emperor Jianming.[20] She was invested as the Empress.[21] She became known in history as Empress Jianming.[22] After Emperor Xiaozhuang died, the Erzhus thought that Emperor Jianming was unqualified to be Emperor because his lineage was too distant from previous Northern Wei Emperors.[23]
On 1 April 531 C.E., Emperor Jianming was deposed. He was given the title of Prince of Donghai.[24] Therefore, the former Empress Jianming became the Princess of Donghai.[25] The next Emperor that Erzhu Zhao chose was Prince Yuan Gong (a grandson of Emperor Xiaowen).[26] He became Emperor Jiemin. Erzhu Zhao installed his younger daughter, the younger Lady Erzhu, as the Empress.[27] She had no children with Emperor Jiemen.[28] This is probably because his reign was very short.[29]
In 532 C.E., General Gao Huan wanted to have power for himself.[30] He fought against Erzhu Zhao.[31] General Gao Huan overthrew Emperor Jiemen.[32] Therefore, Empress Erzhu was no longer the Empress.[33] General Gao Huan defeated the Erzhus.[34] Erzhu Zhao was forced to commit suicide in 533 C.E.[35] On 13 June 532 C.E., General Gao Huan enthroned Yuan Xiu (the Prince of Guanping and a grandson of Emperor Xiaowen) as Emperor Xiaowu of the Northern Wei Dynasty.[36] General Gao Huan made Emperor Xiaowu marry his daughter, Lady Gao.[37] Lady Gao became the Empress of the Northern Wei Dynasty.[38] On 21 June 532 C.E., Emperor Xiaowu poisoned the deposed Emperor Jiemen.[39] After Emperor Jiemen’s death, nothing is recorded of Empress Erzhu.[40] Therefore, her life afterwards is unknown.[41] Her death date and cause of death remain unrecorded.[42]
On 26 December 532 C.E., the former Emperor Jianming, who became Prince of Donghai, was forced to commit suicide.[43] The former Empress Jianming did not have any children with the former Emperor Jianming.[44] General Gao Huan then split the Northern Wei Dynasty into two kingdoms.[45] They were known as Western Wei and Eastern Wei.[46] General Gao was never made an Emperor during his lifetime.[47] His son, Gao Yang, dissolved the Eastern Wei Dynasty and became Emperor of the Northern Qi Dynasty.[48] Gao Huan was made the posthumous Emperor Shenwu.[49]
General Gao Huan made many political marriages.[50] One of his wives was Emperor Xiaozhuang’s Empress, Erzhu Ying’e.[51] Another of General Gao Huan’s wives was the former Empress Jianming.[52] In 538 C.E., Imperial Consort Jianming bore General Gao Huan his tenth son, Gao Jie (the Prince of Rencheng).[53] Shortly after the birth of her son, Imperial Consort Jianming had an affair with Gao Chen (General Gao Huan’s brother). The affair was discovered, and General Gao Huan murdered Gao Chen through caning.[54] General Gao Huan spared Imperial Consort Jianming because she was once an Empress of the Northern Wei Dynasty.[55] Instead, he exiled her to Fanyang.[56] After General Gao Huan’s death in 547 C.E., Imperial Consort Jianming remarried a man named Lu Jingzhang.[57] Imperial Consort Jianming’s life after her third marriage is unknown.[58] Her death date and cause of death remain unrecorded.[59]
Empress Jianming and Empress Erzhu were both the daughters of the powerful Erzhu Zhao.[60] When he held absolute power, they briefly enjoyed their status and privileges as Empresses of the Northern Wei Dynasty.[61] After Erzhu Zhao fell from power, Empress Erzhu spent the remainder of her life in obscurity.[62] Empress Jianming married General Gao Huan and had an adulterous affair with her brother-in-law.[63] General Gao Huan exiled her, and she married again for the third time.[64] Yet, these Empresses were witnesses to the downfall of the Northern Wei Dynasty and the rise of the Northern Qi Dynasty.[65]
Sources:
Li, Y.S. (1974). The History of the Northern Dynasties. Beijing, China: Zhonghua Book Company.
Luo, M. (2019). The politics of place-making in the records of Buddhist monasteries in Luoyang. T’Oung Pao, 105(1-2), 43–75. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685322-10512p02.
McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.
Theobald, U. (2017, September 17). “Eastern Wei Dynasty 東魏 (534-550)”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on May 21 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/dongwei-rulers.html.
Theobald, U. (2025, April 26). “Northern Wei Dynasty 北魏 (386-534)”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on May 21, 2025 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/beiwei.html.
Xiong, V.C. (2016). Capital Cities and Urban Form in Pre-Modern China: Luoyang, 1038 BCE to 938 CE (Asian States and Empires). NY: Routledge.
[1] Li, 1974
[2] Luo, 2019
[3] Li, 1974
[4] Theobald, September 17, 2017, “Eastern Wei Dynasty 東魏 (534-550)”
[5] Li, 1974
[6] Luo, 2019
[7] Luo, 2019
[8] Li, 1974
[9] Li, 1974
[10] Li, 1974
[11] Li, 1974
[12] Li, 1974; Luo, 2019
[13] Luo, 2019
[14] Luo, 2019
[15] Xiong, 2016
[16] Xiong, 2016
[17] Xiong, 2016
[18] Xiong, 2016
[19] Li, 1974
[20] Li, 1974
[21] Li, 1974
[22] Li, 1974
[23] Li, 1974
[24] Theobald, April 26, 2025, “Northern Wei Dynasty 北魏 (386-534)”
[25] Theobald, April 26, 2025, “Northern Wei Dynasty 北魏 (386-534)”
[26] Theobald, September 17, 2017, “Eastern Wei Dynasty 東魏 (534-550)”
[27] Li, 1974
[28] Li, 1974
[29] Theobald, September 17, 2017, “Eastern Wei Dynasty 東魏 (534-550)”
[30] Luo, 2019
[31] Luo, 2019
[32] Theobald, September 17, 2017, “Eastern Wei Dynasty 東魏 (534-550)”
[33] Li, 1974
[34] Li, 1974
[35] Luo, 2019
[36] Theobald, September 17, 2017, “Eastern Wei Dynasty 東魏 (534-550)”
[37] Li, 1974
[38] Li, 1974
[39] Li, 1974
[40] Li, 1974
[41] Li, 1974
[42] Li, 1974
[43] Li, 1974
[44] Li, 1974
[45] Li, 1974
[46] Li, 1974
[47] McMahon, 2013
[48] Luo, 2019
[49] Luo, 2019
[50] McMahon, 2013
[51] McMahon, 2013
[52] Li, 1974
[53] Li, 1974
[54] Li, 1974
[55] Li, 1974
[56] Li, 1974
[57] Li, 1974
[58] Li, 1974
[59] Li, 1974
[60] Li, 1974
[61] Li, 1974
[62] Li, 1974
[63] Li, 1974
[64] Li, 1974
[65] Luo, 2019
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