Empress Jinghuai was an imperial concubine of the infamous Emperor Sun Quan of the Eastern Wu Dynasty (also known as Emperor Da). She was also the mother of Emperor Sun Xiu of the Eastern Wu Dynasty (also known as Emperor Jing). Empress Jinghuai was once Emperor Sun Quan’s favourite.[1] When his son, Sun He, became Crown Prince, Emperor Sun Quan banished her from the imperial palace.[2]
The birthdate of Empress Jinghuai is unknown.[3] Her personal name is unknown, but she came from the Wang family.[4] She was from Nanyang.[5] During the Jiahe period (232-238 C.E.), Lady Wang of Nanyang entered Emperor Sun Quan of the Eastern Wu Dynasty’s harem and became his imperial concubine.[6] Imperial Consort Wang of Nanyang was highly favoured.[7] Sometime before 235 C.E., Imperial Consort Wang of Nanyang gave birth to a son named Prince Sun Xiu (the future Emperor Jing of the Eastern Wu Dynasty).[8] However, her son, Sun Xiu, was not chosen as the crown prince.[9]
In 242 C.E., Emperor Sun Quan decided to make his son, Sun He (whom he had with an imperial concubine also named Wang and who would later become the future Empress Daiyi), the Crown Prince.[10] The other Imperial Consort Wang quickly became highly “honoured and esteemed.”[11] Therefore, all of the imperial concubines who were once favoured by Emperor Sun Quan were forced to leave the imperial palace.[12] Imperial Consort Wang of Nanyang was exiled to Gongan.[13] She spent the remaining years of her life there.[14] It is unknown when and how Imperial Consort Wang of Nanyang died.[15] She was initially buried in Gongan.[16]
In 258 C.E., Imperial Wang of Nanyang’s son, Sun Xiu, became Emperor.[17] Emperor Sun Xiu made his mother the posthumous empress.[18] He gave her the name Empress Jinghuai, which means “Empress of Attentive Recollections.”[19] Emperor Sun Xie reburied Empress Jinghuai at Jing Tombs in Jingling.[20] Emperor Sun Xiu wanted to ennoble his maternal family.[21] However, the Wang family of Nanyang had no descendants.[22] Therefore, he made Wen Yong (Empress Jinghuai’s maternal half-brother) a marquis.[23]
Empress Jinghuai is truly a tragic figure. She was once the favourite imperial concubine of Emperor Sun Quan.[24] However, she failed to make her son the Crown Prince.[25] This caused her to be exiled and forced to have a life of loneliness.[26] Her son, Sun Xiu, eventually became emperor. Emperor Sun Xiu gave her the status and honour that she was deprived of in life.[27]
Sources:
Peirce, J. (n.d.). “Lady Wang Nanyang”. Kongming’s Archives. Retrieved on December 23, 2024 from https://kongming.net/encyclopedia/Lady-Wang-Nanyang.
Chen, S., & Pei, S. (1999). Empresses and Consorts: Selections from Chen Shou’s Records of the Three States with Pei Songzhi’s Commentary. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press.
[1] Chen and Pei, 1999
[2] Chen and Pei, 1999
[3] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Wang Nanyang”
[4] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Wang Nanyang”
[5] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Wang Nanyang”
[6] Chen and Pei, 1999
[7] Chen and Pei, 1999
[8] Chen and Pei, 1999
[9] Chen and Pei, 1999
[10] Chen and Pei, 1999
[11] Chen and Pei, p. 128
[12] Chen and Pei, 1999
[13] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Wang Nanyang”
[14] Chen and Pei, 1999
[15] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Wang Nanyang”
[16] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Wang Nanyang”
[17] Chen and Pei, 1999
[18] Chen and Pei, 1999
[19] Chen and Pei, 1999, p. 128
[20] Peirce, n.d., “Lady Wang Nanyang”; Chen and Pei, 1999
[21] Chen and Pei, 1999
[22] Chen and Pei, 1999
[23] Chen and Pei, 1999
[24] Chen and Pei, 1999
[25] Chen and Pei, 1999
[26] Chen and Pei, 1999
[27] Chen and Pei, 1999
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