Empress Wang Fahui – The Drinking Empress

Empress Wang Fahui was the empress consort to Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Empress Wang Fahui and Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty had an unhappy marriage.^[1] Empress Wang Fahui was known to be a scandalous empress due to her fondness for alcohol.^[2] She had to be scolded by her father to change her behaviour.^[3]

In 360 C.E., Empress Wang Fahui was born. She was the niece of Empress  Muzhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Her father was Wang Yun.^[4] He was said to have outstanding principles.^[5] Her mother was Lady Liu. Her brother was Wang Gong.^[6] It was said that Wang Fahui was “beautiful and had good character.”^[7]

In 375 C.E., Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty decided it was time for him to marry.^[8] He appointed his regent, Xie An, to arrange his marriage.^[9] Xie An learned of Wang Yun’s good character.^[10] He visited Wang Yun’s house to examine Wang Fahui.^[11] He believed that she was beautiful in appearance and had the virtues of being an empress.^[12] Therefore, he decided that Wang Fahui should be the empress.^[13]

On 1 October 375 C.E., Wang Fahui married Emperor Xiaowu and was invested as Empress. She was fifteen, and Emperor Xiaowu was thirteen.^[14] The marriage would prove to be unhappy.^[15] Empress Wang Fahui quickly grew fond of alcohol.^[16] She would drink excessively, and she became very haughty.^[17] She was also jealous of the imperial concubines in Emperor Xiaowu’s harem.^[18] 

In order to fix his marriage and Empress Wang Fahui’s behaviour, Emperor Xiaowu sent for her father, Wang Yun, to scold the Empress.^[19] When Wang Yun visited the palace to counsel his daughter, he made a formal apology to the Emperor.^[20] Empress Wang Fahui began to change her ways and worked on becoming a virtuous empress.^[21] She did not give Emperor Xiaowu a son.^[22] On 24 October 380 C.E., Empress Wang Fahui died of illness at the age of twenty-one.^[23] She was buried with the funeral rites that befitted an empress. Her posthumous name is Empress Xiaowuding.

Empress Wang Fahui’s father, Wang Yun, was known to be a man of good principles.^[24] However, Empress Wang Fahui behaved immorally.^[25] Her behaviour ruined her marriage with Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Empress Wang Fahui tried to fix her behaviour, but it was too late.^[26] It is no wonder why Empress Wang Fahui has been known in history as “The Drinking Empress.”^[27]

Sources:

McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.

Minpu, Y. (12 December 2015).“Emperor Xiaowu: First he was forced to collapse by his wife, and then he was killed by his beloved concubine for saying the wrong thing. [孝武先: 被老婆逼崩溃 后因说错话遭宠妃杀死]”. Yangtze Evening News. Retrieved on December 12, 2024 from https://web.archive.org/web/20240421152209/http://culture.people.com.cn/n/2015/1205/c22219-27893277.html.