Empress Wang of the Tang Dynasty was the first empress to Emperor Gaozong. However, she has largely been forgotten and overshadowed by her successor, Empress Wu Zetian (who later ruled in her own right as the Empress of China).[1] Empress Wang has often been seen as a victim of Empress Wu’s political machinations.[2] However, the truth seems to be far less clear-cut.[3] Empress Wang’s greatest sin was that she was childless and did not produce a son for Emperor Gaozong.[4]
The birthdate of Empress Wang of the Tang Dynasty is unknown.[5] Her personal name is also unknown.[6] She was born in Qi District, Bingzhou (located in modern-day Qi District, Shanxi Province).[7] Her father was Wang Renyou. Her mother was Lady Liu. Her great aunt was Princess Tong’an of the Tang Dynasty.[8] It was Princess Tong’an who had recommended her as a bride for Emperor Taizong’s son, Prince Li Zhi.[9] In 631, Lady Wang married Li Zhi (the Prince of Jin).[10] She became the Princess of Jin.[11]
On 15 July 649, Li Zhi ascended the throne as Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. On 12 February 650, Lady Wang was invested as the Empress of China. Empress Wang was childless and did not give Emperor Gaozong any children.[12] Empress Wang’s barrenness caused her to lose Emperor Gaozong’s favour.[13] He turned his affections to Imperial Consort Xiao, who already gave him a son named Li Sujie.[14]
Empress Wang was afraid that Imperial Consort Xiao would try to supplant her position as Empress.[15] In a desperate attempt to divert Emperor Gaozong’s favour, she decided to bring back Emperor Taizong’s imperial concubine Wu Zetian (whom Emperor Gaozong had been sexually intimate with before Emperor Taizong’s death).[16] In 651, Wu Zetian arrived in the imperial harem and became Emperor Gaozong’s imperial concubine.[17]
Imperial Consort Wu Zetian quickly became Emperor Gaozong’s favourite.[18] Imperial Consort Wu Zetian frequently slandered Empress Wang and Imperial Consort Xiao.[19] One story claims that Imperial Consort Wu Zetian had strangled her baby daughter, named Princess Anding, in order to accuse Empress Wang of murder.[20] However, many modern historians believe this story to be false and that it never happened.[21] Historian, N. Harry Rothschild stated the story was written years after the supposed event had passed and that Empress Wang was never officially charged with murder.[22] Historian Jonathan Clements claimed that Empress Wu had never harmed any of her children.[23] Therefore, this story was written to portray Empress Wu Zetian in the most nefarious light because she managed to gain power for herself.[24]
Another story claims that Empress Wang became so desperate to get rid of Imperial Consort Wu Zetian that she asked her mother to find a witch to place a curse on Imperial Consort Wu Zetian.[25] The witchcraft plot was uncovered.[26] Emperor Gaozong ordered that Empress Wang’s mother was forbidden to enter the imperial palace.[27] He ordered that her uncle, Prime Minister Liu Sheng, was to be dismissed as Prime Minister.[28] He also ordered Empress Wang to be deposed as Empress.[29] However, many modern historians doubt the story that Empress Wang had hired a witch to perform witchcraft on Empress Wu.[30]
The most likely reason for Empress Wang’s deposition was that her uncle, Prime Minister Liu Sheng, had fallen out of favour with Emperor Gaozong, and he began to greatly resent Empress Wang and her family.[31] Emperor Gaozong was also disappointed and tired of Empress Wang because she did not give him a son.[32] Being childless was the greatest sin an empress could ever commit.[33] An empress’s main role was to produce heirs for the Emperor.[34] Therefore, Empress Wang had committed the greatest crime of being childless, and childlessness was the official reason for her deposition.[35] Court officials, Zhangsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang, petitioned Emperor Gaozong not to depose Empress Wang, but to no avail.[36]
On 16 November 655, Empress Wang was officially deposed as the Empress. Emperor Gaozong gave both the former deposed Empress Wang and Imperial Consort Xiao the rank of commoners and imprisoned them in separate courtyards.[37] On 22 November 655, Imperial Consort Wu Zetian was invested as Empress of China. It was said that Emperor Gaozong felt remorse for how he treated the deposed Empress Wang.[38] He walked to where the deposed Empress Wang and Imperial Consort Xiao were imprisoned.[39] He heard their voices.[40] He promised them that they would be released and would be treated better.[41] However, it would turn out to be a false hope because Emperor Gaozong had already determined for them to die.[42] With Emperor Gaozong’s approval, Empress Wu Zetian had the deposed Empress Wang and Imperial Consort Xiao strangled.[43] With Emperor Gaozong’s approval, Empress Wu Zetian also had the deposed Empress Wang’s surname changed to Mang, which meant “python.”[44] Emperor Zhongzong later rescinded this name.[45]
Empress Wang had a sad life as Empress.[46] She was Empress for five years. Yet, her position as Empress was very unstable.[47] She had failed to give Emperor Gaozong a son.[48] Had she given the Emperor a son, her position would have been more secure, and her tragic ending would most likely not have occurred.[49] Ancient chroniclers have placed the blame for the mistreatment of Empress Wang solely on Empress Wu Zetian.[50] Yet, it seemed that it was Emperor Gaozong who was Empress Wang’s greatest enemy.[51] Empress Wu Zetian executed Empress Wang and changed her surname on Emperor Gaozong’s orders.[52] It was Emperor Gaozong who deposed and mistreated Empress Wang. Empress Wang continues to be a forgotten empress because she has been largely eclipsed by Empress Wu Zetian.[53] Empress Wang is merely a footnote in Chinese history.[54] She was merely the stumbling block to Empress Wu Zetian’s quest for power that had to be removed.[55] Empress Wu Zetian was the only woman to ever reign over China on her own.
Sources:
Clements, J. (2014). Wu: The Chinese Empress Who Schemed, Seduced, and Murdered Her Way to Become a Living God. London, United Kingdom: Albert Bridge Books.
Liu, N & Cui, H. S. (trans.). (2014). “Wang, Demoted Empress of Emperor Gaozong”. Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women, Volume II: Tang Through Ming 618 – 1644. (Xiao, H. Lee, L., Ed. & Wiles, S. Ed.) NY: Routledge. pp. 408-409.
McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.
Rothschild, N. H. (2008). Wu Zhao: China’s Only Female Emperor. NY: Pearson Education.
[1] Rothschild, 2008
[2] Rothschild, 2008
[3] Liu, 2014
[4] Rothschild, 2008
[5] Liu, 2014
[6] Liu, 2014
[7] Liu, 2014
[8] Liu, 2014
[9] Liu, 2014
[10] Liu, 2014
[11] Liu, 2014
[12] Liu, 2014
[13] Liu, 2014
[14] Liu, 2014
[15] Liu, 2014
[16] Liu, 2014
[17] Liu, 2014
[18] Liu, 2014; McMahon, 2013
[19] Liu, 2014; McMahon, 2013
[20] McMahon, 2013
[21] Rothschild, 2008; Clements, 2014; McMahon, 2013; Liu, 2014
[22] Rothschild, 2008
[23] Clements, 2014
[24] McMahon, 2016
[25] Liu, 2014
[26] Liu, 2014
[27] Liu, 2014
[28] Liu, 2014
[29] Liu, 2014
[30] McMahon, 2013
[31] McMahon, 2013
[32] Rothschild, 2008
[33] Rothschild, 2008
[34] Rothschild, 2008
[35] Rothschild, 2008
[36] Liu, 2014
[37] Liu, 2014; McMahon, 2013
[38] Liu, 2014; McMahon, 2013
[39] Liu, 2014; McMahon, 2013
[40] Liu, 2014
[41] Liu, 2014
[42] Liu, 2014
[43] Liu, 2014
[44] Liu, 2014, p. 409
[45] Liu, 2014
[46] Liu, 2014
[47] Liu, 2014
[48] Liu, 2014
[49] Rothschild, 2008
[50] Rothschild, 2008
[51] Liu, 2014
[52] Liu, 2014
[53] Rothschild, 2008
[54] Rothschild, 2008
[55] Rothschild, 2008
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