Empress Yang Yan – The first and politically influential Empress of the Jin Dynasty

Empress Yang Yan was the first Empress of the Jin Dynasty (266-420 C.E.). She was the first Empress to Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty (r. 266-290 C.E.). Empress Yang Yan has often been depicted negatively in Chinese history.^[1] She has been criticised for exerting immense political influence over her husband.^[2] However, Empress Yang Yan’s story shows how royal women were able to wield immense political power and manipulate state affairs behind the scenes.^[3]

In 238 C.E., Empress Yang Yan was born in Huayin District in Hongnong Commandery (modern-day Huayin in Shaanxi Province).^[4] Her father was Yang Wenzong, who served as the Vice Director of the Secretariat in the Wei Dynasty.^[5] Her mother was Lady Zhao.^[6] Lady Zhao died when Yang Yan was an infant.^[7] She was given to her maternal aunt, who breastfed her.^[8] When she was older, her father remarried a woman whose surname was Duan.^[9] Yang Yan was said to be beautiful and intelligent.^[10] She was also well-read and was talented in “womanly crafts.”^[11]

Sima Zhao (the Regent of the Wei Dynasty) arranged for Yang Yan to marry his son, Sima Yan.^[12] Sima Yan and Yang Yan were said to have a happy and loving marriage.^[13] Yang Yan bore Sima Zhao three sons named Sima Gui (the Prince Dao of Piling), Sima Zhong (the future Emperor Hui of the Jin Dynasty), and Sima Jian (the Prince of Qinxian).^[14] She also bore Sima Yan three daughters.^[15] They were Princess Pingyang, Princess Xinfeng, and Princess Yangping.^[16]

On 4 February 266 C.E., Sima Yan deposed Emperor Yuan of the Wei Dynasty. On 4 February 266 C.E., Sima Yan ascended the throne as Emperor Wu. He established the Jin Dynasty. On 20 March 266 C.E., Yang Yan was invested as the Empress of China. Empress Yang Yan promoted her family.^[17]

Empress Yang Yan’s firstborn son, Prince Sima Gui, died at the age of two.^[18] Thus, her second son, Prince Sima Zhong, was now heir to the Jin throne.^[19] However, many ministers were opposed to Prince Sima Zhong being the Crown Prince because he had an intellectual disability.^[20] They wanted Emperor Wu’s younger brother to be the Crown Prince.^[21] However, Empress Yang Yan stubbornly fought for her son’s position as Crown Prince.^[22] She said to Emperor Wu:

“The establishment of an heir is based on his position as first born [of each generation], not on sagacity! How could you do this?”^[23]

Empress Yang Yan’s words greatly influenced Emperor Wu, and he made Sima Zhong the Crown Prince.^[24] Empress Yang Yan was also very influential in choosing a wife for her son.^[25] Lady Guo (the wife of an official named Jia Chong) bribed Empress Yang Yan to make her daughter, Jia Nanfeng, the Crown Princess.^[26] Emperor Wu wanted Wei Guan’s daughter to be the Crown Princess instead.^[27] Empress Yang Yan kept praising Jia Nanfeng’s virtues until Emperor Wu finally chose her to marry the Crown Prince.^[28]

In 273 C.E., Empress Yang Yan personally oversaw the selection of imperial consorts for Emperor Wu.^[29] An edict was issued that prohibited marriages until the imperial consorts were selected.^[30] Empress Yang Yan saw that Emperor Wu was smitten with Bian Fan’s daughter.^[31] Therefore, she did not choose her as Emperor Wu’s imperial consort.^[32] Instead, she chose imperial consorts who were known for “moral and literary talents.”^[33] One of these imperial consorts was Imperial Noble Consort Zuo Fen.^[34] Imperial Noble Consort Zuo Fen was reported to be “homely, but gifted in literary ability.”^[35]

In 284 C.E., Empress Yang Yan fell gravely ill.^[36] She worried about who would be the next empress.^[37] This was because having a new empress who already had a son may jeopardise her son’s position as the Crown Prince.^[38] Therefore, she requested that her cousin, Yang Zhi, be the next empress.^[39] Emperor Wu agreed.^[40] Therefore, her son’s position as Crown Prince was secured.^[41] On 25 August 274 C.E., Empress Yang Yan died. She was buried at the Junyangling Mausoleum (north of Luoyang in Henan Province), where Emperor Wu would later be buried.^[42] Noble Consort Zuo Fen wrote a lament in honour of Empress Yang Yan.^[43]

Empress Yang Yan was a very powerful figure.^[44] She secured her intellectually disabled son’s position as the Crown Prince.^[45] She also chose Jia Nanfeng to be his Crown Princess.^[46] These decisions would negatively affect the Jin Dynasty.^[47] Because of these actions, she is often depicted in an unfavourable light.^[48] Thus, Empress Yang Yan would prove to be a very controversial figure.^[49] Nevertheless, Empress Yang Yan was a strong woman who fought for her son’s position.^[50] She also chose talented women for her husband rather than beautiful women.^[51] Hopefully, Empress Yang Yan’s reputation will be in a more positive light in the future as more scholars examine her life.

Sources:

Farmer, J. M. (2015). “Yang Yan, Empress of Emperor Wu of Jin”. Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E. – 618 C.E.. (L. X. H. Lee, Ed.; A. D. Stefanowska, Ed.; S. Wiles, Ed.). NY: Routledge. pp. 371-373.

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