Deng Man was Queen to King Wu of Chu. Queen Deng Man has often been praised for her wisdom. She had the intelligence to predict the outcomes of two military situations. Deng Man proved to be a very capable Queen.[1] Her story has been taught to Confucian scholars that success is only a temporary achievement.[2] Once someone is successful, then they must experience failure at some point in their life.[3]
Queen Deng Man was born in the seventh century B.C.E.[4] She lived during the Spring and Autumn period, which lasted from 771 to 453 B.C.E. During this period, Chinese states were declaring their own independence from the ruling Zhou Dynasty to form their own dynasties.[5] Queen Deng Man’s personal name is unknown.[6] She was from the Man clan.[7] Deng was the State where she was from (which is south of modern-day Henan Province).[8] She was a Princess of Deng.[9] Her father was the ruler of Deng.
Princess Deng Man married King Wu of Chu (r. 704-690 B.C.E.). She became Queen of Chu.[10] King Wu of Chu and Queen Deng Man had a happy marriage.[11] King Wu of Chu often consulted with Queen Deng Man on both military and political matters.[12] Queen Deng Man was said to be very intelligent.[13]
In 699 B.C.E., King Wu of Chu decided to launch a campaign on the small State of Luo (modern-day Hunan Province). However, Queen Deng Man said that King Wu of Chu would lose.[14] This was because he and Prince Qu Xia (King Wu of Chu’s son and military commander) would underestimate their enemy.[15] Her words would prove to be true.[16] When King Wu of Chu’s army arrived in the State of Luo, the State of Luo’s army attacked and defeated them.[17] When they arrived back in the State of Chu, Prince Qu Xia hung himself.[18] His military officers were imprisoned because it was a punishable crime to be defeated in battle.[19] The military officers awaited their punishment in Yefu.[20] However, King Wu of Chu said, “It is my fault.” [21] He then released them.[22]
King Wu of Chu decided to attack the small State of Sui (modern-day Hubei Province). Queen Deng Man told him that he would die during the campaign.[23] She said that “the sun after its meridian, must decline.” [24] She also told him:
“The King’s virtue is small and his income is great; you distribute but little and you obtain much . . .If the troops remain unharmed and your Majesty dies on the march, it will be a blessing for the state.”[25]
Queen Deng Man’s words again proved to be true.[26] King Wu of Chu died on the campaign on Manmu Mountain in 690 B.C.E.[27] However, the State of Chu’s army was successful.[28] The State of Sui was forced to make a peace treaty with the State of Chu.[29]After the peace treaty between the States of Sui and Chu, Queen Deng Man’s life is unknown. It is not known when and how she died.
Queen Deng Man has often been praised for her wisdom.[30] She had the necessary foresight to understand and predict the outcomes of two important battles. It is no wonder why her husband often relied on her for both political and military affairs.[31] Queen Deng Man’s story has been taught to Confucian scholars for centuries that once a person succeeds, then they must eventually fail.[32] One must not overreach.[33] One must always expect failure after experiencing success.[34] King Wu of Chu was successful, but he ended up experiencing failure. It even cost him his own life.[35] In Biographies of Eminent Women, her biography is categorized in “Biographies of the Benign and Wise.” [36]
Sources:
Cook, C. A. (2015). “The Man-Clan Woman of Deng, Wife of King Wu of Chu”. 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. 44-45.
Eno, R. (2010). 1.7. Spring and Autumn China (771-453). Indiana University, PDF.
O’Hara, A. R. (1971). The Position of Woman in Early China: According to the Hieh Nü Chuan: “The Biographies of Chinese Women”. Taiwan: Mei Ya Publications.
Liu, X., Kinney, A. B. (2014). Exemplary Women of Early China: The Lienü Zhuan of Liu Xiang. United Kingdom: Columbia University Press.
[1] Cook, 2015
[2] Cook, 2015
[3] Cook, 2015
[4] Cook, 2015
[5] Eno, 2010
[6] Cook, 2015
[7] Cook, 2015
[8] Cook, 2015
[9] Liu and Kinney, 2014
[10] Cook, 2015
[11] Cook, 2015
[12] Cook, 2015
[13] Cook, 2015
[14] Cook, 2015
[15] Cook, 2015
[16] Cook, 2015
[17] Liu and Kinney, 2014
[18] Liu and Kinney, 2014
[19] Liu and Kinney, 2014
[20] Liu and Kinney, 2014
[21] Liu and Kinney, 2014, p. 47
[22] Liu and Kinney, 2014
[23] Cook, 2015
[24] Cook, 2015, p. 44
[25] Cook, 2015, p. 44, O’Hara, 1971, p. 77
[26] Cook, 2015
[27] Liu and Kinney, 2014
[28] Liu and Kinney, 2014
[29] Liu and Kinney, 2014
[30] Cook, 2015
[31] Cook, 2015
[32] Cook, 2015
[33] Cook, 2015
[34] Cook, 2015
[35] Cook, 2015
[36] Cook, 2015, p. 45
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