Empress Wang Zhi was the first Chinese Empress to have been previously married before becoming Empress Consort. She was the second Empress to Emperor Jing of Han. She was also the mother of Emperor Wu of Han. Empress Wang Zhi has a tarnished reputation for letting her relatives interfere in politics.[1] Still, Empress Wang Zhi’s story shows an intelligent woman who used her intellect to rise to the position of Empress Dowager.[2]
The birth date of Empress Wang Zhi is unknown. Her father was Wang Zhong. Her mother was Zang Er, who was the granddaughter of King Zang Tu of Yan.[3] Wang Zhi was the eldest of three siblings. She had a brother named Wang Xin and a sister named Wang Xu. After Wang Zhong died, Zang Er would remarry a man named Tian of Changling.[4] She then had two more sons named Tian Fen and Tian Sheng.
Wang Zhi married a man named Jin Wangsun. She bore him a daughter named Jin Su.[5] However, Wang Zhi’s humble life would soon change. One day, a fortune teller told Zang Er that her daughters would have honour and riches.[6] This fortune excited Zang Er, and she made grander plans for her daughters.[7] She ordered Jin Wangsun to divorce Wang Zhi and send her back home.[8] However, Jin Wangsun refused to divorce his wife.[9] Zang Er then managed to smuggle both of her daughters to the Crown Prince’s palace.[10]
Wang Zhi and Wang Xu managed to be favoured by Liu Qi, the Crown Prince. However, Wang Zhi was his particular favourite alongside Concubine Li, who bore him his eldest son.[11] She was given the title of Consort.[12] Consort Wang Zhi gave Prince Liu Qi three daughters. In the year of Prince Liu Qi’s enthronement as Emperor Jing, she told him that she had a dream that she would give birth to an Emperor.[13] This fascinated Prince Liu Qi, and he spent the night with her.[14] She conceived and bore him a son named Prince Liu Che (the future Emperor Wu of Han).[15]
After the birth of Prince Liu Che, Consort Wang Zhi’s status did not change.[16] Emperor Jing made Bo his Empress. However, Empress Bo was not favoured by him because she failed to produce children.[17] In 153 B.C.E., Emperor Jing appointed Concubine Li’s son, Liu Rong, the Crown Prince. In 151 B.C.E., Emperor Jing officially deposed Empress Bo. Even though the Empress position was vacant, he was hesitant to appoint another Empress.[18] He contemplated if his next Empress should be Concubine Li or Consort Wang Zhi.[19] He leaned towards the former.[20]
One day, Emperor Jing fell ill and was depressed. He asked Concubine Li that if she became the next Empress, if she could be willing to take care of all his sons after he died.[21] He also asked Concubine Li if she would be willing to marry her son to Chen Jiao, who was the Grand Princess Liu Piao’s daughter.[22] Concubine Li refused to take care of all his sons and was unwilling to let Prince Liu Rong marry Chen Jiao.[23] This angered Emperor Jing, and he decided to not make her the next Empress.[24] On the other hand, Consort Wang Zhi agreed to let her son marry Chen Jiao.[25] This earned her Grand Princess Liu Piao’s favour.[26] She praised her and Prince Liu Che in front of Emperor Jing, and he began to consider making him the Crown Prince instead.[27]
Since Emperor Jing was still angry with Concubine Li, Consort Wang Zhi found the opportunity to make herself the next Empress and her son the Crown Prince.[28] She urged the ministers to persuade the Emperor to make Concubine Li the Empress.[29] This infuriated Emperor Jing. He removed Liu Rong from the Crown Prince position and demoted him to Prince of Linjiang.[30] Then, he exiled him from the palace. Shortly after her son’s exile, Concubine Li died of “sadness and hatred.”[31]
On 6 June 150 B.C.E., Wang Zhi was officially invested as the Empress of China. Liu Che was made Crown Prince. Her three daughters were made the princesses of Yangxin, Nangong, and Longlu.[32] On 9 March 141 B.C.E., Emperor Jing died. Liu Che ascended to the throne as Emperor Wu of Han. Chen Jiao became his Empress. Wang Zhi was made Empress Dowager. Her mother was given the title of Lady of Pingyuan. Her father was given the posthumous title of Marquis of Gong. Tian Fen was made Marquis of Wu’an, and Tian Sheng was Marquis of Zhouyang. Empress Dowager Wang Zhi was reunited with Jin Su, who was her daughter from her previous marriage.[33] Jin Su was given the title of Lady of Xiucheng.
Empress Dowager Wang Zhi heavily influenced state affairs.[34] She let her half-brother, Tian Fen, become arrogant and lead a life of extravagance.[35] She even let him continue his grudge with Guan Fu (who was once his great-grandfather’s minister).[36] Guan Fu often spoke ill of him at several feasts that Tian Fen attended.[37] Tian Fen sent a memorial several times asking the Emperor to execute him and his family.[38] However, Guan Fu’s friend, Dou Ying, defended him.[39] The Emperor became frustrated with this issue and declared that he would kill his uncle, Dou Ying, and Guan Fu in order to settle the matter.[40] When Empress Dowager Wang Zhi learned that her son wanted to kill her half-brother, she became very upset.[41]
One day, Emperor Wu went to dine with Empress Dowager Wang Zhi. However, his mother refused to eat.[42] In a fit of rage, she told him, “You trample on my brother while I’m still alive. When I am dead, you will kill my relatives like fish!”[43] Emperor Wu had no choice but to let Tian Fen live.[44] He executed both Guan Fu and Dou Ying, along with their families.[45] This incident in history is recorded by ancient chroniclers as an “obvious example of calamities caused by imperial in-laws.”[46]
On 25 June 125 B.C.E., Empress Dowager Wang Zhi died. She was buried beside Emperor Jing in Yangling tomb.[47] Empress Dowager Wang Zhi has largely been criticised for letting her imperial family members get involved in state affairs.[48] Yet, Empress Wang Zhi was clever and resourceful.[49] She had great political acumen.[50] She used the opportunities to rise to power and crush her rival. It is no wonder why she came out the victor. Empress Wang Zhi still continues to fascinate and puzzle historians to this day.[51]
Sources:
Bao S. (2015). “Wang Zhi, Empress of Emperor Jing”. 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. 215-217.
iMedia. (n.d.). “The first deposed queen in Chinese history, Empress Xiaojingbo, the original wife of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty”. Retrieved on 9 October 2023 from https://min.news/en/history/a048425ea16567f09e0346647d9bfa71.html.
[1] Bao, 2015
[2] Bao, 2015
[3] Bao, 2015
[4] Bao, 2015
[5] Bao, 2015
[6] Bao, 2015
[7] Bao, 2015
[8] Bao, 2015
[9] Bao, 2015
[10] Bao, 2015
[11] iMedia, n.d., “The first deposed queen in Chinese history, Empress Xiaojingbo, the original wife of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty”
[12] Bao, 2015
[13] Bao, 2015
[14] Bao, 2015
[15] Bao, 2015
[16] Bao, 2015
[17] Bao, 2015
[18] Bao, 2015
[19] Bao, 2015
[20] Bao, 2015
[21] Bao, 2015
[22] Bao, 2015
[23] Bao, 2015
[24] Bao, 2015
[25] Bao, 2015
[26] Bao, 2015
[27] Bao, 2015
[28] Bao, 2015
[29] Bao, 2015
[30] Bao, 2015; iMedia, n.d., “The first deposed queen in Chinese history, Empress Xiaojingbo, the original wife of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty”
[31] Bao, 2015, p. 216
[32] Bao, 2015
[33] Bao, 2015
[34] Bao, 2015
[35] Bao, 2015
[36] Bao, 2015
[37] Bao, 2015
[38] Bao, 2015
[39] Bao, 2015
[40] Bao, 2015
[41] Bao, 2015
[42] Bao, 2015
[43] Bao, 2015, p. 217
[44] Bao, 2015
[45] Bao, 2015
[46] Bao, 2015, p. 217
[47] Bao, 2015
[48] Bao, 2015
[49] Bao, 2015
[50] Bao, 2015
[51] Bao, 2015
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