Empress Xiaojiesu – The pregnant Empress who was brutally beaten by her husband causing a fatal miscarriage

The Jiajing Emperor of the Ming Dynasty had four Empresses. However, each of them suffered at the hands of their abusive husband and met a tragic end. One of them was Empress Xiaojiesu, who was the first Empress of the Jiajing Emperor. Empress Xiaojiesu was said to be beautiful and knowledgeable.^[1] When she showed her displeasure to her husband, he kicked her, causing her a fatal miscarriage. Empress Xiaojiesu’s tale is tragic because of the abuse that she suffered from her own husband.

In 1508, Empress Xiaojiesu was born in Darning Prefecture in Yuancheng District.^[2] She was from the Chen family. Her father was Chen Wanyan, who was a talented scholar but failed all his imperial examinations.^[3] Therefore, he remained a student until he was fifty.^[4] Afterwards, he became a clerk of the Central Military Office.^[5] Her mother’s name is unknown.^[6] Lady Chen was said to be beautiful and talented.^[7] At the age of fourteen, she entered the harem of the Jiajing Emperor.

Once she arrived at the palace, Lady Chen formed a close relationship with the Jiajing Emperor’s aunt, Empress Dowager Zhang (also known as Empress Xiaochengjing).^[8] Empress Dowager Zhang chose her to be the Empress of the Jiajing Emperor.^[9] Initially, the Jiajing Emperor was pleased with Empress Chen.^[10] He liked her for her beauty and that she was close in age.^[11] Gradually, the Jiajing Emperor began to have a hostile relationship with Empress Dowager Zhang.^[12] Because of Empress Chen’s close relationship with her, he began to dislike her.^[13] He ignored his Empress and openly favoured his concubines.^[14]

In 1528, Empress Chen became pregnant. One day, she was having a conversation with the Jiajing Emperor. Consort Zhang (who would become the second Empress of the Jiajing Emperor) and Consort Fang (who would become the third Empress of the Jiajing Emperor) entered the room to serve the tea. As the Jiajing Emperor accepted the tea his consorts served him, he stared lustfully at them.^[15] The fact that the emperor was lusting after other women in her presence enraged Empress Chen.^[16] In a rage, Empress Chen threw her teacup to the floor and stood up to leave the room.^[17] The Jiajing Emperor was furious that his Empress dared to express her outrage in his presence.^[18] The Jiajing Emperor kicked Empress Chen several times, which caused her to miscarry.^[19] Empress Chen never recovered from her miscarriage.^[20] She died a month later.^[21] Before her death, Empress Chen asked to see her mother, but the Jiajing Emperor refused.^[22] Empress Chen was twenty years old.^[23]

The Jiajing Emperor was still angry at Empress Chen and did not mourn her.^[24] He gave her a hasty and simple funeral.^[25] He gave her the posthumous name of Empress Daoling, which means “sorrowful spirit.” ^[26] In 1536, the Minister of Rites requested for Empress Chen’s posthumous name to be changed. The Jiajing Emperor agreed and changed it to Empress Xiaojielie, which means “filial and pure.” ^[27] In 1539, the Jiajing Emperor’s Yongling Mausoleum was completed. However, the Jiajing Emperor refused to let Empress Chen be buried beside him.^[28] It was not until 1567 that the Longqing Emperor allowed Empress Chen to be buried beside the Jiajing Emperor in the Yongling Mausoleum.^[29] The Longqing Emperor also gave her the posthumous name of Empress Xiaojiesu.

Empress Xiaojiesu was the first Empress to be neglected and suffered abuse from the Jiajing Emperor.^[30] She was known to be a virtuous Empress.^[31] However, her outburst caused her to lose her life. The other three Empresses of the Jiajing Emperor would also not have a happy end. Even though the Jiajing Emperor showed her very little favour in both life and death, the Longqing Emperor helped correct the mistakes his father made. Because of the Longqing Emperor, Empress Xiaojiesu was able to be buried beside her husband and was able to have her rights restored as the first Empress of the Jiajing Emperor.

Sources:

iMedia. (n.d.). “Peel the veil of history and see the mystery of the bizarre death of the first empress of Emperor Jiajing”. Retrieved 16 August 2023 from https://min.news/en/history/e9f72d3eea67b78430a20ba51225e43d.html.

iNews. (n.d.). “Emperor Jiajing set up three queens in succession, each of them couldn’t end well, and the queens were unbelievable.”. Retrieved on 16 August 2023 from https://inf.news/en/history/fd25cd37ddc5dde7f8d082a8c8e8317a.html.

Lin, Y & Lee, L. X. H. trans. (2014). “Chen, Empress of the Jiajing Emperor, Shizong, of Ming.” Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women, Volume II: Tang Through Ming 618 – 1644. (L. X. H. Lee, Ed.; A. D. Stefanowska, Ed.; S. Wiles, Ed.). NY: Routledge. pp. 28-29.