Queen Tai Jiang, Queen Tai Ren, and Queen Tai Si – The three matriarchs of the Zhou Dynasty

Queen Tai Jiang, Queen Tai Ren, and Queen Tai Si were the ancestresses of the Zhou Dynasty. They were not queens in their lifetime. When their descendant, King Wu, founded the Zhou Dynasty, they were posthumously elevated to the status of Queen. They were also known as “The Three Matriarchs”^[1] of the Zhou Dynasty. Yet, very little is known about these famous and important queens. Some of their stories have been mythologized.^[2] Yet, it is clear that these women were very pious and virtuous.^[3] The roles they played have formed the ideal motherhood for Chinese women throughout many generations.^[4]

Queen Tai Jiang

Queen Tai Jiang was known as the ancestress of the Zhou Dynasty.^[5] While she was not a queen during her lifetime, she became a posthumous Queen after her great-grandson became the first King of the Zhou Dynasty.^[6] Queen Tai Jiang had become a very legendary figure.^[7] However, very little is known about her.^[8] Because she was the matriarch of the Zhou Dynasty, her origins have been mythologized.^[9] This article attempts to peel away the myths of Queen Tai Jiang and discover the true history of the famous queen.

Queen Tai Jiang was born in the late twelfth or early eleventh-century B.C.E.^[10] She lived during the end of the Shang Dynasty.^[11] She is also known as Jiang Yuan.^[12] Yuan means “Source”^[13]. Her origins are unclear.^[14] Some historians say she was from the Jiang clan.^[15] Some say that her father was Tai Shi (the Head of the Tai Clan).^[16] Some say that her father was Tai Hou (the Marquis of the state of Tai).^[17] Some historians even claim she was the daughter of the Youlu clan.^[18] 

She married Zhou Tai Wang (the posthumous King Tai of Zhou).^[19] She was the mother of Wang Ji (the posthumous King Ji of Zhou).^[20] She was also the grandmother of Ji Chang (the posthumous King Wen of Zhou).^[21] She was the great-grandmother of King Wu of Zhou (the founder of the Zhou Dynasty).^[22]

Tai Jiang was said to be meek and very virtuous.^[23] She taught her son, Wang Ji, the importance of agriculture.^[24] She loved to “sow, cultivate, and harvest.”^[25] She also taught Wang Ji “to plant trees—the mulberry and hemp.”^[26] This would be Tai Jiang’s main accomplishment in founding the Zhou Dynasty.^[27] Thus, Tai Jiang was known for her moral teachings.^[28] She helped foster a humble personality in Wang Ji.^[29] It is uncertain when or how Tai Jiang died.^[30] When her great-grandson, Ji Fa (who would later be known as King Wu), became the first King of the Zhou Dynasty, Tai Jiang was made the posthumous queen of the Zhou Dynasty.^[31] She was known as one of “The Three Matriarchs”^[32] of the Zhou Dynasty.

Queen Tai Jiang is a famous figure. However, her true history is largely unknown.^[33] What is known is that she was a virtuous queen who gave her son a moral education.^[34] She also showed him the importance of agriculture, which was fundamental in the Zhou Dynasty.^[35] It is no wonder why she is considered one of “The Three Mothers”^[36] of the Zhou Dynasty.

Queen Tai Ren

Queen Tai Ren was known as the ancestress of the Zhou Dynasty.^[37] While she was not a queen during her lifetime, she became a posthumous Queen after her grandson became the first King of the Zhou Dynasty.^[38] Queen Tai Ren has been known for her strong belief in having good prenatal instruction.^[39] Queen Tai Ren has been a role model for mothers in China.^[40] Since ancient China, many pregnant women have followed prenatal instructions based on Queen Tai Ren’s prenatal instructions.^[41]

Queen Tai Ren was born in the late twelfth or early eleventh-century B.C.E.^[42] She lived during the end of the Shang Dynasty.^[43] She was the second daughter of Ren Shi (the Head of the Ren Clan). She came from Zhi.^[44]

She married Wang Ji (the posthumous King Ji of the Zhou Dynasty).^[45] Her mother-in-law was Queen Tai Jiang. She was the mother of Ji Chang (the posthumous King Wen of the Zhou Dynasty).^[46] She was the grandmother of King Wu of Zhou (the founder of the Zhou Dynasty).^[47] Tai Ren was said to be “very serious and solemn.”^[48] She tried to be morally righteous and ethical.^[49] She admired her virtuous mother-in-law, Queen Tai Jiang.^[50] 

When she was pregnant with Ji Chang, she enforced good prenatal instruction.^[51] During her pregnancy, she did not like to listen to “lewd sounds”^[52] and did not like to speak “insolent words.”^[53] She believed that if “a woman is affected by good things, then she will give birth to a good child.”^[54] She also ordered a music officer to recite poems and play “noble music”^[55] for her. Thus, Ji Chang became “talented and creative”^[56]. Scholars have attributed Ji Chang’s greatness to Tai Ren’s prenatal instruction.^[57] It is uncertain when or how Tai Ren died.^[58] When her grandson, Ji Fa (who would later be known as King Wu), became the first King of the Zhou Dynasty, Tai Ren was made the posthumous Queen of the Zhou Dynasty.^[59] She was known as one of “The Three Matriarchs”^[60] of the Zhou Dynasty.

Very little information is known about Queen Tai Ren. She was just as virtuous as her mother-in-law, Queen Tai Jiang.^[61] Historians believed that it was Queen Tai Ren’s prenatal instruction that helped pave the foundations of the Zhou Dynasty.^[62]Since ancient times, many pregnant Chinese women have followed the prenatal instructions based on Queen Tai Ren.^[63] Thus, Queen Tai Ren has been praised as a model example of motherhood.^[64]

Queen Tai Si

Queen Tai Si was the mother of King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty. She would become the posthumous Queen of the Zhou Dynasty. Queen Tai Si was very intelligent and righteous.^[65] She worked hard to raise her ten sons. Therefore, Queen Tai Si was seen as an ideal wife that many Chinese women sought to emulate.^[66] 

Queen Tai Si was born in the eleventh century B.C.E.^[67] She was the daughter of the Si clan from Xin.^[68] She received a good education.^[69] She was known to be “benevolent and docile, virtuous and profoundly righteous.”^[70] She eventually married Ji Chiang (the posthumous King Wen of the Zhou Dynasty). Their wedding was eulogized in a poem that mentions “her crossing the Wei River on a bridge of boats”^[71]. It went:

“King Wen was blessed.

A great country had a child,

A great country had a child

Fair as a sister of Heaven.

King Wen fixed on a lucky day

And went himself to meet her at the Wei;

He joined boats and made them a bridge;

Dazzling with radiance!”^[72]

Tai Si admired the virtues of both Tai Jiang and Tai Ren.^[73] She was said to be a virtuous wife and mother.^[74] Tai Si had ten sons. One of them was Ji Fa. Ji Fa defeated the Shang Dynasty and founded the Zhou Dynasty.^[75] He would be known as King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty. It is unknown when and how Tai Si died. She was made the posthumous Queen of the Zhou Dynasty.

Queen Tai Si was also posthumously known as Wen Mu, which means “The Accomplished Mother.”^[76] This was because she worked hard from morning to night to raise her ten sons.^[77] Therefore, Chinese women of many generations looked to her as a role model for an ideal wife and mother.^[78] She became known as one of  “The Three Matriarchs”^[79] of the Zhou Dynasty. Another of her sons was Zhou Gong, who was the founder of Confucianism.^[80] He would also be known as one of the ancient saints whom Confucius respected.^[81]

Queen Tai Jiang, Queen Tai Ren, and Queen Tai Si have not only impacted the Zhou Dynasty but also China.^[82] They were known for practising virtues that many Chinese women would later emulate.^[83] They were not only the ancestresses of great Kings of the Zhou Dynasty but also saints. It is no wonder why they were considered “Great.”^[84] Hopefully, more details about these fascinating and important queens may be brought to light.

Sources:

Cook, C. A. (2015). “Tai Jiang”, “Tai Ren”, and “Tai Si, Wife of King Wen of Zhou”. 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. 73-75.

Dai, J., Wang, Y., Zhang, S. (2019). Hebei Women’s Normal Education Pioneers: One Century’s Fragrant Trace of Wisdom. United Kingdom: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

iNews. (n.d.). “The third wife of the Zhou Dynasty-Tai Jiang, Tai pregnant, and Tai Si, three great mothers”. Retrieved on May 28, 2024 from https://inf.news/en/history/a85d92c8ef41dfac5d41b72436d336fa.html.

Liu, X., Kinney, A. B. (2014). Exemplary Women of Early China: The Lienü Zhuan of Liu Xiang. United Kingdom: Columbia University Press.