Empress Fu Xunying
Encyclopedia
Empress Fu Xunying (died 407) was an empress of the Chinese
/Xianbei
state Later Yan
. Her husband was Murong Xi
(Emperor Zhaowen).
Fu Xunying was a daughter of Fu Mo (苻謨), a member of Former Qin
's imperial house before he surrendered to Later Yan under military pressure. As of 397, he was the mayor of Later Yan's capital Zhongshan (中山, in modern Baoding
, Hebei
) when the Later Yan emperor Murong Bao
(Emperor Huimin) abandoned Zhongshan in face of Northern Wei military attacks, and he was subsequently killed by Murong Bao's nephew Murong Xiang (慕容詳) the Duke of Kaifeng, who wanted to be emperor himself. His family was slaughtered.
Somehow, however, Fu Xunying and her older sister Fu Song'e (苻娀娥) were not killed—perhaps they escaped the slaughter, or perhaps they were no longer in Zhongshan at that point. After Murong Xi became emperor in 401 after succeeding his nephew Murong Sheng
(Emperor Zhaowu), he took Fu Song'e and Fu Xunying as imperial consorts in 402 and greatly favored them. This caused him to neglect Murong Sheng's mother Empress Dowager Ding
, with whom he had an affair and whose support was instrumental in his becoming emperor. Empress Dowager Ding, in anger, plotted to overthrow him and replace him with Murong Bao's son Murong Yuan (慕容淵), but her plot was discovered, and she was forced to commit suicide.
Around the new year 404, Murong Xi created Fu Xunying empress. He was described to be so inclined to grant every wish that she and her sister Consort Fu had, and providing them with every luxury, that his small empire's resources were highly drained. In fall 404, Consort Fu grew ill, and after she died despite a doctor's promise that he could cure her, Murong Xi had the doctor executed by drawing and quartering, and then burned his body. After Consort Fu's death, he grew even more doting of Empress Fu, who favored huntings and journeys. In winter 404, they went on a long hunt and tour that took them as north as Bailu Mountain (白鹿山, in modern Tongliao
, Inner Mongolia
), as east as Qingling (青嶺, described as about 100 kilometers east of the capital Longcheng (龍城, in modern Jinzhou
, Liaoning
)), and as south as Haiyang (海陽, in modern Qinhuangdao
, Hebei
) before returning to Longcheng. On this winter journey, it was described that more than 5,000 escorting soldiers died from attacks by tigers or wolves or exposure to the cold. In other known events, she was described to be demanding to have jellied fish in the summer and fresh Rehmannia
roots in the winter—neither of which could be obtainable—and Murong Xi executed officials in charge of supplying the palace for their failures.
In spring 405, Murong Xi, with Emperor Fu with him, attacked Goguryeo
's major city Liaodong (遼東, in modern Liaoyang
, Liaoning
), and had almost captured it. However, he ordered his soldiers to flatten the wall so that he could enter with Empress Fu on an imperial wagon. The delay allowed the Goguryeo forces to refortify the city, and he was unable to capture it.
Around the new year 406, Murong Xi, with Empress Fu with him, was making a surprise attack on Khitan
tribes when he decided that the Khitan were too strong to be attacked and wanted to withdraw. However, at Empress Fu's insistence that she wanted to observe a battle, he abandoned his heavy guard and took his faster cavalry to attack Goguryeo. The attack was unsuccessful, and he was forced to withdraw.
In 407, Murong Xi built a new palace for Empress Fu, Chenghua Palace (承華殿), using so much dirt in the project that dirt was described to become as expensive as grain. In summer 407, Empress Fu died. Murong Xi mourned her so much that he ordered that a magnificent tomb be built for her, and also forced his sister-in-law, Princess Zhang of Gaoyang (Murong Long
's wife) to commit suicide so that she could be buried with Empress Fu. The officials were all forced to weep for Empress Fu, with those who could not shed tears punished severely, so they put chili peppers in their mouths to stimulate tear production. Eventually, Murong Xi accompanied Empress Fu's funeral procession out of Longcheng, and after he left, the soldiers in the city mutinied under the command of the general Feng Ba
, and they made Murong Bao's adoptive son Murong Yun emperor (as Emperor Huiyi). Murong Xi was defeated, captured, and executed. Murong Yun (who then changed his name back to the original Gao Yun), however, buried Murong Xi and Empress Fu together with imperial honors.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
/Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...
state Later Yan
Later Yan
The Later Yan was a Murong-Xianbei state, located in modern day northeast China, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.All rulers of the Later Yan declared themselves "emperors". Later Yan fell to the Goguryeo dynasty.-Rulers of the Later Yan:...
. Her husband was Murong Xi
Murong Xi
Murong Xi , courtesy name Daowen , formally Emperor Zhaowen of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. He was one of the youngest sons of Murong Chui , and after the death of his nephew Murong Sheng became emperor due to his affair with Murong Sheng's mother, Empress...
(Emperor Zhaowen).
Fu Xunying was a daughter of Fu Mo (苻謨), a member of Former Qin
Former Qin
The Former Qin was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Founded by the Fu family of the Di ethnicity, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital had been Xi'an up to the death of the ruler Fu Jiān. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than...
's imperial house before he surrendered to Later Yan under military pressure. As of 397, he was the mayor of Later Yan's capital Zhongshan (中山, in modern Baoding
Baoding
-Administrative divisions:Baoding prefecture-level city consists of 3 municipal districts, 4 county-level cities, 18 counties:-Demographics:The Baoding urban area has a population of around 1,006,000 . The population of the Baoding administrative area is 10,890,000. The considerable majority are...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
) when the Later Yan emperor Murong Bao
Murong Bao
Murong Bao , courtesy name Daoyou , formally Emperor Huimin of Yan , temple name Liezong or Liezu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...
(Emperor Huimin) abandoned Zhongshan in face of Northern Wei military attacks, and he was subsequently killed by Murong Bao's nephew Murong Xiang (慕容詳) the Duke of Kaifeng, who wanted to be emperor himself. His family was slaughtered.
Somehow, however, Fu Xunying and her older sister Fu Song'e (苻娀娥) were not killed—perhaps they escaped the slaughter, or perhaps they were no longer in Zhongshan at that point. After Murong Xi became emperor in 401 after succeeding his nephew Murong Sheng
Murong Sheng
Murong Sheng , courtesy name Daoyun , formally Emperor Zhaowu of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. He was the oldest son of Murong Bao , and after Murong Bao was killed by Lan Han avenged his father in a coup and took the throne...
(Emperor Zhaowu), he took Fu Song'e and Fu Xunying as imperial consorts in 402 and greatly favored them. This caused him to neglect Murong Sheng's mother Empress Dowager Ding
Empress Dowager Ding
Empress Dowager Ding , formally Empress Xianyou was an empress dowager of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...
, with whom he had an affair and whose support was instrumental in his becoming emperor. Empress Dowager Ding, in anger, plotted to overthrow him and replace him with Murong Bao's son Murong Yuan (慕容淵), but her plot was discovered, and she was forced to commit suicide.
Around the new year 404, Murong Xi created Fu Xunying empress. He was described to be so inclined to grant every wish that she and her sister Consort Fu had, and providing them with every luxury, that his small empire's resources were highly drained. In fall 404, Consort Fu grew ill, and after she died despite a doctor's promise that he could cure her, Murong Xi had the doctor executed by drawing and quartering, and then burned his body. After Consort Fu's death, he grew even more doting of Empress Fu, who favored huntings and journeys. In winter 404, they went on a long hunt and tour that took them as north as Bailu Mountain (白鹿山, in modern Tongliao
Tongliao
Tongliao is a prefecture-level city in eastern Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China. It borders Jilin province to the east, Liaoning to the south, Chifeng to the southwest, the Xilin Gol League to the west, and the Hinggan League to the north. The city was the administrative centre of the...
, Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
), as east as Qingling (青嶺, described as about 100 kilometers east of the capital Longcheng (龍城, in modern Jinzhou
Jinzhou
Jinzhou , is a prefecture-level city of Liaoning province, China. It is a geographically strategic city located in the "Liaoxi Corridor" , which connects land transportation between North China and Northeast China. Jinzhou is China's northernmost seaport and the coastal economic center of West...
, Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
)), and as south as Haiyang (海陽, in modern Qinhuangdao
Qinhuangdao
Qinhuangdao is a port city in northeastern Hebei province of North China. It is about 300 km east of Beijing, on the Bohai Sea, the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea....
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
) before returning to Longcheng. On this winter journey, it was described that more than 5,000 escorting soldiers died from attacks by tigers or wolves or exposure to the cold. In other known events, she was described to be demanding to have jellied fish in the summer and fresh Rehmannia
Rehmannia
Rehmannia is a genus of six species of flowering plants in the order Lamiales, endemic to China.The genus was included in the family Scrophulariaceae or Gesneriaceae in some older classifications. The current placement of the genus is in neither Scrophulariaceae s.s. nor Plantaginaceae s.l....
roots in the winter—neither of which could be obtainable—and Murong Xi executed officials in charge of supplying the palace for their failures.
In spring 405, Murong Xi, with Emperor Fu with him, attacked Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
's major city Liaodong (遼東, in modern Liaoyang
Liaoyang
Liaoyang is a city in China, Liaoning province, located in the middle of the Liaodong Peninsula. The city is situated on the T'ai-tzu River and forms with Anshan a built up area of 2,057,200 inhabitants in 2010....
, Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
), and had almost captured it. However, he ordered his soldiers to flatten the wall so that he could enter with Empress Fu on an imperial wagon. The delay allowed the Goguryeo forces to refortify the city, and he was unable to capture it.
Around the new year 406, Murong Xi, with Empress Fu with him, was making a surprise attack on Khitan
Khitan people
thumb|250px|Khitans [[Eagle hunting|using eagles to hunt]], painted during the Chinese [[Song Dynasty]].The Khitan people , or Khitai, Kitan, or Kidan, were a nomadic Mongolic people, originally located at Mongolia and Manchuria from the 4th century...
tribes when he decided that the Khitan were too strong to be attacked and wanted to withdraw. However, at Empress Fu's insistence that she wanted to observe a battle, he abandoned his heavy guard and took his faster cavalry to attack Goguryeo. The attack was unsuccessful, and he was forced to withdraw.
In 407, Murong Xi built a new palace for Empress Fu, Chenghua Palace (承華殿), using so much dirt in the project that dirt was described to become as expensive as grain. In summer 407, Empress Fu died. Murong Xi mourned her so much that he ordered that a magnificent tomb be built for her, and also forced his sister-in-law, Princess Zhang of Gaoyang (Murong Long
Murong Long
Murong Long , formally Prince Kang of Gaoyang , was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...
's wife) to commit suicide so that she could be buried with Empress Fu. The officials were all forced to weep for Empress Fu, with those who could not shed tears punished severely, so they put chili peppers in their mouths to stimulate tear production. Eventually, Murong Xi accompanied Empress Fu's funeral procession out of Longcheng, and after he left, the soldiers in the city mutinied under the command of the general Feng Ba
Feng Ba
Feng Ba , courtesy name Wenqi , nickname Qizhifa , formally Emperor Wencheng of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese state Northern Yan...
, and they made Murong Bao's adoptive son Murong Yun emperor (as Emperor Huiyi). Murong Xi was defeated, captured, and executed. Murong Yun (who then changed his name back to the original Gao Yun), however, buried Murong Xi and Empress Fu together with imperial honors.