Empress He Jingying
Encyclopedia
Empress He Jingying was an empress of the Chinese
dynasty Southern Qi
. Her husband was Xiao Zhaoye, who is commonly known by his posthumously demoted title of Prince of Yulin.
He Jingying's father He Ji (何戢) was a high level official during the reigns of Xiao Zhaoye's great-grandfather Emperor Gao
and grandfather Emperor Wu of Southern Qi
. Her mother Lady Song was He Ji's concubine. (He Ji's wife Liu Chuyu
the Princess Kuaiji was the daughter of Emperor Xiaowu of Liu Song
; later, because He Jingying was adulterous, just as Liu Chuyu was, some historians erroneously reported Liu Chuyu as He Jingying's birth mother, but that was not true.) In 484, when Xiao Zhaoye's father Xiao Zhangmao
the Crown Prince was considering whom to take as a wife for his oldest son Xiao Zhaoye, he considered a number of daughters of nobles, and initially he rejected He Jingying on account of He Ji was sonless and therefore did not have a strong household. The prime minister Wang Jian
pointed out that since Xiao Zhaoye would be in line to inherit the throne in the future, he only needed a wife of noble birth, not necessarily one with a strong clan. Xiao Zhangmao agreed and took He Jingying as Xiao Zhaoye's wife. As Xiao Zhaoye carried the title of Prince of Nan Commandery, He Jingying received the title of Princess of Nan Commandery.
He Jingying was known for her adulterous activities, as she carried on affairs with others while she was princess. The most infamous affair she carried out was with Xiao Zhaoye's attendant Yang Min (楊珉) -- it was said that they spent day and night together, just like husband and wife. However, He Jingying also was very loving in her relationship with Xiao Zhaoye, and so Xiao Zhaoye turned a blind eye to her adulterous activities. (Some historians indicate that there could have also been a sexual relationship between Xiao Zhaoye and Yang Min, suggesting a ménage à trois
.) In 493, after Crown Prince Zhangmao died, Xiao Zhaoye became crown prince
; Princess He became crown princess. Outwardly, he mourned his father's death and was worried about his grandfather Emperor Wu's health (as Emperor Wu was also in ill health at the time), but when he wrote to the Crown Princess, he wrote one large character of Xi (喜, meaning "happiness") surrounded by 36 smaller Xi characters.
Later that year, Emperor Wu died. Xiao Zhaoye succeeded him as emperor, and he created Crown Princess He empress. He took her family members into the palace and set up quarters for them in Yaoling Palace (耀靈殿) -- a major breach of protocol at the time. As empress, Empress He continued her affair with Yang Min. In early 494, Xiao Zhaoye's granduncle, the prime minister Xiao Luan
sent the trusted general Xiao Tanzhi (蕭坦之) to advise Xiao Zhaoye to execute Yang Min, and initially, Xiao Zhaoye refused, and Empress He tearfully pled for Yang's life. Xiao Tanzhi, however, pointed out how the news of the affair between Empress He and Yang had become widespread. Xiao Zhaoye was forced to agree, and he issued an edict for Yang's execution. When he subsequently tried to withdraw the verdict after Xiao Tanzhi left, it was too late; Yang had been executed.
In fall 494, with Xiao Zhaoye despising Xiao Luan for his constant curbing of his activity, Xiao Luan became apprehensive, and he assassinated the young emperor, posthumously demoting him to the title of Prince of Yulin. Empress He was demoted to the title of Princess of Yulin. Nothing further was recorded in history of her activities or the date of her death.
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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...
dynasty Southern Qi
Southern Qi
The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...
. Her husband was Xiao Zhaoye, who is commonly known by his posthumously demoted title of Prince of Yulin.
He Jingying's father He Ji (何戢) was a high level official during the reigns of Xiao Zhaoye's great-grandfather Emperor Gao
Emperor Gao of Southern Qi
Emperor Gao of Southern Qi , personal name Xiao Daocheng , courtesy name Shaobo , nickname Doujiang , was the founding emperor of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi...
and grandfather Emperor Wu of Southern Qi
Emperor Wu of Southern Qi
Emperor Wu of Southern Qi , personal name Xiao Ze , courtesy name Xuanyuan , nickname Long'er , was the second emperor of the Chinese Southern Qi Dynasty...
. Her mother Lady Song was He Ji's concubine. (He Ji's wife Liu Chuyu
Liu Chuyu
Liu Chuyu , often known by her title Princess Shanyin , was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song, as the daughter of Emperor Xiaowu....
the Princess Kuaiji was the daughter of Emperor Xiaowu of Liu Song
Emperor Xiaowu of Liu Song
Emperor Xiaowu of Liu Song , personal name Liu Jun , courtesy name Xiulong , nickname Daomin , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. He was a son of Emperor Wen. After his older brother Liu Shao assassinated their father in 453 and took the throne, he rose in rebellion and overthrew Liu...
; later, because He Jingying was adulterous, just as Liu Chuyu was, some historians erroneously reported Liu Chuyu as He Jingying's birth mother, but that was not true.) In 484, when Xiao Zhaoye's father Xiao Zhangmao
Xiao Zhangmao
Xiao Zhangmao , courtesy name Yunqiao , nickname Baize , formally Crown Prince Wenhui , later further posthumously honored as Emperor Wen with the temple name of Shizong , was a crown prince of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi...
the Crown Prince was considering whom to take as a wife for his oldest son Xiao Zhaoye, he considered a number of daughters of nobles, and initially he rejected He Jingying on account of He Ji was sonless and therefore did not have a strong household. The prime minister Wang Jian
Wang Jian (Southern Qi)
Wang Jian , courtesy name Zhongbao , formally Duke Wenxian of Nanchang , was an official of the Chinese dynasties Liu Song and Southern Qi, who was particularly powerful during the reigns of the first two emperors of Southern Qi, Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu .-Family background:Wang Jian came from...
pointed out that since Xiao Zhaoye would be in line to inherit the throne in the future, he only needed a wife of noble birth, not necessarily one with a strong clan. Xiao Zhangmao agreed and took He Jingying as Xiao Zhaoye's wife. As Xiao Zhaoye carried the title of Prince of Nan Commandery, He Jingying received the title of Princess of Nan Commandery.
He Jingying was known for her adulterous activities, as she carried on affairs with others while she was princess. The most infamous affair she carried out was with Xiao Zhaoye's attendant Yang Min (楊珉) -- it was said that they spent day and night together, just like husband and wife. However, He Jingying also was very loving in her relationship with Xiao Zhaoye, and so Xiao Zhaoye turned a blind eye to her adulterous activities. (Some historians indicate that there could have also been a sexual relationship between Xiao Zhaoye and Yang Min, suggesting a ménage à trois
Ménage à trois
Ménage à trois is a French term which originally described a domestic arrangement in which three people having sexual relations occupy the same household – the phrase literally translates as "household of three"...
.) In 493, after Crown Prince Zhangmao died, Xiao Zhaoye became crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
; Princess He became crown princess. Outwardly, he mourned his father's death and was worried about his grandfather Emperor Wu's health (as Emperor Wu was also in ill health at the time), but when he wrote to the Crown Princess, he wrote one large character of Xi (喜, meaning "happiness") surrounded by 36 smaller Xi characters.
Later that year, Emperor Wu died. Xiao Zhaoye succeeded him as emperor, and he created Crown Princess He empress. He took her family members into the palace and set up quarters for them in Yaoling Palace (耀靈殿) -- a major breach of protocol at the time. As empress, Empress He continued her affair with Yang Min. In early 494, Xiao Zhaoye's granduncle, the prime minister Xiao Luan
Emperor Ming of Southern Qi
Emperor Ming of Southern Qi , personal name Xiao Luan , courtesy name Jingqi , nickname Xuandu , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi...
sent the trusted general Xiao Tanzhi (蕭坦之) to advise Xiao Zhaoye to execute Yang Min, and initially, Xiao Zhaoye refused, and Empress He tearfully pled for Yang's life. Xiao Tanzhi, however, pointed out how the news of the affair between Empress He and Yang had become widespread. Xiao Zhaoye was forced to agree, and he issued an edict for Yang's execution. When he subsequently tried to withdraw the verdict after Xiao Tanzhi left, it was too late; Yang had been executed.
In fall 494, with Xiao Zhaoye despising Xiao Luan for his constant curbing of his activity, Xiao Luan became apprehensive, and he assassinated the young emperor, posthumously demoting him to the title of Prince of Yulin. Empress He was demoted to the title of Princess of Yulin. Nothing further was recorded in history of her activities or the date of her death.
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