Empress Mao (Gao)
Encyclopedia
Empress Mao (died 389) was an empress of the Chinese
/Di
state Former Qin
. Her husband was Fu Deng
(Emperor Gao).
She was the daughter of the general Mao Xing (毛興), who served as the governor of He Province (河州, modern southwestern Gansu
and eastern Qinghai
) during the reign of Fu Jiān
(Emperor Xuanzhao). After Former Qin began to disintegrate in 384 following the defeat at the Battle of Fei River
, the generals in the western empire began to turn on each other, and in 386, Mao Xing was attacked by the generals Wang Guang (王廣) and Wang Tong (王統), who were brothers. He defeated Wang Guang, but when he was about to attack Wang Tong, his soldiers, worn out by the wars, assassinated him. After an interim command by Wei Ping (衛平), eventually, Fu Deng, a distant relative of Fu Jiān, took over the command of his forces, and was created the Prince of Nan'an by Fu Jiān's son Fu Pi
(Emperor Aiping). It might have been at this time that Fu Deng married her, or the marriage might have taken place earlier.
After Fu Pi was killed by Jin
forces in 386, Fu Deng assumed imperial title. In 387, he created her, who at that time carried the title of Princess of Nan'an, empress. She was described to be beautiful and mighty in battle, capable in horsemanship and archery
. In 389, however, when Fu Deng was attacking the Later Qin
emperor Yao Chang
, Yao Chang made a surprise attack against his base Dajie (大界, in modern Xianyang
, Shaanxi
), where Empress Mao had remained, and she, after making a desperate attempt to fight Yao Chang's forces off with her guards, was captured after killing 700 Later Qin soldiers. Yao Chang wanted to make her his concubine, but she, in anger, cried out, "Yao Chang, you murdered the Son of Heaven
(referring to Yao Chang's killing of Fu Jiān in 385), and now you want to humiliate the empress. How can heaven and earth still tolerate you?" Yao Chang therefore executed her, along with Fu Deng's sons Fu Bian (苻弁) the Prince of Nan'an and Fu Shang (苻尚) the Prince of Beihai. (It is unclear whether they were her sons.)
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...
/Di
Di (ethnic group)
The Di were an ethnic group in China from the 8th century BCE to approximately the middle of the 6th century CE. Note that the character Di is used to differentiate this group from the Beidi , a generic term for "northern barbarians". They lived in areas of the present-day provinces of Gansu,...
state 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...
. Her husband was Fu Deng
Fu Deng
Fu Deng was an emperor of the Chinese/Di state Former Qin. He assumed the throne in 386 after the deaths of Fu Jiān and Fu Jiān's son Fu Pi , even though he was only a distant relative of theirs, as by that time Former Qin's territory had largely been reduced to the territory under his control...
(Emperor Gao).
She was the daughter of the general Mao Xing (毛興), who served as the governor of He Province (河州, modern southwestern Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
and eastern Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
) during the reign of Fu Jiān
Fu Jian
Fu Jian may refer to:* Fú Jiàn , founding emperor of Former Qin, posthumous name Emperor Jingming* Fú Jiān , ruler of Former Qin, posthumous name Emperor Xuanzhao-See also:...
(Emperor Xuanzhao). After Former Qin began to disintegrate in 384 following the defeat at the Battle of Fei River
Battle of Fei River
The Battle of Fei River or “Feishui” was a battle in 383, where Fu Jiān of the Di Former Qin Empire was decisively defeated by the numerically inferior Jin army of Eastern Jin....
, the generals in the western empire began to turn on each other, and in 386, Mao Xing was attacked by the generals Wang Guang (王廣) and Wang Tong (王統), who were brothers. He defeated Wang Guang, but when he was about to attack Wang Tong, his soldiers, worn out by the wars, assassinated him. After an interim command by Wei Ping (衛平), eventually, Fu Deng, a distant relative of Fu Jiān, took over the command of his forces, and was created the Prince of Nan'an by Fu Jiān's son Fu Pi
Fu Pi
Fu Pi , courtesy name Yongshu , formally Emperor Aiping of Qin , was an emperor of the Chinese/Di state Former Qin...
(Emperor Aiping). It might have been at this time that Fu Deng married her, or the marriage might have taken place earlier.
After Fu Pi was killed by Jin
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
forces in 386, Fu Deng assumed imperial title. In 387, he created her, who at that time carried the title of Princess of Nan'an, empress. She was described to be beautiful and mighty in battle, capable in horsemanship and archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
. In 389, however, when Fu Deng was attacking the Later Qin
Later Qin
The Later Qin was a state of Qiang ethnicity of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. Note that the Later Qin is entirely distinct from the ancient Qin Dynasty, the Former Qin, and the Western Qin....
emperor Yao Chang
Yao Chang
Yao Chang , courtesy name Jingmao , formally Emperor Wuzhao of Qin , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Qiang state Later Qin...
, Yao Chang made a surprise attack against his base Dajie (大界, in modern Xianyang
Xianyang
Xianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi province, on the Wei River, a few kilometers upstream from Xi'an. It has an area of...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
), where Empress Mao had remained, and she, after making a desperate attempt to fight Yao Chang's forces off with her guards, was captured after killing 700 Later Qin soldiers. Yao Chang wanted to make her his concubine, but she, in anger, cried out, "Yao Chang, you murdered the Son of Heaven
Son of Heaven
Son of Heaven may refer to:* Emperor of China* Emperor of Japan* Emperors of Vietnam* Son of God* Son of Heaven , book on Guangxu Emperor by Princess Der Ling...
(referring to Yao Chang's killing of Fu Jiān in 385), and now you want to humiliate the empress. How can heaven and earth still tolerate you?" Yao Chang therefore executed her, along with Fu Deng's sons Fu Bian (苻弁) the Prince of Nan'an and Fu Shang (苻尚) the Prince of Beihai. (It is unclear whether they were her sons.)