Empress Wang (Xiao Cha)
Encyclopedia
Empress Wang (died 563), formally Empress Jing (靜皇后, literally "the meek empress"), was a (disputed) empress of the Chinese
dynasty Liang Dynasty
. As her husband Emperor Xuan of Western Liang
(Xiao Cha) controlled little territory and relied heavily on the military support of Western Wei
and its successor state Northern Zhou
, many traditional historians did not consider him and his successor true emperors of Liang, and therefore did not consider her a true Liang empress.
It is not known when she married Xiao Cha, but it is known that she was his wife, not his concubine, and that while he carried the title Prince of Yueyang, she was the Princess of Yueyang. It is not known whether she was the mother of any of Xiao Cha's five known sons, although she was not the mother of his eventual heir Xiao Kui
, whose mother was Xiao Cha's concubine Consort Cao. In 549, when Liang was in a state of disarray after the capital Jiankang
had fallen to the rebel general Hou Jing
, Xiao Cha, then with his headquarters at Xiangyang (襄陽, in modern Xiangfan
, Hubei
), feared an attack from his uncle Xiao Yi
the Prince of Xiangdong, and therefore became a Western Wei vassal. In order to show his loyalty, he sent Princess Wang and his heir apparent
Xiao Liao (蕭嶚) to Western Wei as hostages. At some point, Western Wei allowed her to return to Xiao Cha.
In 555, after Western Wei forces had defeated and killed Xiao Yi, Western Wei created Xiao Cha the emperor of Liang (as Emperor Xuan). He created Princess Wang empress. In 562, after Emperor Xuan died and was succeeded by Xiao Kui (who had been created crown prince
because Xiao Liao died before Emperor Xuan's ascension) as Emperor Ming, Emperor Ming honored her as empress dowager
. She died in 563.
nor grandson Emperor Jing
was recorded in history as having created an empress, although it was possible that either or both did
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 Liang Dynasty
Liang Dynasty
The Liang Dynasty , also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty , was the third of the Southern dynasties in China and was followed by the Chen Dynasty...
. As her husband Emperor Xuan of Western Liang
Emperor Xuan of Western Liang
Emperor Xuan of Liang , personal name Xiao Cha , courtesy name Lisun , was a emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty...
(Xiao Cha) controlled little territory and relied heavily on the military support of Western Wei
Western Wei
The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556.After the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai killed the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu, he installed Yuan Baoju as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler...
and its successor state Northern Zhou
Northern Zhou
The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was overthrown by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and...
, many traditional historians did not consider him and his successor true emperors of Liang, and therefore did not consider her a true Liang empress.
It is not known when she married Xiao Cha, but it is known that she was his wife, not his concubine, and that while he carried the title Prince of Yueyang, she was the Princess of Yueyang. It is not known whether she was the mother of any of Xiao Cha's five known sons, although she was not the mother of his eventual heir Xiao Kui
Emperor Ming of Western Liang
Emperor Ming of Western Liang , personal name Xiao Kui , courtesy name Renyuan , was a emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty...
, whose mother was Xiao Cha's concubine Consort Cao. In 549, when Liang was in a state of disarray after the capital Jiankang
Jiankang
Jiankang was the capital city of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and Southern Dynasties. Its walls are extant ruins in the modern municipal region of Nanjing.-History:...
had fallen to the rebel general Hou Jing
Hou Jing
Hou Jing , courtesy name Wanjing , was a general for the Chinese states Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, and Liang Dynasty, and briefly, after controlling the Liang imperial regime for several years, usurped the Liang throne, establishing a state of Han...
, Xiao Cha, then with his headquarters at Xiangyang (襄陽, in modern Xiangfan
Xiangfan
Xiangyang is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province of the People's Republic of China. It was formed from two famous ancient cities, Xiangyang and Fancheng...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
), feared an attack from his uncle Xiao Yi
Emperor Yuan of Liang
Emperor Yuan of Liang , personal name Xiao Yi , courtesy name Shicheng , nickname Qifu , was an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty...
the Prince of Xiangdong, and therefore became a Western Wei vassal. In order to show his loyalty, he sent Princess Wang and his heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
Xiao Liao (蕭嶚) to Western Wei as hostages. At some point, Western Wei allowed her to return to Xiao Cha.
In 555, after Western Wei forces had defeated and killed Xiao Yi, Western Wei created Xiao Cha the emperor of Liang (as Emperor Xuan). He created Princess Wang empress. In 562, after Emperor Xuan died and was succeeded by Xiao Kui (who had been created 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....
because Xiao Liao died before Emperor Xuan's ascension) as Emperor Ming, Emperor Ming honored her as empress dowager
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
. She died in 563.
Footnotes
Neither Emperor Xuan's son Emperor MingEmperor Ming of Western Liang
Emperor Ming of Western Liang , personal name Xiao Kui , courtesy name Renyuan , was a emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty...
nor grandson Emperor Jing
Emperor Jing of Western Liang
Emperor Jing of Western Liang , personal name Xiao Cong , courtesy name Wenwen , known during Sui Dynasty as the Duke of Ju then Duke of Liang , was the final emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty...
was recorded in history as having created an empress, although it was possible that either or both did