Empress Zhou (Wang Jian)
Encyclopedia
Empress Zhou (d. October 1, 918), formally (as her posthumous name
) Empress Shunde (順德皇后), known as Empress Zhaosheng (昭聖皇后) in her lifetime, was an empress of the Chinese
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
state Former Shu
, as the wife of Former Shu's first emperor Wang Jian.
, Henan
) — the capital of Tang Dynasty
's Zhongwu Circuit (忠武), where her husband Wang Jian started his career as an army officer. It is also not known when she married Wang Jian, but given their family origins, it would appear that they were married while he was still at Zhongwu Circuit. She had at least one younger brother, Zhou Dequan (周德權), who would later become a Former Shu
official.
, after the Tang throne, last held by Emperor Ai of Tang
, was seized by Zhu Quanzhong, who established Later Liang Dynasty
as its Emperor Taizu, Wang Jian, who then controlled the modern Sichuan
and Chongqing
region and carried the title of Prince of Shu, claimed imperial title as well, establishing Former Shu. In 908
, he created Lady Zhou empress. He also gave her the honorary title of Empress Zhaosheng. There was no record of her having any sons with Wang Jian.
and was succeeded by his youngest son Wang Yan, born of his favorite concubine Consort Xu
. Wang Yan honored his mother Consort Xu as empress dowager
and honored his aunt, also a concubine to Wang Yan, as consort dowager; historical records contained no indication that he honored Empress Zhou at all other than with the empress title she still held. Empress Zhou was greatly saddened by Wang Jian's death and mourned bitterly. She died several months later and was buried at the same tomb as Wang Jian.
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
) Empress Shunde (順德皇后), known as Empress Zhaosheng (昭聖皇后) in her lifetime, was an empress of the Chinese
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...
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was between 907–960/979 AD and an era of political upheaval in China, between the fall of the Tang Dynasty and the founding of the Song Dynasty. During this period, five dynasties quickly succeeded one another in the north, and more than 12 independent states were...
state Former Shu
Former Shu
Great Shu called in retrospect Former Shu was one of the Ten Kingdoms formed during the chaotic period between the rules of the Tang dynasty and the Song dynasty...
, as the wife of Former Shu's first emperor Wang Jian.
Background
It is not known when the future Empress Zhou was born, but it is known that her family was from Xu Prefecture (許州, in modern XuchangXuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
) — the capital of Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
's Zhongwu Circuit (忠武), where her husband Wang Jian started his career as an army officer. It is also not known when she married Wang Jian, but given their family origins, it would appear that they were married while he was still at Zhongwu Circuit. She had at least one younger brother, Zhou Dequan (周德權), who would later become a Former Shu
Former Shu
Great Shu called in retrospect Former Shu was one of the Ten Kingdoms formed during the chaotic period between the rules of the Tang dynasty and the Song dynasty...
official.
As empress
In 907907
Year 907 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Oleg leads the Kievan Rus' in a campaign against Constantinople ....
, after the Tang throne, last held by Emperor Ai of Tang
Emperor Ai of Tang
Emperor Ai of Tang , also known as Emperor Zhaoxuan , born Li Zuo, later Li Zhu , was the last emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 904 to 907. The Ai Emperor was the son of Emperor Zhaozong....
, was seized by Zhu Quanzhong, who established Later Liang Dynasty
Later Liang Dynasty
The Later Liang was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. It was founded by Zhu Wen, posthumously known as Taizu of Later Liang, after he forced the last emperor of the Tang dynasty to abdicate in his favour...
as its Emperor Taizu, Wang Jian, who then controlled the modern Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
and Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
region and carried the title of Prince of Shu, claimed imperial title as well, establishing Former Shu. In 908
908
Year 908 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Battle of Belach Mugna is fought.* Zhu Wen kills the last Tang Dynasty emperor.- Deaths :* Al-Muktafi, Abbasid caliph...
, he created Lady Zhou empress. He also gave her the honorary title of Empress Zhaosheng. There was no record of her having any sons with Wang Jian.
Death
Wang Jian died in 918918
Year 918 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Taebong has been overthrown, and Goryeo established in the Korean peninsula, when Wang Kon ascends the throne at Cheorwon.* The Khitan empire's government occupies a newly walled capital city called Shangjing,...
and was succeeded by his youngest son Wang Yan, born of his favorite concubine Consort Xu
Empress Dowager Xu
Empress Dowager Xu , honored as Empress Dowager Shunsheng during the reign of her son Wang Yan, known as Consort Xu with the imperial consort rank Xianfei during the reign of her husband Wang Jian, was an empress dowager of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Former Shu...
. Wang Yan honored his mother Consort Xu 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...
and honored his aunt, also a concubine to Wang Yan, as consort dowager; historical records contained no indication that he honored Empress Zhou at all other than with the empress title she still held. Empress Zhou was greatly saddened by Wang Jian's death and mourned bitterly. She died several months later and was buried at the same tomb as Wang Jian.