Queen Dowager Shi
Encyclopedia
Queen Dowager Shi was a concubine of the late-Tang Dynasty
warlord Yang Xingmi
and the mother of two of Yang Xingmi's sons, Yang Wo and Yang Longyan (also known as Yang Wei), both of whom would become rulers of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
state Wu
(known as Hongnong during Yang Wo's reign), and thus was a queen dowager
of Wu.
), but the same source also noted a possible alternative origin — that she was a cousin of the father of the Jin general Shi Jiantang (史建瑭), who served under Jin's princes Li Keyong
and Li Cunxu. She became a concubine of Yang Xingmi's during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang
(r. 873
-888
) and bore him his two oldest sons, Yang Wo (b. 886
) and Yang Longyan (b. 897
). There was no record on whether Yang Xingmi made her his wife after he divorced his wife Lady Zhu in 903
, but it is known that she was created the Lady of Yuzhang, while Lady Zhu previously held the greater title of Lady of Yan.
. Yang Wo succeeded him as the Tang military governor (Jiedushi
) of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
) and the effective ruler of rest of Yang Xingmi's domain, which effectively became an independent state after rival warlord Zhu Quanzhong seized the Tang throne and declared himself emperor of a new state of Later Liang
in 907
— although Yang Wo continued to use the Tang era name of Tianyou and thus his domain remained technically a part of the defunct Tang state. He carried the title of Prince of Hongnong, which had been bestowed by the Tang imperial emissary Li Yan. He honored his mother Lady Shi as Lady Dowager.
However, Yang Wo lost most of his effective power in a coup headed by his officers Zhang Hao
and Xu Wen
in 907. He was angry about the situation, and Zhang and Xu thus feared that he would seize power again and carry out retribution against them. They therefore assassinated him in 908
and initially planned to divide up his territory and submit to Later Liang. However, at a subsequent emergency meeting between Zhang, Xu, and the other key officials, where Zhang initially postured that he was going to take over the domain, the official Yan Keqiu read a statement out loud (which Yan claimed to have been written by Lady Dowager Shi, but Yan himself had written) that called for Yang Longyan to succeed Yang Wo as prince. Zhang did not dare to respond, and Yang Longyan was allowed to succeed Yang Wo as the Prince of Hongnong. Soon thereafter, Xu assassinated Zhang and blamed Yang Wo's death on Zhang alone, and took over effective rein of the state, formally under Yang Longyan's authority. When Xu went to the palace to report to Lady Dowager Shi what had occurred, she tearfully responded:
Xu thereafter tried to comfort her and again blamed the assassination on Zhang alone.
, Xu Wen urged Yang Longyan (who, by that point, was using the title of Prince of Wu, a title that Yang Xingmi held at the time of his death) to declare Wu to be a new state and declare himself emperor. Yang Longyan declined the imperial title, but changed his own title to King of Wu and stopped the use of the Tang era name, effectively declaring his state independent. He honored Lady Dowager Shi as queen dowager. She was said to have died sometime thereafter, with the death date lost to history — but it appeared to be prior to or in 921
, when Yang Longyan died and was succeeded by his younger half-brother Yang Pu, for Yang Pu then honored his own mother Lady Wang
as queen dowager, implying that Queen Dowager Shi was no longer living.
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...
warlord Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi , né Yang Xingmin , courtesy name Huayuan , formally Prince Wuzhong of Wu , later posthumously honored King Xiaowu of Wu then Emperor Wu of Wu with the temple name of Taizu , was a military governor of...
and the mother of two of Yang Xingmi's sons, Yang Wo and Yang Longyan (also known as Yang Wei), both of whom would become rulers of the 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 Wu
Wu (Ten Kingdoms)
Wu , also referred to as Huainan , Hongnong , Southern Wu , or Yang Wu , was one of the Ten Kingdoms in south-central China which was in existence between the years of 907 and 937. Its capital was Jiangdu Municipality...
(known as Hongnong during Yang Wo's reign), and thus was a queen dowager
Queen Dowager
A queen dowager or dowager queen is a title or status generally held by the widow of a deceased king. In the case of the widow of a deceased emperor, the title of empress dowager is used...
of Wu.
Background
It is not known when Lady Shi was born. According to the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms (十國春秋), her family was from the Qi-Lu region (i.e., modern ShandongShandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
), but the same source also noted a possible alternative origin — that she was a cousin of the father of the Jin general Shi Jiantang (史建瑭), who served under Jin's princes Li Keyong
Li Keyong
Li Keyong was a Shatuo military governor during the late Tang Dynasty and was key to developing a base of power for the Shatuo in what is today Shanxi Province in China...
and Li Cunxu. She became a concubine of Yang Xingmi's during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
(r. 873
873
Year 873 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Vikings raid Dorestad.* Al-Andalus: Second uprising of Toledo due to ethnic tensions in two years.- Asia :...
-888
888
Year 888 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* January 13 – With the death of Charles the Fat, the Frankish kingdom is split again, and this time permanently...
) and bore him his two oldest sons, Yang Wo (b. 886
886
Year 886 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :...
) and Yang Longyan (b. 897
897
Year 897 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Uda of Japan is succeeded by Emperor Daigo....
). There was no record on whether Yang Xingmi made her his wife after he divorced his wife Lady Zhu in 903
903
Year 903 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Abaoji is named commander of all Khitan military forces.- Religion :...
, but it is known that she was created the Lady of Yuzhang, while Lady Zhu previously held the greater title of Lady of Yan.
As lady dowager
Yang Xingmi died in 905905
Year 905 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* The Abbasid Caliphate re-establishes control of Egypt from the Tulunids.- Asia :...
. Yang Wo succeeded him as the Tang military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
) and the effective ruler of rest of Yang Xingmi's domain, which effectively became an independent state after rival warlord Zhu Quanzhong seized the Tang throne and declared himself emperor of a new state of Later Liang
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...
in 907
907
Year 907 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Oleg leads the Kievan Rus' in a campaign against Constantinople ....
— although Yang Wo continued to use the Tang era name of Tianyou and thus his domain remained technically a part of the defunct Tang state. He carried the title of Prince of Hongnong, which had been bestowed by the Tang imperial emissary Li Yan. He honored his mother Lady Shi as Lady Dowager.
However, Yang Wo lost most of his effective power in a coup headed by his officers Zhang Hao
Zhang Hao (Wu)
Zhang Hao was a guard commander for late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty warlord Yang Xingmi the Prince of Wu, who was the military governor of Huainan Circuit , and Yang Xingmi's son Yang Wo early in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period...
and Xu Wen
Xu Wen
Xu Wen , born April 13, 1986 in Shanghai), is a versatile Chinese footballer, who plays as either a defensive midfielder or defender for Nanchang Bayi.-Club career:...
in 907. He was angry about the situation, and Zhang and Xu thus feared that he would seize power again and carry out retribution against them. They therefore assassinated him 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...
and initially planned to divide up his territory and submit to Later Liang. However, at a subsequent emergency meeting between Zhang, Xu, and the other key officials, where Zhang initially postured that he was going to take over the domain, the official Yan Keqiu read a statement out loud (which Yan claimed to have been written by Lady Dowager Shi, but Yan himself had written) that called for Yang Longyan to succeed Yang Wo as prince. Zhang did not dare to respond, and Yang Longyan was allowed to succeed Yang Wo as the Prince of Hongnong. Soon thereafter, Xu assassinated Zhang and blamed Yang Wo's death on Zhang alone, and took over effective rein of the state, formally under Yang Longyan's authority. When Xu went to the palace to report to Lady Dowager Shi what had occurred, she tearfully responded:
Xu thereafter tried to comfort her and again blamed the assassination on Zhang alone.
As queen dowager
In 919919
Year 919 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Edward the Elder of England conquers Bedford....
, Xu Wen urged Yang Longyan (who, by that point, was using the title of Prince of Wu, a title that Yang Xingmi held at the time of his death) to declare Wu to be a new state and declare himself emperor. Yang Longyan declined the imperial title, but changed his own title to King of Wu and stopped the use of the Tang era name, effectively declaring his state independent. He honored Lady Dowager Shi as queen dowager. She was said to have died sometime thereafter, with the death date lost to history — but it appeared to be prior to or in 921
921
Year 921 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Crushing defeat of the Idrisid dynasty against their Fatimid rivals...
, when Yang Longyan died and was succeeded by his younger half-brother Yang Pu, for Yang Pu then honored his own mother Lady Wang
Empress Dowager Wang (Rui)
Empress Dowager Wang was a concubine of the late-Tang Dynasty warlord Yang Xingmi and the mother of his son Yang Pu, the final ruler and the only emperor of the Wu state founded upon the territory that Yang Xingmi took...
as queen dowager, implying that Queen Dowager Shi was no longer living.