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Chu Lingyuan (褚靈媛) (384 – 7 August 436), formally Empress Gongsi (恭思皇后), was the last
empress
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
of the
Jin Dynasty (266–420)
The Jin dynasty (; ) or the Jin Empire, sometimes distinguished as the (司馬晉) or the (兩晉), was an imperial dynasty of China that existed from 266 to 420. It was founded by Sima Yan (Emperor Wu), eldest son of Sima Zhao, who had pr ...
. Her husband was the last emperor of the dynasty,
Emperor Gong (Sima Dewen).
Family background
Chu Lingyuan was the daughter of the commandery governor Chu Shuang (褚爽), who was a grandson of the official
Chu Pou
Chu Pou (303 – 1 January 350), courtesy name Jiye, was a Chinese military general and politician of the Eastern Jin. His daughter was Chu Suanzi, the wife of Emperor Kang of Jin and empress dowager to three subsequent emperors. He was at first ...
(via Pou's son Chu Xin), making Chu Lingyuan a grandniece of
Emperor Kang's wife Empress
Chu Suanzi
Chu Suanzi (; 324–5 July 384), formally Empress Kangxian (康獻皇后, literally "the joyful and wise empress"), at times as Empress Dowager Chongde (崇德太后), was an empress of Jin Dynasty (266–420). Her husband was Emperor Kang, and, ...
. Chu Lingyuan also had three older brothers: Chu Xiuzhi (褚秀之; 378-424), Chu Danzhi (褚淡之; 380-424), and Chu Yuzhi (褚裕之; 381-424)
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_Biography
It_is_not_known_exactly_when_she_married_Emperor_Gong,_but_the_marriage_took_place_while_he_was_the_Prince_of_Langye_(from_27_December_392,_to_27_Jan_419,_with_an_interruption_from_404_to_April/May_405),_during_the_reign_of_his_
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_Biography
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_
Developmental_disability_is_a_diverse_group_of_chronic_conditions,_comprising_mental_or_physical_impairments_that_arise_before_adulthood._Developmental_disabilities_cause_individuals_living_with_them_many_difficulties_in_certain_areas_of_life,_espe_...
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Biography
It is not known exactly when she married Emperor Gong, but the marriage took place while he was the Prince of Langye (from 27 December 392, to 27 Jan 419, with an interruption from 404 to April/May 405), during the reign of his developmental disability">developmentally disabled
Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, espe ...
brother Emperor An of Jin">Emperor An. During their marriage, she bore two daughters – Sima Maoying (who was created the Princess Haiyan), and the Princess Fuyang, whose name is lost to history.
[The Persian Historian, Ferdowsi, (فردوسی), author of The ''Šâhnâme'', lit. ''The Book of Kings'', and the national epic of Greater Iran, tells that Bahram V Gor, (420-438) of the Sassanian dynasty of Persia married the daughter, Furak, of the ''raja'' (king) of India, who is ]Khingila
Khingila I ( Bactrian: χιγγιλο ''Khingilo'', Brahmi script: ''Khi-ṇgi-la'', Middle Chinese: 金吉剌 ''Jīnjílà'', Persian: شنگل ''Shengel''; c.430-490) was the founding king of the Hunnic Alkhan dynasty ( Bactrian: αλχανο ...
or Shingil, K. of Alkhan. He also mentions that the pertinent father-in-law of ''Khi-gi-la'' was ''Faghfur'' (Emperor) of China. After extensive research and investigation, I have found one kingdom at the time and place required, (and those kingdoms were in the tens), who had a princess available. Until someone else more fluent in Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
or Chinese looks into this fascinating possibility, that's how the possibilities stand as of this typing.
After the regent
Liu Yu killed Emperor An in 419 and made Sima Dewen emperor, she was created empress. Emperor Gong subsequently was forced to give up the throne to Liu Yu in 420, ending Jin. Liu Yu, who established
Liu Song
Song, known as Liu Song (), Former Song (前宋) or Song of (the) Southern Dynasty (南朝宋) in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the first of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. ...
, created the former Jin emperor the Prince of Lingling, and Empress Chu received the title Princess of Lingling.
However, Liu Yu viewed the former emperor and any male progeny that he might bear as threats, and therefore had Chu Xiuzhi and Chu Danzhi (both Liu-Song officials) poison any male infants that Princess Chu or his
concubine
Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive.
Concubi ...
s might bear. The former emperor himself feared death. He lived in the same house as his princess, and they set up a stove next to their bed, cooking their own meals (to try to prevent poisoning), and the princess herself paid for the material of the meals. The assassins that Liu Yu sent had little chance to poison him. However, in fall 421, Liu Yu sent Chu Danzhi and Chu Yuzhi to meet Princess Chu, and as they gathered in another house, assassins Liu Yu sent jumped into the prince's residence and try to force him to take poison. The former emperor refused, stating that
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
doctrines prohibited suicide and that those who committed suicide could not receive human bodies in the next reincarnation. The assassins therefore used a blanket to cover his head and asphyxiated him.
Little is known about Princess Chu's life after her husband's death. Liu Yu had her adopt a son, presumably another member of the imperial Sima household, to inherit the title of Prince of Lingling, but this adopted son's name and identity is otherwise unknown. After the adoption, she became known as the Princess Dowager of Lingling (零陵王太妃). Her daughter Sima Maoying married Liu Yu's
crown prince
A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...
Liu Yifu, and after Liu Yu died in 422, Liu Yifu became emperor (as Emperor Shao) and created Sima Maoying empress, although Liu Yifu was himself removed and killed in 424 by imperial officials dissatisfied with his abilities to govern, and Empress Sima was demoted to being Princess of Yingyang. The former Jin empress died in 436 and was buried with imperial honors with her husband Emperor Gong.
Notes and references
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chu, Lingyuan, Empress
384 births
436 deaths
Jin dynasty (266–420) empresses
4th-century Chinese women
4th-century Chinese people
5th-century Chinese women
5th-century Chinese people
Liu Song dynasty people