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Empress Dowager Xiaojing (; 27 February 1565 – 18 October 1611), of the Wang clan, was a
Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
concubine of the
Wanli Emperor The Wanli Emperor (; 4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620), personal name Zhu Yijun (), was the 14th Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned from 1572 to 1620. "Wanli", the era name of his reign, literally means "ten thousand calendars". He was the ...
and the biological mother of the
Taichang Emperor The Taichang Emperor (; 28 August 1582 – 26 September 1620), personal name Zhu Changluo (), was the 15th Emperor of the Ming dynasty. He was the eldest son of the Wanli Emperor and succeeded his father as emperor in 1620. However, his reign c ...
. She was primarily known during her lifetime as
Consort __NOTOC__ Consort may refer to: Music * "The Consort" (Rufus Wainwright song), from the 2000 album ''Poses'' * Consort of instruments, term for instrumental ensembles * Consort song (musical), a characteristic English song form, late 16th–earl ...
Gong (), but is most commonly referred to by her posthumous name.


Biography

Wang joined the imperial court as a palace lady in the service of
Empress Dowager Xiaoding Empress Dowager Xiaoding (1545 – 18 March 1614), of the Li clan, was the mother of the Wanli Emperor. She was the nominal Regent of China during the minority of her son from 1572 to 1582. She became known in history under her posthumous name, Xiao ...
. The
Wanli Emperor The Wanli Emperor (; 4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620), personal name Zhu Yijun (), was the 14th Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned from 1572 to 1620. "Wanli", the era name of his reign, literally means "ten thousand calendars". He was the ...
met her whilst visiting his mother and began a relationship with her. When Wang became pregnant, the emperor ignored her.
Empress Dowager Xiaoding Empress Dowager Xiaoding (1545 – 18 March 1614), of the Li clan, was the mother of the Wanli Emperor. She was the nominal Regent of China during the minority of her son from 1572 to 1582. She became known in history under her posthumous name, Xiao ...
questioned her son and advised him to marry Wang, as he still had no sons. In the fourth lunar month of 1582, Wang was given the rank of Consort and the honorific Gong. Four months later, she gave birth to a son, who was given the name Zhu Changluo. Shortly before this in the same year,
Empress Xiaoduanxian Empress Xiaoduanxian (; 7 November 1564 – 7 May 1620), personal name Wang Xijie (), was empress consort of the Wanli Emperor. She was the longest serving empress consort in Chinese history. Early life Wang was born in Beijing to Wang Wei ( ...
, the emperor's primary wife, had given birth to a daughter; the
Princess Rongchang Princess Rongchang (1582–1647) was a Chinese princess, the eldest child of the Ming dynasty Wanli Emperor and his primary wife's, Empress Xiaoduanxian, only child. Biography In 1596, Zhu Xuanying was given the title of Princess Rongchang. In Ma ...
. In 1584, Wang had a daughter named Zhu Xuanyuan (朱軒嫄).


Titles

*During the reign of the
Jiajing Emperor The Jiajing Emperor (; 16September 150723January 1567) was the 12th List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1521 to 1567. Born Zhu Houcong, he was the former Zhengde Emperor's cousin. His father, Zhu You ...
(r. 1521–1567): **Lady Wang (王氏; 27 February 1565) *During the reign of the
Wanli Emperor The Wanli Emperor (; 4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620), personal name Zhu Yijun (), was the 14th Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned from 1572 to 1620. "Wanli", the era name of his reign, literally means "ten thousand calendars". He was the ...
(r. 1572–1620): **Palace Lady (宮人; from 1578) **Consort Gong (恭妃; from 5 July 1582) **Imperial Noble Consort (皇貴妃; from 1605) **''Imperial Noble Consort Wensu Duanjing Chunyi'' (温肃端靖纯懿皇贵妃; from 1611) *During the reign of the
Tianqi Emperor The Tianqi Emperor (23 December 1605 – 30 September 1627), personal name Zhu Youjiao (), was the 16th Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1620 to 1627. He was the eldest son of the Taichang Emperor and a elder brother of the Chongzhen ...
(r. 1620–1627) **''Empress Dowager Xiàojìng Wēnyì Jìngràng Zhēncí Cāntiān Yìnshèng'' (孝靖溫懿敬讓貞慈參天胤聖皇太后; from 1621)


Issue

*As Consort Gong: **
Taichang Emperor The Taichang Emperor (; 28 August 1582 – 26 September 1620), personal name Zhu Changluo (), was the 15th Emperor of the Ming dynasty. He was the eldest son of the Wanli Emperor and succeeded his father as emperor in 1620. However, his reign c ...
(泰昌帝 朱常洛; 28 August 1582 – 26 September 1620), the Wanli Emperor's first son **Princess Yunmeng (雲夢公主; 1584–1587), personal name Xuanyuan (軒嫄), the Wanli Emperor's fourth daughter


Succession dispute

Although Wang had given birth to the emperor's eldest son, the emperor's favourite concubine was
Noble Consort Zheng Noble Consort Zheng (1565–1630), was a Ming dynasty concubine of the Wanli Emperor. She is known for having been his most beloved consort and, in an attempt to please her, he tried to make her son his heir apparent. This act caused over a decade ...
, who also had a son. When the
Wanli Emperor The Wanli Emperor (; 4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620), personal name Zhu Yijun (), was the 14th Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned from 1572 to 1620. "Wanli", the era name of his reign, literally means "ten thousand calendars". He was the ...
conferred the status of Imperial Noble Consort on Zheng in 1586, it became apparent to the court that he intended for her son,
Zhu Changxun Zhu Changxun (1586–1641) was the third son of the Ming dynasty Wanli Emperor. His mother, Noble Consort Zheng, was a favoured concubine and, in efforts to please her, the emperor attempted to have Zhu made heir apparent, but failed to overturn th ...
, to inherit the throne, which triggered more than a decade of court factionalism and conflict. This included attempts by officials to raise Wang's status to Noble Consort. Eventually, Wang's son was proclaimed heir apparent in 1601, as a result of pressure from both officials and
Empress Dowager Xiaoding Empress Dowager Xiaoding (1545 – 18 March 1614), of the Li clan, was the mother of the Wanli Emperor. She was the nominal Regent of China during the minority of her son from 1572 to 1582. She became known in history under her posthumous name, Xiao ...
. However,
Zhu Changxun Zhu Changxun (1586–1641) was the third son of the Ming dynasty Wanli Emperor. His mother, Noble Consort Zheng, was a favoured concubine and, in efforts to please her, the emperor attempted to have Zhu made heir apparent, but failed to overturn th ...
was not dispatched to his provincial command in keeping with imperial customs until 1604. In 1605, Wang was made Imperial Noble Consort.History Office (1620s), volume 418. In 1606, the emperor conferred upon Wang the honorific name of Cisheng (慈圣) to celebrate the birth of Zhu Changluo's first son.


References


Citations


Cited sources

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wang, Empress Dowager 1565 births 1611 deaths Chinese ladies-in-waiting Ming dynasty posthumous empresses 16th-century Chinese women 16th-century Chinese people 17th-century Chinese women 17th-century Chinese people