Empress Li (李皇后, personal name unknown) (died 944) was an empress of the

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (), from 907 to 979, was an era of political upheaval and division in 10th-century Imperial China. Five dynastic states quickly succeeded one another in the Central Plain, and more than a dozen conc ...

Min Min or MIN may refer to: Places * Fujian, also called Mǐn, a province of China ** Min Kingdom (909–945), a state in Fujian * Min County, a county of Dingxi, Gansu province, China * Min River (Fujian) * Min River (Sichuan) * Mineola (Am ...

state. She was the wife of its fifth ruler,

Wang Yanxi Wang Yanxi () (died April 8, 944), known as Wang Xi () during his reign, formally Emperor Jingzong of Min (), was an emperor of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Min. He became Min's ruler after a coup that overthrew his ne ...

(also known as Wang Xi, Emperor Jingzong).

Background

It is not known when the future Empress Li was born. It is known, however, that she was a daughter of the

official Li Zhen (李真), who would eventually become

chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

. It is not known when she married

— although, it appeared, given the sequence of events, that it was likely before his reign, although it was possible that the marital relationship came after he was enthroned. His only historically known son,

Wang Yacheng Wang Yacheng () (died 944), formally the Prince of Min (), was an imperial prince of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period Min state. He was the only historically known son of its fifth ruler Wang Yanxi (also known as Wang Xi, Emperor ...

, was by her.''

Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms The ''Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms'', also known by its Chinese title ''Shiguo Chunqiu'' (), is a history of the Ten Kingdoms that existed in southern China after the fall of the Tang Dynasty and before the reunification of China ...

''
vol. 94
In 939, Wang Yanxi seized power in a coup in which his nephew and predecessor,

Wang Jipeng Wang Jipeng () (died August 29, 939), used the name Wang Chang () from 935 to 939, formally Emperor Kangzong of Min (), was an emperor of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Min. He inherited the throne after his father Wa ...

(also known was Wang Chang, Emperor Kangzong) was killed. Contrary to the emperor title that Wang Jipeng claimed, Wang Yanxi (who then changed his name to Wang Xi) claimed only the title of King of Min at this point and was formally a vassal to

Shi Jingtang Shi Jingtang ( zh, 石敬瑭; 30 March 892 – 28 July 942''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 283.), also known by his temple name Gaozu (), was the founding emperor of imperial China's short-lived Later Jin during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms pe ...

the emperor of

Later Jin Later Jin may refer to two states in imperial China: * Later Jin (Five Dynasties) (後晉; 936–947), one of the Five Dynasties * Later Jin (1616–1636) (後金; 1616–1636), precursor to the Qing dynasty See also * Jin (disambiguation) Jin ...

, even though he also took on imperial trappings. Historical accounts did not indicate his giving Lady Li any titles at this point, although her father Li Zhen, who was then in retirement, was recalled to the imperial government to serve as chancellor. Her son Wang Yacheng received progressively greater titles — initially the commander of the imperial guards and chancellor, later the Prince of Langye, then the Prince of Changle as well as the military governor (''

Jiedushi The ''jiedushi'' (), or jiedu, was a title for regional military governors in China which was established in the Tang dynasty and abolished in the Yuan dynasty. The post of ''jiedushi'' has been translated as "military commissioner", "legate", ...

'') of Min's most important circuit, Weiwu Circuit (威武, headquartered at Min's capital Changle (長樂), in modern

Fuzhou Fuzhou (; , Fuzhounese: Hokchew, ''Hók-ciŭ''), alternately romanized as Foochow, is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian province, China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute t ...

Fujian Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capi ...

).''

Zizhi Tongjian ''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynast ...

'', vol. 282.

As empress

In 941, Wang Xi claimed the title of emperor. In 942, he created Lady Li empress. Her son Wang Yacheng received the title of Prince of Min. It was said that, as empress, she had a strong personality and liked drinking. Wang Xi was said to both favor and fear her.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 283. In 942, there was a time when Wang Xi commissioned the chancellor Yu Tingying to be the prefect of Quan Prefecture (泉州, in modern

Quanzhou Quanzhou, postal map romanization, alternatively known as Chinchew, is a prefecture-level city, prefecture-level port city on the north bank of the Jin River, beside the Taiwan Strait in southern Fujian, China. It is Fujian's largest metrop ...

). Yu engaged in corruption upon arriving there, including taking women for himself while claiming that he was doing so under Wang Xi's orders, for the women to serve as consorts in Wang Xi's palace. When Wang Xi received reports of this, he sent imperial censors to investigate. In fear, Yu returned to Changle, trying to defend himself. Wang Xi was set to have him arrested, when Yu offered a large tribute of money. Wang Xi was pleased, and, after extracting a second tribute (on Empress Li's behalf), allowed Yu to return to Quan. Indeed, after this incident, the officials began to directly offer tributes to the empress. However, in 943, Wang Xi took the daughter of the general Shang Baoyin (尚保殷) as a concubine, and favored her greatly for her beauty, such that it was described that when he was drunk, he would do whatever Consort Shang wanted, including killing or sparing whomever she wanted. Empress Li was jealous, and wanted Wang Xi assassinated so that Wang Yacheng could be emperor. At that time, there were mutual suspicions between Wang Xi and the two imperial guard generals who were responsible for overthrowing Wang Jipeng,

Zhu Wenjin Zhu Wenjin () (died February 14, 945) was a general of, and later a claimant of the throne of, the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Min. In 944, he assassinated the emperor Wang Yanxi (also known as Wang Xi, Emperor Jingzong) ...

and Lian Chongyu. She sent messengers to Zhu and Lian, informing of Wang Xi's suspicions toward them, to inflame them. At that time, her father Li Zhen happened to be ill, and Wang Xi decided to go visit him. As he left the palace on a horse, Zhu and Lian had him assassinated, and then slaughtered the imperial Wang clan,''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 284. including Empress Li and Wang Yacheng.

Notes and references

* ''

''
vol. 94
* ''

'', vols.

283 Year 283 ( CCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Carus and Carinus (or, less frequently, year 1036 ''Ab urbe cond ...

, 284. {{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Empress Min Kingdom empresses 10th-century births 944 deaths Year of birth unknown Executed Min Kingdom people People executed by Min Kingdom Murdered royalty