Empress Wang Fahui (王法慧) (360 – 24 October 380), formally Empress Xiaowuding (孝武定皇后, literally "the filial, martial, and quieting empress") was an

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), ...

during

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 Emperor Xiaowu. When Emperor Xiaowu was due to marry, the regent

Xie An Xie An (謝安) (320 – 12 October 385), courtesy name Anshi (安石), formally Duke Wenjing of Luling (廬陵文靖公), also known as "Xie Dongshan" (谢东山, "dongshan" literally 'East mount'), was a Chinese politician of the Eastern Jin d ...

wanted to look for a noble family that was meek and virtuous. Since he respected Wang Fahui's father Wang Yun (王蘊) and brother Wang Gong (王恭) greatly, he personally visited Wang Fahui to examine her, and he was impressed with her politeness and beauty. In 375, he therefore selected her as Emperor Xiaowu's empress. He was 14 and she was 15. Once she became empress, however, she became obsessed with drinking and was also proud and jealous, and Emperor Xiaowu was displeased. He therefore summoned Wang Yun, his father-in-law, to ask him to counsel his daughter to change her ways. Wang, during this meeting, became so fearful that he took off his hat to apologize.(后性嗜酒骄妒，帝深患之。乃召蕴于东堂，具说后过状，令加训诫。蕴免冠谢焉。后于是少自改饰) ''Jin Shu'' vol.32 He then rebuked her, and she changed her behavior. She died in 380 and was buried with honors due an empress. She did not bear any sons.

References

, - style="text-align: center;" , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Wang Fahui, Empress 360 births 380 deaths Jin dynasty (266–420) empresses 4th-century Chinese women 4th-century Chinese people