Empress Zhang Yao'er
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Zhang Yao'er (章要兒) (506 – 3 April 570''bing'shen'' day of the 3rd month of the 2nd year of the ''Tai'jian'' era, per vol.170 of ''Zizhi Tongjian''. Lady Zhang's biography in ''Book of Chen'' indicate that she was 65 (by East Asian reckoning) when she died.), formally Empress Xuan (literally "the responsible empress"), was an
empress The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...
of the
Chinese Chinese may refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China. **'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...
Chen dynasty The Chen dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Chen (南陳 / 南朝陳) in historiography, was a Dynasties in Chinese history, Chinese imperial dynasty and the fourth and last of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Southern dynasties, ...
. Her husband was the founding emperor Emperor Wu (Chen Baxian). Zhang Yao'er was from Wuxing Commandery (吳興, roughly modern
Huzhou Huzhou (, ; Huzhou dialect: Romanization of Wu Chinese, ''ghou² cieu¹'') is a prefecture-level city in northern Zhejiang province (Hangzhou–Jiaxing–Huzhou Plain, China). Lying south of the Lake Tai, it borders Jiaxing to the east, Hangzho ...
,
Zhejiang ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = ( Hangzhounese) ( Ningbonese) (Wenzhounese) , image_skyline = 玉甑峰全貌 - panoramio.jpg , image_caption = View of the Yandang Mountains , image_map = Zhejiang i ...
). Her father Zhang Jingming (章景明) was originally surnamed Niu (鈕), but was adopted by a family named Zhang, and therefore had his name changed. Her mother was named Su (蘇), but her mother's surname is not known to history. Zhang Yao'er was not Chen Baxian's first wife, as Chen had initially married a daughter of Qian Zhongfang (錢仲方), who, like Chen and Zhang, was from Wuxing Commandery, but Lady Qian died early, so he married Zhang after Lady Qian's death. Zhang Yao'er was described as being well-versed in
mathematics Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...
,
poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...
, and the ''
Chu Ci The ''Chu Ci'', variously translated as ''Verses of Chu'', ''Songs of Chu'', or ''Elegies of Chu'', is an ancient anthology of Chinese poetry including works traditionally attributed mainly to Qu Yuan and Song Yu from the Warring States period, ...
''. She bore Chen at least one son,
Chen Chang Chen Chang (陳昌) (c. 537 – 5 May 560), courtesy name Jingye (敬業), formally Prince Xian of Hengyang (衡陽獻王),(衡阳献王昌字敬业,高祖第六子也。) ''Chen Shu'', vol.14 was an imperial prince of the Chinese Chen dynast ...
, but it is not known whether any other of his at least five other sons (none of whom survived to adulthood) or either of his two known daughters, the Princess Kuaiji and Yongsi, was hers. In 545, with Jiao Province (交州, modern northern
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
) seized by the rebel Li Ben, Chen Baxian, then a
Liang Dynasty The Liang dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Liang () or Xiao Liang () in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the third of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. It was pre ...
general, was sent to Jiao Province to battle Li; at that time, rather than taking Lady Zhang and Chen Chang with him, he sent them back to Wuxing. After the general
Hou Jing Hou Jing (; died 26 May 552), courtesy name Wanjing (萬景), was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician. He was a general of Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, and Liang, and briefly, after controlling the Liang imperial regime for severa ...
rebelled in 548 and subsequently captured the capital
Jiankang Jiankang (), or Jianye (), as it was originally called, was the capital city of the Eastern Wu (229–265 and 266–280 CE), the Jin dynasty (265–420), Eastern Jin dynasty (317–420 CE) and the Southern Dynasties (420–552), including the Ch ...
in 549, both she and Chen Chang were taken captive by Hou, but despite Chen Baxian's subsequent major participation in the campaign against Hou, Hou did not kill her or Chen Chang. After Hou was defeated in 552,
Emperor Yuan of Liang Emperor Yuan of Liang () (16 September 508 – 27 January 555), personal name Xiao Yi (), courtesy name Shicheng (), childhood name Qifu (), was an emperor of the Chinese Liang dynasty. After his father Emperor Wu and brother Emperor Jianwen w ...
created Chen Baxian the Duke of Changcheng for his contributions, and Lady Zhang became the Duchess of Changcheng. Her son Chen Chang, despite his young age (15), was made the governor of Wuxing Commandery, but subsequently was summoned by Emperor Yuan, along with Chen Baxian's nephew Chen Xu, to the new capital Jiangling, to serve at the central government and to effectively serve as hostages. In 554, after Jiangling was captured by
Western Wei Wei (), known in historiography as the Western Wei (), was an imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei. One of the Northern dynasties during the era of the Northern and Southern dynasties, it ruled the weste ...
forces, Emperor Yuan was executed, while Chen Chang and Chen Xu were taken as honored captives to the Western Wei capital
Chang'an Chang'an (; zh, t=長安, s=长安, p=Cháng'ān, first=t) is the traditional name of the city now named Xi'an and was the capital of several Chinese dynasties, ranging from 202 BCE to 907 CE. The site has been inhabited since Neolithic time ...
. After Jiangling's fall, the supreme general of the remaining Liang territory,
Wang Sengbian Wang Sengbian () (5th century – 27 October 555), courtesy name Juncai (君才), was a Chinese military general and regent of the Liang dynasty. He came to prominence as the leading general under Emperor Yuan (Xiao Yi)'s campaigns against the r ...
, along with Chen Baxian, who was then in charge of Jingkou (京口, in modern
Zhenjiang Zhenjiang, alternately romanized as Chinkiang, is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu Province, China. It lies on the southern bank of the Yangtze River near its intersection with the Grand Canal. It is opposite Yangzhou (to its north) and ...
,
Jiangsu Jiangsu is a coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province in East China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the List of Chinese administra ...
), prepared in spring 555 to make Emperor Yuan's son Xiao Fangzhi the Prince of Jin'an, emperor, but subsequently, under military pressure from
Northern Qi Qi, known as the Northern Qi (), Later Qi (後齊) or Gao Qi (高齊) in historiography, was a Dynasties in Chinese history, Chinese imperial dynasty and one of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties during the ...
, Wang accepted Northern Qi's proposed candidate for the throne, Emperor Yuan's cousin Xiao Yuanming the Marquess of Zhenyang. In fall 555, however, Chen made a surprise attack on Jiankang, killing Wang and deposing Xiao Yuanming, declaring Xiao Fangzhi emperor instead (as Emperor Jing). In the next two years, Chen defeated Northern Qi forces and affirmed his grip on power, taking the throne from Emperor Jing in 557 and establishing Chen Dynasty (as Emperor Wu). He created her empress and created her mother as the Marchioness of Anji. Emperor Wu made repeated requests to Western Wei's successor state
Northern Zhou Zhou (), known in historiography as the Northern Zhou (), was a Xianbei-led Dynasties in Chinese history, dynasty of China that lasted from 557 to 581. One of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties of China's ...
to have Chen Chang and Chen Xu returned, but Northern Zhou, despite initially agreeing, never actually freed Chen Chang or Chen Xu. In 558, the Marchioness of Anji died, and Emperor Wu subsequently posthumously created Zhang Jingming the Marquess of Guangde, burying the marchioness with him with honors. In 559, Emperor Wu suffered a major illness and died quickly. At that time, Emperor Wu's nephew Chen Qian the Prince of Linchuan, the only close male relative of Emperor Wu then in Chen territory, was constructing a fort at Nanhuan (南皖, in modern
Anqing Anqing ( zh, s=, t=安慶, p=Ānqìng, l=, also Yicheng, Nganking and formerly Hwaining, now the name of Huaining County) is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Anhui province of China, province, China, People's Republic of China. Its popu ...
,
Anhui Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...
), and Empress Zhang, after consulting the officials Du Leng (杜稜) and Cai Jingli (蔡景歷), chose not to announce Emperor Wu's death, and they secretly summoned Chen Qian back from Nanhuan. Chen Qian soon returned to Jiankang, with the general
Hou Andu Hou Andu () (520 – 6 July 563According to Emperor Wen's biography in ''Book of Chen'', Hou Andu was forced to commit suicide on the ''guisi'' day of the 6th month of the 4th year of the ''Tianjia'' era of his reign. This corresponds to 6 Jul 5 ...
. Hou and the officials subsequently decided to support Chen Qian as emperor, but Empress Zhang was still hopeful that Chen Chang would return, and therefore refused to allow Chen Qian to inherit the throne. Hou approached her and, with his hand on the handle of his sword, requested that she turn over the imperial seal. She finally agreed, and Chen Qian took the throne (as Emperor Wen). Emperor Wen honored Empress Zhang as
empress dowager Empress dowager (also dowager empress or empress mother; ) is the English language translation of the title given to the mother or widow of a monarch, especially in regards to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese monarchs in the Chines ...
, and she took up residence at Cixun Palace (慈訓宮). She did not appear to have much power during Emperor Wen's reign, and in 560, when Chen Chang returned from Northern Zhou and made suggestions that he would contest the throne, Emperor Wen had him drowned. In 566, Emperor Wen died and was succeeded by his son Emperor Fei, who honored her as grand empress dowager. In 569, when Chen Xu (who had by this time returned from Northern Zhou as well) seized the throne from Emperor Fei, he had the edict deposing Emperor Fei and making him emperor (as Emperor Xuan) issued in her name, although there is no evidence suggesting that she was actually involved in Emperor Xuan's seizure of the throne. After Emperor Xuan took the throne, she was again titularly empress dowager. She died in 570 and was buried with honors due an empress, with her husband Emperor Wu.


References

* ''
Book of Chen The ''Book of Chen'' or ''Chen Shu'' (''Chén Shū'') was the official history of the Chen dynasty, one of the Southern dynasties of China. The ''Book of Chen'' is part of the official Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. It was compiled by ...
'', vols. 1, 2, 7. * '' History of Southern Dynasties'', vols.

1

* ''
Zizhi Tongjian The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...
'', vols. 167,
170 Year 170 ( CLXX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Clarus and Cornelius (or, less frequently, year 923 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 170 for this yea ...
. , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Zhang Yao'er, Empress 506 births 570 deaths Chen dynasty empresses Liang dynasty people Chinese grand empresses dowager People from Huzhou