Empress Li (Wang Yanxi)

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Empress Li (李皇后, personal name unknown) (d. 944) was an empress of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Min. She was the wife of its fifth ruler, Wang Yanxi (also known as Wang Xi, Emperor Jingzong).

History of China account of past events in the Chinese civilisation

The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty, during the king Wu Ding's reign, who was recorded as the twenty-first Shang king by the written records of Shang dynasty unearthed. Ancient historical texts such as the Records of the Grand Historian and the Bamboo Annals describe a Xia dynasty before the Shang, but no writing is known from the period, and Shang writings do not indicate the existence of the Xia. The Shang ruled in the Yellow River valley, which is commonly held to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. However, Neolithic civilizations originated at various cultural centers along both the Yellow River and Yangtze River. These Yellow River and Yangtze civilizations arose millennia before the Shang. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest civilizations, and is regarded as one of the cradles of civilization.

Wang Yanxi (王延羲), known as Wang Xi (王曦) during his reign, formally Emperor Jingzong of Min (閩景宗), 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 nephew Wang Jipeng in 939. With his reign being a cruel one, the imperial guard officers Zhu Wenjin and Lian Chongyu assassinated him and slaughtered the imperial Wang clan. Zhu thereafter claimed the title of Emperor of Min.

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Background

It is not known when the future Empress Li was born. It is known, however, that she was a daughter of the Min official Li Zhen (李真), who would eventually become chancellor. It is not known when she married Wang Yanxi — 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, was by her. [1]

Wang Yacheng (王亞澄), formally the Prince of Min (閩王), was an imperial prince of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Min. He was the only historically-known son of its fifth ruler Wang Yanxi.

In 939, Wang Yanxi seized power in a coup in which his nephew and predecessor, Wang Jipeng (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 the emperor of Later 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 ) of Min's most important circuit, Weiwu Circuit (威武, headquartered at Min's capital Changle (長樂), in modern Fuzhou, Fujian). [2]

Wang Jipeng (王繼鵬), used the name Wang Chang (王昶) from 935 to 939, formally Emperor Kangzong of Min (閩康宗), was an emperor of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Min. He inherited the throne after his father Wang Yanjun was assassinated, possibly at his instigation. He himself was in turn killed in a coup headed by his uncle Wang Yanxi, who succeeded him.

Shi Jingtang Later Jin emperor

Shi Jingtang (石敬瑭), also known by his temple name Gaozu (高祖), was the founding emperor of imperial China's short-lived Later Jin during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, reigning from 936 until his death.

Later Jin (Five Dynasties) Chinese dynasty (936–947); one of the Five Dynasties

The Later Jìn, also called Shi Jin (石晉), was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in China. It was founded by Shi Jingtang, who was posthumously titled "Gaozu". Liao, its original protector state, destroyed Later Jin by invading in 946 and 947, after Jin's second ruler, Shi Chonggui, fell out with them.

As empress

In 941, Wang Xi claimed the title of emperor. [2] 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. [3]

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, Fujian). 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. [3]

Quanzhou Prefecture-level city in Fujian, Peoples Republic of China

Quanzhou, formerly known as Chinchew, is a prefecture-level port city on the north bank of the Jin River, beside the Taiwan Strait in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. It is Fujian's largest metropolitan region, with an area of 11,245 square kilometers (4,342 sq mi) and, as of 2010, a population of 8,128,530. Its built-up area is home to 6,107,475 inhabitants, encompassing the Licheng, Fengze, and Luojiang urban districts; Jinjiang, Nan'an, and Shishi cities; Hui'an County; and the Quanzhou District for Taiwanese Investment. Quanzhou was China's 12th-largest extended metropolitan area in 2010.

Fujian Province

Fujian, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. The name Fujian came from the combination of Fuzhou and Jianzhou, two cities in Fujian, during the Tang dynasty. While its population is chiefly of Han origin, it is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse provinces in China.

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. [3] 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 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, [4] including Empress Li and Wang Yacheng. [1]

Zhu Wenjin (朱文進) 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 and tried to take over control of the Min state, but his officer Lin Renhan (林仁翰) assassinated him less than a year later and submitted to Wang Yanxi's brother Wang Yanzheng, who had been warring with Wang Yanxi.

Lian Chongyu (連重遇) was a general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Min. In 944, he and another general, Zhu Wenjin, assassinated the emperor Wang Yanxi. He then supported Zhu as the new emperor of the Min state, but the officer Lin Renhan (林仁翰) assassinated him and Zhu less than a year later and submitted to Wang Yanxi's brother Wang Yanzheng, who had been warring with Wang Yanxi.

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms , vol. 94.
  2. 1 2 Zizhi Tongjian , vol. 282.
  3. 1 2 3 Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 283.
  4. Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 284.
Chinese nobility
Preceded by
Empress Li Chunyan
Empress of Min
942-944
Succeeded by
Empress Zhang

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