Mingdao Mao

Background

Mao Mingdao was born in Shanxi province, but there is no exact information about the date of her birth. She was a daughter of Mao Jia and had a brother Mao Zeng.

Career

Empress Mao became a concubine of Cao Rui during the reign of his father, Cao Pi. Cao Rui was the Prince of Pingyuan at that time. She was not his wife or princess – that status belonged to Cao Rui's first wife, Lady Yu. However, she was Cao Rui's favorite concubine.

When Cao Rui became emperor in 226 following his father's death, it was widely expected that Lady Yu, as his wife, would be created empress. However, Cao Rui created Consort Mao empress instead in 227. Even though her family was of low birth, her father Mao Jia, who was a carpenter, and brother Mao Zeng were given honorary positions, and Mao Jia was created a marquis.

It was not long before Emperor Ming’s attention wandered and he became enamored of his Lady Guo (Guo, Empress of Emperor Ming of Wei). One autumn day in 237, the emperor was touring his rear garden and summoned the palace women of the rank of lady of talents (cairen) and above to a private feast. However, the news leaked, and Empress Mao talked about the feast with him anyway. He became exceedingly angry, and killed a number of his attendants whom he suspected of leaking the news to Empress Mao, and, inexplicably, ordered Empress Mao to commit suicide on 22 September 237, even though she was still buried on 25 October 237 with honors befitting an empress, and her family remained honored.

Achievements

• Empress Mao was known in Chinese history as an empress who came to power as fast as lost it.

Connections

Mao Mingdao was the first empress of Emperor Ming. She bore him a son named Cao Yin.

Father:

Mao Jia

Brother:

Mao Zeng

husband:

Cao Rui

Cao Rui, also known as Emperor Ming, was the second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period.

Son:

Cao Yin

Cao Yin was also known as Prince Ai of Anping.

References

• Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E. - 618 C.E This new volume of the "Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women" spans more than 2,000 years from antiquity to the early seventh century. It recovers the stories of more than 200 women, nearly all of them unknown in the West.
  1998
• Empresses and Consorts: Selections from Chen Shou's Records of the Three States With Pei Songzhi's Commentary By Chen Shou. Translated by Robert Joe Cutter and William Gordon Crowell.
  1999