Ping Wang

Background

Empress Wang was born in 8 B.C. She was the daughter of Wang Mang and his wife Lady Wang. She also had four brothers.

Career

In 4 A.D. Wang Ping became the wife of Emperor Ping and he made her empress. However, in 5 A.D. Emperor Ping died and Wang Ping's father Wang Mang appointed as emperor a one-year-old infant Liu Ying for whom he acted as regent. Three years later, Wang Mang usurped the throne, declaring himself emperor of the Xin dynasty. He granted the deposed Liu Ying the title of Duke Ding’an and made his widowed daughter Dowager Wang of the Ding’an Duke.

During her father's reign, Wang Ping often claimed to be ill and refused to attend imperial gatherings. Wang Mang, believing that he could solve her unhappiness by having her remarry, changed her title from Duchess Dowager of Ding'an to Princess Huanghuang in 10 A.D. He also intended to marry her to the son of one of his important officials, Sun Jian. He instructed Sun Jian's son to dress well and accompany physicians to go visit Princess Huanghuang. She was greatly offended and would not receive any guests afterward.

Wang Mang was eventually overthrown, defeated by Han dynasty armies in 23 C.E. The people of Chang'an, who rose against Wang Mang as well, set fire to the main imperial palace, Weiyang Palace, and the fire quickly spread to the part of the palace where Wang Ping lived. She thought that she couldn't face the people of the Han imperial family with a clear conscience and then threw herself into the fire and died. Her father was killed shortly afterwards.

Achievements

• Wang Ping was known in Chinese history as the victim of circumstances who tried to remain loyal to her husband of only a few years, but whose faithfulness to her husband's dynasty eventually led her to commit suicide at the end of her father's reign.

Personality

Wang Ping was a quiet and obedient young woman of great integrity.

Connections

Empress Wang was the wife of Emperor Ping. She had no children.

Father:

Wang Mang

Wang Mang was a Han Dynasty official and consort kin who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin Dynasty, ruling 9–23 A.D.

Mother:

Lady Wang

Lady Wang, also known as Empress Wang, was an empress during the Xin Dynasty.

husband:

Liu Kan

Liu Kan, also known as Emperor Ping, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 1 B.C. to 5 A.D.

Brother:

Wang Yu

Brother:

Wang Huo

Brother:

Wang An

Brother:

Wang Lin

References

• The Position of Woman in Early China According to the Lieh Nu Chuan, The Biographies of Chinese Women.
  1971
• 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