Background

Empress Wang was a daughter of Wang Fengguang, who was a hereditary acting marquess. There is no exact information about the date and the place of her birth.

Career

Wang Xuan had been engaged more than once. Each time, however, her husband-to-be had died before the marriage. When Liu Xun ascended the throne in 74 B.C. the young woman was selected into the palace, quickly rising to the rank of Lady of Handsome Fairness. She was appointed empress in 65 B.C.

Although not a favorite, Empress Wang was chosen over three other Ladies of Handsome Fairness who were at that time receiving the emperor’s favor: Lady Hua, Lady Zhang, and Lady Wei. It is said that the reason Empress Wang was appointed was that she was childless and of a kind disposition and was, therefore, the most suitable imperial woman to raise the motherless heir apparent Liu Shi.

Empress Wang’s appointment was clearly political: during the sixteen years she held this position the emperor rarely favored her and she remained childless. Upon Emperor Xuan’s death and the succession of Liu Shi, she was elevated to the position of Empress Dowager Wang.

After Liu Shi died in 33 B.C. and his son Crown Prince Ao took the throne as Emperor Cheng, she carried the title of the grand empress dowager and became semi-formally known as Empress Dowager Qiongcheng (based on her father's title) to be distinguished with her daughter-in-law. She did not appear to have much political influence during the reigns of either Emperor Yuan or Cheng, even though they appeared to genuinely love and respect her as a mother/grandmother. She died in 16 B.C. and was buried with her husband Emperor Xuan.

Achievements

• Wang Xuan was known in Chinese history as an Empress who lived through the reigns of four emperors. Over a period of forty-nine years, she had been empress, empress dowager, or grand empress dowager to three emperors.

Connections

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

Father:

Wang Fengguang

husband:

Liu Bingyi

Liu Bingyi, also known as Emperor Xuan, was an emperor of the Chinese Han dynasty from 74 B.C. to 49 B.C.

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.
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