Zhenfeng Wang

Background

Wang Zhenfeng was born in 436 into an aristocratic family. She was a daughter of Wang Senglang and had a brother named Wang Yu.

Career

Wang Zhenfeng was married to Liu Yu in 448. After their marriage, Zhenfeng carried the title of Princess of Huaiyang, and after Liu Yu's title was changed to Prince of Xiangdong in 452, she became the Princess of Xiangdong. After Liu Yu’s impulsive and violent nephew Emperor Qianfei was assassinated in 465, Liu Yu, considered kind and open-minded by the officials and court attendants, was declared emperor (as Emperor Ming). He created Princess Wang empress. However, contrary to his pre-ascension reputation, he soon turned cruel and immoral as well.

Historians appear to have held Empress Wang in higher esteem than they did her husband. Emperor Ming enjoyed looking at naked women; he would order palace women to strip naked as his consorts looked on, deeming this entertainment. Empress Wang, however, is said to have refused to look, covering her eyes with a fan. He became angrier and chased her away. In 472, Emperor grew seriously ill, and he, believing that after his death, Empress Wang would become regent and that her brother Wang Jingwen would become overly powerful, so he forced Wang Jingwen to commit suicide. He then died and was succeeded by his oldest son, Liu Yu (different character than Emperor Ming), as Emperor Houfei.

Emperor Houfei honored Wang Zhenfeng as empress dowager and his mother Consort Chen as consort dowager. Empress Wang assumed responsibility for his moral education. The young emperor refused to be led in the ways of righteousness and instead plotted to poison her. Apparently aware of his destructive nature, Empress Dowager Wang secretly lent her support to the many princes who were scheming to be rid of him. Their plot succeeded and after this emperor was killed in a coup, Emperor Ming’s third son, the eleven-year-old Liu Zhun, was installed as emperor (Emperor Shun, r. 477-479). The appointment of this boy emperor presaged the demise of the Liu Song dynasty, for the man appointed his regent overthrew the dynasty in 479, establishing the Qi dynasty and declaring himself emperor. With the collapse of Liu Song, Empress Dowager Wang was demoted to Consort of Ruyin.

Achievements

• Wang Zhenfeng was known in Chinese history as a good empress who unfortunately was powerless to save a dynasty that was already in decline.

Personality

Wang Zhenfeng was a beautiful and wise woman.

Connections

Wang Zhenfeng was the wife of Emperor Ming of Liu Song. She bore him two daughters, Liu Bosi, and Liu Boyuan.

Father:

Wang Senglang

Wang Senglang was a mid-high-level official for Emperor Wen of Liu Song.

Brother:

Wang Yu

Wang Yu had held the powerful position of prefect of Yangzhou until his death.

husband:

Liu Yu

Liu Yu, also known as Emperor Ming of Liu Song, was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song.

Daughter:

Liu Bosi

Daughter:

Liu Boyuan

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
• A Dictionary of Official Titles in Imperial China
  1985
• Tales of Empresses and Imperial Consorts in China Translated by Sun Haichen.
  1998