Background
Zheng Mao was a woman of the Ying clan from the small state of Zheng (in present-day Henan Province). There is no exact information about the date of her birth.
Zheng Mao with King Cheng of Chu.
鄭瞀
Zheng Mao was a woman of the Ying clan from the small state of Zheng (in present-day Henan Province). There is no exact information about the date of her birth.
Zheng Mao was sent with the primary wife as a concubine for King Cheng of Chu. After she arrived at the Chu palace, the king looked down on the women's quarters and noticed her not looking up no matter what he offered her. He then made her his principal wife.
Both she and his chief minister cautioned against the appointment of his son Shangchen as crown prince. After the king ignored the advice, Shangchen caused the downfall of the minister. After this, the King wanted to appoint a younger son as heir apparent instead, but now Zheng Mao was advised against this, predicting civil war. However, the King ignored the words. Then Zheng Mao told her governess that she believed the king thought she had spoken ill of the heir apparent because she was not the boy’s mother and that to continue living under suspicion was equivalent to living without righteousness. Knowing that these last words would reach King Cheng after her death, she committed suicide. Soon after she died the heir apparent rose in rebellion and King Cheng was himself driven to suicide.
Zheng Mao was known as a wise woman, who obviously understood the political situation very well and tried to prevent conflicts in her country.
Zheng Mao was the wife of King Mu of Chu and her son was possibly King Mu of Chu.