Empress Dowager Li Lingrong
Encyclopedia
Empress Dowager Li Lingrong (李陵容) (died 400), formally Empress Dowager Xiaowuwen (孝武文太后, literally "the filial, martial, and civil empress dowager") was an empress dowager
during Jin Dynasty (265-420)
. She was a concubine of Emperor Jianwen
and the mother of Emperor Xiaowu
.
Li Lingrong was born of a humble origin, and she became a servant girl in the household of Sima Yu the Prince of Kuaiji. She was one of the servants involved with manufacturing textiles.
Sima Yu originally had a wife from high birth—Princess Wang Jianji (王簡姬), who bore him his heir apparent
Sima Daosheng (司馬道生) and Sima Yusheng (司馬俞生). However, Sima Daosheng was described as careless and frivolous. In 348, while Sima Yu was prime minister for his grandnephew Emperor Mu
, Sima Daosheng was accused of unspecified crimes. He was deposed and died in imprisonment. Princess Wang died in distress. Sima Yusheng and three other sons of Sima Yu all died early, leaving him without an heir, and his concubines were not conceiving any more. He retained a magician to look at his concubines to see which one could conceive an heir, and the magician looked at all of them and opined that none was destined to give him an heir—but then he saw Li Lingrong, who was dark-skinned and who was derogatorily referred to as a Malay
, and he, in surprised, yelled out, "She is the one!" Sima Yu therefore took her as a concubine, and she bore him two sons—Sima Yao in 362 and Sima Daozi
in 363 or 364. Sima Yao was subsequently named heir apparent. She also bore Sima Yu a daughter, who would later be Princess Poyang.
In 371, the paramount general Huan Wen
, in order to showcase his power, deposed Sima Yu's nephew Emperor Fei
and replaced him with Sima Yu (as Emperor Jianwen). Emperor Jianwen ruled only for one year, dying in 372. He did not create her any special titles, but he did create her son Sima Yao crown prince
. Sima Yao, after Emperor Jianwen's death, ascended the throne as Emperor Xiaowu. Initially, out of respect for his father's deceased wife Princess Wang, he did not honor Consort Li as empress dowager, but did progressively honor her with greater and greater imperial consort titles. In 387, he honored her as Consort Dowager (皇太妃), with all ceremonial trappings of an empress dowager. In 394, after a petition by Sima Daozi (by now the Prince of Kuaiji), she was finally honored as empress dowager.
Empress Dowager Li's influence during Emperor Xiaowu's reign appeared to be limited, as Emperor Mu's mother Empress Dowager Chu
was regent
early, and after she gave up regent authorities in 376, power was largely in the hands of Xie An
until Emperor Xiaowu fully turned adult. She was described as often mediating conflicts between him and Sima Daozi, and throughout his reign, Sima Daozi had great authority as the emperor's brother and prime minister.
Emperor Xiaowu was killed by his concubine Consort Zhang in 396 after humiliating her. He was succeeded by his developmentally disabled
son Emperor An
, and Empress Dowager Li was honored as grand empress dowager. She died in 400 and was mourned with ceremony due an empress, but was not buried with Emperor Jianwen or worshipped with him in his temple, but instead was worshipped in the same temple that housed Emperor Jianwen's mother, Consort Zheng Achun (鄭阿春).
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
during Jin Dynasty (265-420)
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
. She was a concubine of Emperor Jianwen
Emperor Jianwen of Jin
Emperor Jianwen of Jin , personal name Sima Yu , courtesy name Daowan , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty in China. He was the younger brother of Emperor Ming and installed by military leader Huan Wen...
and the mother of Emperor Xiaowu
Emperor Xiaowu of Jin
Emperor Xiaowu of Jin , personal name Sima Yao , courtesy name Changming , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty in China...
.
Li Lingrong was born of a humble origin, and she became a servant girl in the household of Sima Yu the Prince of Kuaiji. She was one of the servants involved with manufacturing textiles.
Sima Yu originally had a wife from high birth—Princess Wang Jianji (王簡姬), who bore him his heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
Sima Daosheng (司馬道生) and Sima Yusheng (司馬俞生). However, Sima Daosheng was described as careless and frivolous. In 348, while Sima Yu was prime minister for his grandnephew Emperor Mu
Emperor Mu of Jin
Emperor Mu of Jin , personal name Sima Dan , courtesy name Pengzi , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty...
, Sima Daosheng was accused of unspecified crimes. He was deposed and died in imprisonment. Princess Wang died in distress. Sima Yusheng and three other sons of Sima Yu all died early, leaving him without an heir, and his concubines were not conceiving any more. He retained a magician to look at his concubines to see which one could conceive an heir, and the magician looked at all of them and opined that none was destined to give him an heir—but then he saw Li Lingrong, who was dark-skinned and who was derogatorily referred to as a Malay
Malay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
, and he, in surprised, yelled out, "She is the one!" Sima Yu therefore took her as a concubine, and she bore him two sons—Sima Yao in 362 and Sima Daozi
Sima Daozi
Sima Daozi , formally Prince Wenxiao of Kuaiji , was a regent during the reign of his nephew Emperor An of Jin, being the younger brother of Emperor Xiaowu.-Early life:...
in 363 or 364. Sima Yao was subsequently named heir apparent. She also bore Sima Yu a daughter, who would later be Princess Poyang.
In 371, the paramount general Huan Wen
Huan Wen
Huan Wen , courtesy name Yuanzi , formally Duke Xuanwu of Nan Commandery , was a general of the Jin Dynasty...
, in order to showcase his power, deposed Sima Yu's nephew Emperor Fei
Emperor Fei of Jin
Emperor Fei of Jin , personal name Sima Yi , courtesy name Yanling , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty in China. He was the younger brother of Emperor Ai and later deposed by military leader Huan Wen...
and replaced him with Sima Yu (as Emperor Jianwen). Emperor Jianwen ruled only for one year, dying in 372. He did not create her any special titles, but he did create her son Sima Yao crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
. Sima Yao, after Emperor Jianwen's death, ascended the throne as Emperor Xiaowu. Initially, out of respect for his father's deceased wife Princess Wang, he did not honor Consort Li as empress dowager, but did progressively honor her with greater and greater imperial consort titles. In 387, he honored her as Consort Dowager (皇太妃), with all ceremonial trappings of an empress dowager. In 394, after a petition by Sima Daozi (by now the Prince of Kuaiji), she was finally honored as empress dowager.
Empress Dowager Li's influence during Emperor Xiaowu's reign appeared to be limited, as Emperor Mu's mother Empress Dowager Chu
Empress Chu Suanzi
Empress Chu Suanzi , formally Empress Kangxian , at times as Empress Dowager Chongde , was an empress of Jin Dynasty...
was regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
early, and after she gave up regent authorities in 376, power was largely in the hands of Xie An
Xie An
200px|right|thumb|Statue of xie anXie An , courtesy name Anshi , formally Duke Wenjing of Luling , was a Jin Dynasty statesman who, despite his lack of military ability, led Jin through a major crisis—attacks by Former Qin...
until Emperor Xiaowu fully turned adult. She was described as often mediating conflicts between him and Sima Daozi, and throughout his reign, Sima Daozi had great authority as the emperor's brother and prime minister.
Emperor Xiaowu was killed by his concubine Consort Zhang in 396 after humiliating her. He was succeeded by his developmentally disabled
Developmental disability
Developmental disability is a term used in the United States and Canada to describe lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18. It is not synonymous with "developmental delay" which is often a consequence of a temporary illness or trauma during...
son Emperor An
Emperor An of Jin
Emperor An of Jin , personal name Sima Dezong , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty in China. He was described as so developmentally disabled that he was unable to speak, clothe himself, or be able to express whether he was hungry or full...
, and Empress Dowager Li was honored as grand empress dowager. She died in 400 and was mourned with ceremony due an empress, but was not buried with Emperor Jianwen or worshipped with him in his temple, but instead was worshipped in the same temple that housed Emperor Jianwen's mother, Consort Zheng Achun (鄭阿春).