Empress Mao (Ming)
Encyclopedia
Empress Mao personal name unknown, formally known as Empress Mingdao (明悼皇后; literally: "The All-seeing and Lamentable Empress"), was an empress of Cao Wei
during the Three Kingdoms
period of Chinese history
. She was married to Cao Rui
(Emperor Ming), the second emperor of Cao Wei.
Empress Mao became a concubine of Cao Rui's during the reign of his father, Cao Pi
. Cao Rui was the Prince of Pingyuan at that time. She was not his wife or princess—that status belonged to Lady Yu. However, Consort Mao was a favored consort of Cao Rui's.
When Cao Rui became emperor in 226 following his father's death, it was widely expected that Princess Yu, as his wife, would be created empress. However, Cao Rui created Consort Mao empress instead in 227. Even though her family was of low birth, her father Mao Jia (毛嘉), who was a carpenter, and brother Mao Zeng (毛曾) were promoted to honored posts, and Mao Jia was created a marquess. When Cao Rui became aware that the aristocratic families looked down at his father-in-law, he promoted Mao Jia further and ordered all important officials to attend feasts at the Mao residence.
However, as the years went by, Empress Mao began to lose Cao Rui's favor. By 237, Consort Guo
had replaced her as Cao Rui's favorite. Once, when Cao Rui was attending a feast hosted by Consort Guo, Consort Guo requested that Empress Mao be invited to join as well, but Cao Rui refused and further ordered that no news about the feast is to be given to Empess Mao. However, the news leaked, and Empress Mao talked about the feast with him anyway. He became exceedingly angry, and killed a number of his attendants whom he suspected of leaking the news to Empress Mao, and, inexplicably, ordered Empress Mao to commit suicide, even though she was still buried with honors due an empress, and her family remained honored.
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
during the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. She was married to Cao Rui
Cao Rui
Cao Rui , formally known as Emperor Ming of Wei, was the second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a son of Cao Wei's first emperor Cao Pi according to Liu Song dynasty historian, Pei Songzhi, but was a son of Yuan Xi according to modern...
(Emperor Ming), the second emperor of Cao Wei.
Empress Mao became a concubine of Cao Rui's during the reign of his father, Cao Pi
Cao Pi
Cao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
. Cao Rui was the Prince of Pingyuan at that time. She was not his wife or princess—that status belonged to Lady Yu. However, Consort Mao was a favored consort of Cao Rui's.
When Cao Rui became emperor in 226 following his father's death, it was widely expected that Princess Yu, as his wife, would be created empress. However, Cao Rui created Consort Mao empress instead in 227. Even though her family was of low birth, her father Mao Jia (毛嘉), who was a carpenter, and brother Mao Zeng (毛曾) were promoted to honored posts, and Mao Jia was created a marquess. When Cao Rui became aware that the aristocratic families looked down at his father-in-law, he promoted Mao Jia further and ordered all important officials to attend feasts at the Mao residence.
However, as the years went by, Empress Mao began to lose Cao Rui's favor. By 237, Consort Guo
Empress Guo (Ming)
Empress Guo , personal name unknown, formally known as Empress Mingyuan , was an empress of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was married to Cao Rui , the second emperor of Cao Wei; she was his third wife and second empress...
had replaced her as Cao Rui's favorite. Once, when Cao Rui was attending a feast hosted by Consort Guo, Consort Guo requested that Empress Mao be invited to join as well, but Cao Rui refused and further ordered that no news about the feast is to be given to Empess Mao. However, the news leaked, and Empress Mao talked about the feast with him anyway. He became exceedingly angry, and killed a number of his attendants whom he suspected of leaking the news to Empress Mao, and, inexplicably, ordered Empress Mao to commit suicide, even though she was still buried with honors due an empress, and her family remained honored.
See also
- List of people of the Three Kingdoms