Empress Zheng Yingtao
Encyclopedia
Empress Zheng Yingtao (died 349) was an empress of the Chinese
/Jie
state Later Zhao
. She was Shi Hu
(Emperor Wu)'s first empress, but not his first wife.
Zheng Yingtao became a concubine of Shi Hu's, apparently when he was in his late teens, circa 312. Traditional historians implied that she was a prostitute before becoming Shi Hu's concubine. Shi Hu favored her greatly, and she was purportedly involved in persuading him to kill his first two wives, Lady Guo and Lady Cui. She bore him at least two sons, his oldest son Shi Sui (石邃) and Shi Zun
. In 333, after the death of Shi Hu's uncle Shi Le
, the founding emperor of Later Zhao, Shi Hu quickly took power in a coup, holding Shi Le's heir Shi Hong
as a puppet, and he forced Shi Hong to create him the Prince of Wei. Lady Zheng was created the Princess of Wei, and her son Shi Sui the Crown Prince of Wei.
After Shi Hu deposed Shi Hong in 334, he did not immediately give Princess Zheng a greater title, but after he claimed the "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang
) title in 337, he created her empress and created Shi Sui crown prince. Later that year, however, after discovering that Shi Sui, unable to stand his constant rebukes and whippings, had plotted to kill him, he killed Shi Sui and deposed Empress Zheng to the title of Duchess Dowager of Donghai. (This title implied that she had another son who was the Duke of Donghai, but historians did not record who was the Duke of Donghai; it did not appear to be Shi Zun's title, since he was the Duke of Pengcheng.) The empress title went to Du Zhu
.
Nothing further was recorded of her activities until Shi Hu's death in 349. Initially, Shi Hu's youngest son Shi Shi
was proclaimed emperor pursuant to Shi Hu's wishes, but Shi Zun soon overthrew him and his mother Empress Dowager Liu
in a coup and claimed imperial title. The former Empress Zheng became empress dowager
, and Shi Zun consulted her on major decisions. In late 349, Shi Zun, at a meeting with a number of his brothers and Empress Dowager Zheng attending, announced a plan to execute Shi Min the Duke of Wuxing -- Shi Hu's adopted grandson and a fierce general, but one whose ambitions had made Shi Zun apprehensive of him. The princes all announced agreement, but Empress Dowager Zheng opposed, reasoning that Shi Min had contributed much to Shi Zun's coup against Shi Shi and it would be ungrateful to execute him. Shi Zun hesitated, while one of his brothers, Shi Jian
the Prince of Yiyang, reported the plot to Shi Min, who quickly surrounded Shi Zun's palace and executed him. Empress Dowager Zheng was also killed.
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...
/Jie
Jie (ethnic group)
The Jié were members of a small tribe in Northern China in the 4th century CE. They established the Later Zhao state.According to the Book of Wei, their name derives from the Jiéshì area where they reside....
state Later Zhao
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...
. She was Shi Hu
Shi Hu
Shi Hu , courtesy name Jilong , formally Emperor Wu of Zhao , was an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao...
(Emperor Wu)'s first empress, but not his first wife.
Zheng Yingtao became a concubine of Shi Hu's, apparently when he was in his late teens, circa 312. Traditional historians implied that she was a prostitute before becoming Shi Hu's concubine. Shi Hu favored her greatly, and she was purportedly involved in persuading him to kill his first two wives, Lady Guo and Lady Cui. She bore him at least two sons, his oldest son Shi Sui (石邃) and Shi Zun
Shi Zun
Shi Zun was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. He was the second of four short-lived emperors after the death of his father Shi Hu...
. In 333, after the death of Shi Hu's uncle Shi Le
Shi Le
Shi Le , courtesy name Shilong , formally Emperor Ming of Zhao , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao...
, the founding emperor of Later Zhao, Shi Hu quickly took power in a coup, holding Shi Le's heir Shi Hong
Shi Hong
Shi Hong , courtesy name Daya , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao after the death of his father Shi Le, Later Zhao's founder. Because after his cousin Shi Hu deposed him, he was created the Prince of Haiyang , he is sometimes known by that title.- Background :Shi Hong was...
as a puppet, and he forced Shi Hong to create him the Prince of Wei. Lady Zheng was created the Princess of Wei, and her son Shi Sui the Crown Prince of Wei.
After Shi Hu deposed Shi Hong in 334, he did not immediately give Princess Zheng a greater title, but after he claimed the "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang
Tian Wang
Tian Wang , translatable as either "heavenly prince" or "heavenly king," was a Chinese regal title that was most frequently used during the Sixteen Kingdoms era, among the kingdoms founded by members of the Wu Hu tribes, often used as an intermediate stage from claiming a prince/king title to an...
) title in 337, he created her empress and created Shi Sui crown prince. Later that year, however, after discovering that Shi Sui, unable to stand his constant rebukes and whippings, had plotted to kill him, he killed Shi Sui and deposed Empress Zheng to the title of Duchess Dowager of Donghai. (This title implied that she had another son who was the Duke of Donghai, but historians did not record who was the Duke of Donghai; it did not appear to be Shi Zun's title, since he was the Duke of Pengcheng.) The empress title went to Du Zhu
Empress Du Zhu
Empress Du Zhu was an empress of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. She was Shi Hu 's second empress.Du Zhu was initially a family prostitute from a general of Jin, Wang Jun . After captured by the army of Later Zhao she was given by Shi Le to Shi Hu as a concubine under Shi Hu's pleading, with...
.
Nothing further was recorded of her activities until Shi Hu's death in 349. Initially, Shi Hu's youngest son Shi Shi
Shi Shi
Shi Shi was briefly the emperor of the Jie/Chinese Hun state Later Zhao following his father Shi Hu's death in 349. In the Chinese annals he is sometimes referred to by his title after removal as an Emperor, Prince of Qiao .Shi Shi was Shi Hu's youngest son, by his third empress Empress Liu,...
was proclaimed emperor pursuant to Shi Hu's wishes, but Shi Zun soon overthrew him and his mother Empress Dowager Liu
Empress Liu (Wu)
Empress Liu was an empress of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. She was Shi Hu 's third and final empress.The future Empress Liu was the youngest daughter of the final Han Zhao emperor Liu Yao...
in a coup and claimed imperial title. The former Empress Zheng became empress dowager
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...
, and Shi Zun consulted her on major decisions. In late 349, Shi Zun, at a meeting with a number of his brothers and Empress Dowager Zheng attending, announced a plan to execute Shi Min the Duke of Wuxing -- Shi Hu's adopted grandson and a fierce general, but one whose ambitions had made Shi Zun apprehensive of him. The princes all announced agreement, but Empress Dowager Zheng opposed, reasoning that Shi Min had contributed much to Shi Zun's coup against Shi Shi and it would be ungrateful to execute him. Shi Zun hesitated, while one of his brothers, Shi Jian
Shi Jian
Shi Jian was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. He was the third of four short-lived emperors after the death of his father Shi Hu . He is sometimes referred to by his title prior to becoming emperor, Prince of Yiyang...
the Prince of Yiyang, reported the plot to Shi Min, who quickly surrounded Shi Zun's palace and executed him. Empress Dowager Zheng was also killed.