Empress Linghuai (simplified Chinese: 灵怀皇后; traditional Chinese: 靈懷皇后; pinyin: Línghuái Huánghòu) (d. 181) of the Wang Clan personal name Wang Rong (simplified Chinese: 王荣; traditional Chinese: 王榮; pinyin: Wáng Róng)[a], was a concubine of Emperor Ling and mother of Emperor Xian. During her life, she was a concubine with the title of Meiren (Chinese: 美人; pinyin: Měi Rén) and was posthumously promoted as empress after her son took the throne, though she was never given the title during her lifetime.
| Wang Rong 王荣 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empress of the Han dynasty (Posthumously) | |||||
| Born | Unknown Handan, Kingdom of Zhao (Modern day Handan, Hebei) | ||||
| Died | 181 Luoyang, Eastern Han | ||||
| Cause of death | Poisoning | ||||
| Spouse | Emperor Ling of Han | ||||
| Issue | Emperor Xian of Han | ||||
| |||||
| Father | Wang Zhang | ||||
During her pregnancy, Consort Wang, fearful of Emperor Ling's empress Empress He, had taken drugs that were intended to induce an abortion, but was unsuccessful in her attempt. Soon after she gave birth to her son, the jealous Empress He killed her by putting poison in her food.[1][2]
Biography
editLady Wang's exact birthdate is unrecorded. She was born in Handan, in the Kingdom of Zhao (Modern Handan, Hebei). Her grandfather, Wang Bao (Chinese: 王苞; pinyin: Wáng Bāo), served as a General of the Household for All Purposes (五官中郎將) in the Han imperial court. She was born to his son Wang Zhang (Chinese: 王章; pinyin: Wáng Zhāng), while her mother's name is unrecorded. She was said to be not only beautiful in appearance, but also talented in arts and mathematics.[3]
She entered the harem of Emperor Ling at an unknown date and was given the title of Meiren (Lady of beauty). When she became pregnant with her son, she was fearful of Empress He, Emperor Ling's main wife, who was said to be jealous and cruel, with Emperor Ling's other consorts fearing her.[4] In fear, she attempted but failed to terminate her pregnancy by taking drugs. Soon afterwards, she gave birth to Liu Xie, the future Emperor Xian of Han, the jealous Empress He then had her killed by poisoning her food. When Emperor Ling learned of her death, he became angry and wanted to depose Empress He, but the powerful eunuchs, who he trusted, dissuaded him from doing so. Her son was then put in the care of Emperor Ling's mother Empress Dowager Dong. Saddened by her death, Emperor Ling wrote poems in her memory.[2]
After Emperor Ling's death and the assassination of the eunuchs in 189, the warlord Dong Zhuo took control of the capital and then deposed and poisoned the then Empress dowager He and her son in 189 and 190[5][6] respectively and installed her son (then known as the Prince of Chenliu) on the throne (posthumously known as Emperor Xian).
In 194, officials petitioned Emperor Xian to posthumously honour his mother, which he did, honouring her as Empress Linghuai.
Notes
editReferences
edit- ↑ 《太平御覽·皇親部三·孝靈王皇后》引司馬彪《續漢書》：（皇后光和）四年三月癸巳，生上。庚子，渴飲米粥，遂暴薨。
- 1 2 Book of the Later Han：「甲申，改葬皇妣王氏，號曰靈懷皇后。-{后}-，邯鄲人，祖苞，治尚書，為五官中郎。父章，襲苞業，居貧不仕，有子二人：男斌，女曰榮，榮則-{后}-也。-{后}-以選入掖庭為貴人，有寵妊身，怖畏何-{后}-，服藥欲除胎，胎安不動，又夢負日而行，遂生帝。何-{后}-惡之，鴆殺-{后}-。帝大怒，欲廢何-{后}-，諸黃門請，僅而得止。靈帝憫上早孤，追思王后，乃作令儀頌。」
- ↑ (王美人，趙國人也。祖父苞，五官中郎將。美人豐姿色，聦敏有才明，能書會計，以良家子應法相選入掖庭。帝愍協早失母，又思美人，作追德賦、令儀頌。) Houhanshu vol. 10 (Part 2).
- ↑ (拜后為貴人，甚有寵幸。性彊忌，後宮莫不震懾。) Houhanshu vol. 10 (Part 2).
- ↑ (董卓遂廢帝，又迫殺太后，殺舞陽君，何氏遂亡，而漢室亦自此敗亂。) Houhanshu vol. 69.
- ↑ (并州牧董卓被徵，將兵入洛陽，陵虐朝庭，遂廢少帝為弘農王而立協，是為獻帝。 ... 董卓又議太后踧迫永樂宮，至令憂死，逆婦姑之禮，乃遷於永安宮，因進酖，弒而崩。) Houhanshu vol. 10 (Part 2).