Empress Dowager Xiaoding (1545 – 18 March 1614), of the Li clan, was the mother of the Wanli Emperor. She was the nominal Regent of China during the minority of her son from 1572 to 1582. She became known in history under her posthumous name, Xiaoding.
She was the daughter of the pauper Li Wei (d. 1584). She became a servant girl at the Imperial Palace of the Longqing Emperor, where she was eventually promoted to concubine. In 1563, she gave birth to a son, who was declared Hereditary Prince of Yu first, then Crown Prince after Longqing's succession to the throne. Because of her success, her father was ennobled. Her social career was not unusual during the Ming dynasty, were several empresses, consorts and concubines came from a poor background and made a similar career. She herself was described as humble and submissive, acting in accordance with the female ideal of her time.
In 1572, her son succeeded to the throne at the age of nine. She was given the title of empress dowager and, in accordance with tradition, named regent during the minority of her son. She did not play any part in state affairs, which was entirely in the hands of Zhang Juzheng. Her son's de facto rule did not begin until after the death of Zhang Juzheng in 1582.[1] From 1572 until 1578, she lived, on the request of officials, in the palace of the emperor rather than the empress dowager palace, to supervise his life and daily habits.[1] She was strict with him and punished him if he, for example, refused to study.
When her son was deliberating whether to appoint his eldest son as heir apparent, because his mother, Consort Gong was originally a palace woman, she pointed out to him that he too was the son of a palace maid, and the appointment went through.[1]
^ abcLily Xiao Hong Lee, Sue Wiles: Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women, Volume II: Tang Through Ming 618 - 1644
Books
Hsieh Bao Hua: Concubinage and Servitude in Late Imperial China
January 31, 2023
empress, dowager, xiaoding, 1545, march, 1614, clan, mother, wanli, emperor, nominal, regent, china, during, minority, from, 1572, 1582, became, known, history, under, posthumous, name, xiaoding, 孝定皇太后empress, dowager, ming, dynastytenure, july, 1572, 1614pred. Empress Dowager Xiaoding 1545 18 March 1614 of the Li clan was the mother of the Wanli Emperor She was the nominal Regent of China during the minority of her son from 1572 to 1582 She became known in history under her posthumous name Xiaoding Empress Dowager Xiaoding孝定皇太后Empress dowager of the Ming dynastyTenure 5 July 1572 1614PredecessorEmpress Dowager ZhaoshengSuccessorEmpress Dowager XiaojingBorn1545Huo County Zhili present day Tongzhou District Beijing Died18 March 1614 1614 03 18 aged 68 69 BurialZhaoling MausoleumSpouseLongqing EmperorIssueWanli Emperor Zhu Yiliu Prince Jian of Lu Princess Shouyang Princess Yongning Princess Rui anPosthumous nameEmpress Dowager Xiaoding Zhenchun Qinren Duansu Bitian Zuosheng 孝定貞純欽仁端肅弼天祚聖皇太后 HouseLi clan 李氏 FatherLi Wei Marquis of Wuqing 武清侯 李偉 MotherLady Wang 王氏 Contents 1 Life 2 Titles 3 Issue 4 See also 5 References 6 BooksLife EditShe was the daughter of the pauper Li Wei d 1584 She became a servant girl at the Imperial Palace of the Longqing Emperor where she was eventually promoted to concubine In 1563 she gave birth to a son who was declared Hereditary Prince of Yu first then Crown Prince after Longqing s succession to the throne Because of her success her father was ennobled Her social career was not unusual during the Ming dynasty were several empresses consorts and concubines came from a poor background and made a similar career She herself was described as humble and submissive acting in accordance with the female ideal of her time In 1572 her son succeeded to the throne at the age of nine She was given the title of empress dowager and in accordance with tradition named regent during the minority of her son She did not play any part in state affairs which was entirely in the hands of Zhang Juzheng Her son s de facto rule did not begin until after the death of Zhang Juzheng in 1582 1 From 1572 until 1578 she lived on the request of officials in the palace of the emperor rather than the empress dowager palace to supervise his life and daily habits 1 She was strict with him and punished him if he for example refused to study When her son was deliberating whether to appoint his eldest son as heir apparent because his mother Consort Gong was originally a palace woman she pointed out to him that he too was the son of a palace maid and the appointment went through 1 Titles EditDuring the reign of the Jiajing Emperor r 1521 1567 Lady Li 李氏 from 1545 Palace Lady 宮人 from 1550 Concubine from 1560 During the reign of the Longqing Emperor r 1567 1572 Imperial Noble Consort 皇貴妃 from March 1567 During the reign of the Wanli Emperor r 1572 1620 Empress Dowager Cisheng 慈聖皇太后 from 19 July 1572 Empress Dowager Cisheng Xuanwen Mingsu 慈聖宣文皇太后 from 1578 Empress Dowager Cisheng Xuanwen Mingsu 慈聖宣文明肅皇太后 from 1582 Empress Dowager Cisheng Xuanwen Mingsu Zhenshou Duanxian 慈聖宣文明肅貞壽端獻皇太后 from 1601 Empress Dowager Cisheng Xuanwen Mingsu Zhenshou Duanxian Gongxi 慈聖宣文明肅貞壽端獻恭熹皇太后 from 1606 Empress Dowager Xiaoding Zhenchun Qinren Duansu Bitian Zuosheng 孝定貞純欽仁端肅弼天祚聖皇太后 from 1614 Issue EditAs Concubine Li Zhu Yijun the Wanli Emperor 神宗 朱翊鈞 4 September 1563 18 August 1620 the Longqing Emperor s third son Princess Shouyang 壽陽公主 1565 1590 personal name Yao e 堯娥 the Longqing Emperor s third daughter Married Hou Gongchen 侯拱辰 in 1581 As Imperial Noble Consort Li Princess Yongning 永寧公主 11 March 1567 22 July 1594 personal name Yaoying 堯媖 the Longqing Emperor s fourth daughter Married Liang Bangrui 梁邦瑞 d 9 May 1582 in 1582 Zhu Yiliu Prince Jian of Lu 潞簡王 朱翊鏐 3 March 1568 4 July 1614 the Longqing Emperor s fourth son Princess Rui an 瑞安公主 1569 1629 personal name Yaoyuan 堯媛 the Longqing Emperor s fifth daughter Married Wan Wei 萬煒 d 1644 in 1585 and had issue one son See also EditEmpress Dowager XiaozhuangReferences Edit a b c Lily Xiao Hong Lee Sue Wiles Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women Volume II Tang Through Ming 618 1644Books EditHsieh Bao Hua Concubinage and Servitude in Late Imperial China Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Empress Dowager Xiaoding amp oldid 1114886930, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
