Empress Dowager Xiaojing


Empress Dowager Xiaojing, surnamed Wang, was a Ming dynasty concubine of the Wanli Emperor and the biological mother of the Taichang Emperor. She was primarily known during her lifetime as Consort Gong, but is most commonly referred to by her posthumous name.

Life

Wang joined the imperial court as a palace lady in the service of Empress Dowager Xiaoding. The Wanli Emperor met her whilst visiting his mother and began a relationship with her.
When Wang became pregnant, the emperor ignored her. Empress Dowager Xiaoding questioned her son and advised him to marry Wang, as he still had no sons. In the fourth lunar month of 1582, Wang was given the rank of Consort and the honorific Gong. Four months later, she gave birth to a son, who was given the name Zhu Changluo. Shortly before this in the same year, Empress Xiaoduanxian, the emperor's primary wife, had given birth to a daughter; the Princess Rongchang.
In 1584, Wang had a daughter named Zhu Xuanyuan.

Succession dispute

Although Wang had given birth to the emperor's eldest son, the emperor's favourite concubine was Noble Consort Zheng, who also had a son. When the Wanli Emperor conferred the status of Imperial Noble Consort on Zheng in 1586, it became apparent to the court that he intended for her son, Zhu Changxun, to inherit the throne, which triggered more than a decade of court factionalism and conflict. This included attempts by officials to raise Wang's status to Noble Consort. Eventually, Wang's son was proclaimed heir apparent in 1601, as a result of pressure from both officials and Empress Dowager Xiaoding. However, Zhu Changxun was not dispatched to his provincial command in keeping with imperial customs until 1604.
In 1605, Wang was made Imperial Noble Consort. In 1606, the emperor conferred upon Wang the honorific name of Cisheng to celebrate the birth of Zhu Changluo's first son.

Citations

Cited sources