Wang Shen'ai

Empress Wang Shen'ai (Chinese: 王神愛; 384[1] – 3 October 412[2]), formally Empress Anxi (安僖皇后, literally "the peaceful and careful empress") was an empress of Jin Dynasty (266–420). Her husband was the developmentally disabled Emperor An.

Wang Shen'ai
王神愛
Empress consort of the Eastern Jin dynasty
Tenure3 May 397 – 3 October 412
PredecessorEmpress Wang Fahui
SuccessorEmpress Chu Lingyuan
Born384
Died3 October 412(412-10-03) (aged 27–28)
Jiankang, Eastern Jin
SpouseEmperor An of Jin
Posthumous name
Empress Anxi (安僖皇后)
FatherWang Xianzhi
MotherPrincess Xin'an

Life

Wang Shen'ai was the daughter of the official Wang Xianzhi, the son of the famed official and calligrapher Wang Xizhi. Her mother Princess Xin'an was the daughter of Emperor Jianwen, making her and her husband cousins. In 396, while he was still crown prince under his father Emperor Xiaowu, they married, and she became crown empress. She was 12, and he was 14. As he was described to be so developmentally disabled that he could not speak or dress himself, or express whether he was full or hungry, it was unlikely that their marriage was consummated; in any case, they had no children. Later that year, after Emperor Xiaowu was killed by his concubine Honoured Lady Zhang after humiliating her, Emperor An became emperor. On 3 May 397,[3] she was created empress.

Very little is known about Empress Wang's life as empress. In 403, after Emperor An's throne was usurped by the warlord Huan Xuan, she was effectively put under house arrest with her husband. In 404, after Liu Yu started a rebellion to reestablish Jin, Huan Xuan had her and her husband transported west with him after he resolved to flee west from the capital Jiankang, but on the way, Huan Xuan's brother-in-law Yin Zhongwen (殷仲文) rebelled against him and transported her and Emperor Mu's Empress He Fani back to Jiankang. Later that year, after Huan Xuan was killed and Emperor An was seized back from Huan Xuan's nephew Huan Zhen (桓振), he was reunited with her. She died in September or October 412 and was buried with honors due an empress.

References
  1. According to Empress Wang's biography in Book of Jin, she was 29 (by East Asian reckoning) when she died. (义熙八年崩于徽音殿，时年二十九) Jin Shu, vol.32. Thus by calculation, her birth year should be 384.
  2. According to Sima Dezong's biography in Veritable Records of Jiankang, Empress Wang died on gengxu day of the 8th month of the 8th year of the Yixi era of her husband's reign. This corresponds to 3 October 412 on the Julian calendar. [(义熙八年八月)庚戌，皇后王氏崩於徽音殿。] Jiankang Shilu, vol.10
  3. According to Sima Dezong's biography in Book of Jin, Lady Wang was made empress on the wuwu day of the 2th month of the 1st year of the Longan era of her husband's reign. However, in the same line, it was recorded that Lady Li was made (grand) empress dowager on the jiayin day of the same month. The two days do not exist in the 2nd month of the 1st year of the Longan era, but do exist in the 3rd month of the same year. Thus, the (likely) correct date for Lady Wang's coronation corresponds to 3 May 397 in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. [(隆安元年二月)甲寅，尊皇太后李氏为皇太后。戊午，立皇后王氏。] Jin Shu, vol.10
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