Honoured Lady Zhang

Honoured Lady Zhang (367? - after 396) was a concubine of the Jin dynasty (266-420), She was a concubine of Emperor Xiaowu, whom she murdered in 396.[1]

In this Chinese name, the family name is Zhang.
Honoured Lady Zhang
張貴人
SpouseEmperor Xiaowu of Jin
ClanZhang (張)

Biography

Honoured Lady Zhang was Emperor Xiaowu of Jin's favourite concubine. She had no children and the emperor's devotion to her (as well as Honoured Lady Zhang's jealous nature) has been blamed for his failure to appoint another empress after the death of Empress Wang, as well as his lack of children by other concubines.[2] The emperor spent so much time with Honoured Lady Zhang that it reportedly became difficult for outsiders to gain an audience with him.[3]

Murder of Emperor Xiaowu

The Book of Jin records that in 396, Honoured Lady Zhang was approximately 30 years old (by East Asian reckoning). Whilst she was drinking with the emperor one evening, he told her that he should discard her based on her age.[4] Incensed, Honoured Lady Zhang went to bed with the emperor and killed him whilst he slept.[1] Other written sources record that the emperor's comment was made in jest.[5] After the murder, Honoured Lady Zhang bribed various people to declare that the emperor died in his sleep.[5][3]

Media
  • She is portrayed by Deng Sha in the 2017 television series General and I

References

Notes
  1. Fang (648), volume 9
  2. (孝武帝更不立皇后，宠幸微贱张夫人，夫人骄妒，皇子不繁) Jin Shu, vol.27
  3. Wei (554), volume 96
  4. Fang (648), volume 9: 汝以年当废矣。
  5. Sima (1084), volume 108

Works cited
  • Fang Xuanling 房玄齡, ed. (648). 晉書 [Book of Jin] (in Chinese). Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  • Sima Guang 司马光, ed. (1084). 资治通鉴 [Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance] (in Chinese). Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  • Wei Shou 魏收, ed. (554). 魏書 [Book of Wei] (in Chinese). Vol. 96. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
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