Chapter 4 Chapter 44 Empress Dowager Minggong

The empress dowager has to go through four rituals to honor her honorary title and emblem: one is to offer sacrifices to heaven, earth, and clan; the other is to book treasures, gold books (certificates), and gold seals; Pay homage to and thank the ancestors; the fourth is to receive congratulations, accepting congratulations from princes and grandchildren, concubines and princesses, and civil and military officials. The etiquette is solemn and warm. In the Nanjing Imperial Palace of the Ming Dynasty, there was only one person who was called the Queen Mother, and that was Emperor Jianwen's biological mother Lu Shi, who was the second concubine of Prince Yiwen Zhu Biao.In February of the first year of Jianwen (1399), Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne and respected his mother as the empress dowager. This was the first empress dowager in the Ming Dynasty.However, in the first year of Yongle (1403), after Yan Wang Zhu Di ascended the throne, he changed her name to Princess Huangsao Yiwen.The imperial palaces of the northern and southern capitals of the Ming Dynasty, "History of the Ming Dynasty Biography of Concubines" recorded a total of 17 empress dowagers.Although they are at the highest end of women's status and dignity, their destinies are different.There are roughly the following different fates:

First, the 2 who were revoked as empress dowagers: (1) Lu Shi, the mother of Emperor Jianwen.Zhu Di raised his troops to Jinchuan Gate in Nanjing, and sent people to welcome Empress Dowager Lu to the army, "telling the reason why he had to raise the army", which is to explain the reason why he was forced to raise the army.Then, send the queen back to the palace, but before arriving at the palace, a fire broke out in the palace.Empress Dowager Lu followed her son Zhu Yunxi and lived next to the mausoleum of her husband, Prince Yiwen.In the first year of Yongle (1403), the "Empress Lu" was ordered to be renamed "Huangsao Yiwen Crown Princess". ("History of Ming Dynasty" Volume 115) It is conceivable that there is a huge gap from "Empress Dowager" to "Princess Yiwen".

(2) The mother of Emperor Jingtai, Wu, was the concubine of Emperor Xuande of the Ming Dynasty and gave birth to Zhu Qiyu, the king of Yi.Ming Yingzong was captured and the throne was vacant. His younger brother Zhu Qiyu, the king of Yi, succeeded to the throne as Emperor Jingtai.After Zhu Qiyu ascended the throne, he respected his biological mother Wu as the queen mother.Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty restored Zhu Qizhen, ascended the throne again, and demoted Empress Dowager Wu to a concubine. The above Lu family and Wu family were reduced from empress dowager to concubine, which are the only two cases in the court history of Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Second, the two queens who were revered as empress dowagers after their death: (1) Qian, the orthodox empress of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, was the empress during her lifetime and was honored as empress dowager after her death. (2) Ming Shenzong Wanli Emperor and Empress Wang, who was a queen during her lifetime, was revered as an empress dowager after her death. Third, the 4 concubines who were honored as empress dowagers after their death: (1) Lady Ji of Emperor Xianzong of Ming Dynasty, who gave birth to Emperor Xiaozong Hongzhi Zhu Youtang, was revered as Empress Dowager after her death.

(2) Du Shi, the concubine of Emperor Shizong Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty, gave birth to Emperor Longqing of Mu Zong and was honored as the empress dowager after his death. (3) Wang Shi, the concubine of Taichang Emperor Guangzong of Ming Dynasty, was born to Emperor Tianqi of Emperor Xizong of Ming Dynasty, and was honored as empress dowager after her death. (4) Liu Shi, concubine of Taichang Emperor Guangzong of Ming Dynasty, was born of Emperor Sizong Chongzhen of Ming Dynasty and was honored as Empress Dowager after her death. Fourth, the two who were honored as queen mothers by concubines:

(1) Concubine Jiang of Xingxian of the Ming Dynasty, who gave birth to Zhu Houcong, Emperor Jiajing of Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty, was honored as the Empress Dowager. (2) Li Shi, the concubine of Emperor Muzong Longqing of the Ming Dynasty, gave birth to Zhu Yijun, Emperor Wanli of Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty, and was revered as the empress dowager. "Old News under the Sun" records: "Two bodhi trees in front of Yinghua Hall, yellow flowers bloom in June, and seeds fall in deep autumn. The seeds do not grow from the flowers, but grow with the flowers, but attach to the back of the leaves. Made Buddha beads. This tree was planted by Empress Dowager Li. The Empress Dowager honored her as a guest, and the temple honored her as Nine Lotus Bodhisattva, and enshrined her kindness in the other hall to the north of the tree." "In front of the Yinghua Hall in the northwest corner of Da Nei, there are two Bodhi trees, planted by the mother of the Empress Dowager, two feet high, with whirling branches, drooping to the ground, blooming in midsummer, turning golden, and the seeds are not born on the flower stems, but on the back of the leaves. .In late autumn, under the leaves, fluttering in the Yongxiang, but the leaves receive the child and the rosary beads come out. The beads are smaller than those in the south, and the color is yellow, and the line between the petals is made of white silk. It is called many jewels. Preface to Zi Poetry) (Volume 34 of "King Ding Ri Xia Jiu Wen Kao") "The Compassionate Grandmother" is the Empress Dowager Li, the mother of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty.

Fifth, the 3 queens who are honored as empress dowagers: (1) Empress Sun of Emperor Xuande of Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, and Emperor Yingzong of Zhengtong were honored as empress dowagers after succeeding to the throne. (2) Emperor Xiaozong Hongzhi and Empress Zhang of Ming Dynasty, Emperor Wuzong Zhengde honored as Empress Dowager, and Emperor Sejong Jiajing also honored as Empress Dowager. (3) Empress Chen of Emperor Muzong Longqing of the Ming Dynasty, originally Princess Yu, was succeeded by King Yu and was registered as a queen. She had no children and was often sick. Sixth, the two who are honored as empress dowagers and empress dowagers from concubines:

(1) Ming Yingzong's orthodox concubine Zhou, Xianzong's birth mother of Chenghua Emperor, Xiaozong's Hongzhi Emperor as the empress dowager, Wuzong Zhengde's emperor as the empress dowager. (2) The Shao family, concubine of Chenghua Emperor Xianzong of the Ming Dynasty, succeeded to the throne by the king of Shengxing Xian Zhu Youzhu, and his grandson Zhu Houcong, and was honored as the Empress Dowager. Seventh, the 2 queens, empress dowagers, and empress dowagers who were "three empresses in one" during their lifetime: (1) Emperor Hongxi of Emperor Renzong of Ming Dynasty honored Empress Zhang, his son Xuanzong Xuande was honored as empress dowager, and grandson Yingzong orthodox emperor honored as empress dowager.

(2) Emperor Xianzong of the Ming Dynasty became the Empress Dowager of Chenghua, his son Emperor Xiaozong Hongzhi was honored as the Empress Dowager, and his grandson Emperor Wuzong Zhengde was honored as the Empress Dowager. There were only two empresses, empress dowagers, and empress dowagers in the court history of the Ming Dynasty, but none in the Qing Dynasty.What noble character did these two empresses, empress dowagers, and empress dowagers in the Ming Dynasty "three empresses in one" have?The Empress Wang of Emperor Xianzong Chenghua of Ming Dynasty has been introduced in the previous article, and the empress Zhang of Emperor Renzong of Ming Dynasty is introduced below.

Ming Renzong Chengxiao Empress Zhang, a native of Yongcheng (now Yongcheng City, Henan Province).In the twenty-eighth year of Hongwu (1395), she was granted the title of concubine Zhu Gaochi, the son of Yan Wang Zhu Di.In the second year of Yongle (1404), she was named the crown princess.Emperor Hongxi succeeded to the throne, and the Zhang family was named queen.Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty ascended the throne and was honored as the empress dowager.Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty ascended the throne and was honored as the Empress Dowager.The characteristics of Queen Zhang are:

1. There will be an in-law relationship.As a princess, you must first be able to have a relationship with your parents-in-law. "History of the Ming Dynasty" said that she "became a princess from the beginning, she was a woman who was very careful, and she was very happy with the ancestors and empress benevolence and filial piety".That is to say, she can strictly abide by the ethics of women, and she is quite liked by her parents-in-law Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xu. Second, the relationship between uncle and sister-in-law.Her two younger uncles are Zhu Gaoxu, king of Han and Zhu Gaosui, king of Zhao. They both "conspired to seize the heir" and wanted to replace the crown prince. The prince was separated by the king of Han and Zhao many times. She protected, comforted, explained, and helped her husband keep the crown prince. The location is not stored easily. Three, will be in a husband and wife relationship.Emperor Yong Le was very upset that the crown prince was "fat and unable to ride and shoot".She "reduced the prince's uterine diet", which means that the prince reduced his diet, strengthened his exercise, and lost weight, which was quite effective. Fourth, the mother-child relationship will be established.His son, Emperor Xuande, succeeded to the throne at the beginning, and he was obliged to listen to the ruling for all the military and state affairs.At that time, the sea was peaceful, the emperor served the daily life, accompanied the banquet, and contributed from all directions, and the queen mother was served first.The emperor and the queen mother are filial to the world.The queen mother traveled to Xiyuan, accompanied by the empress and concubine, and the emperor personally helped the father climb the Longevity Mountain, offered wine cups to celebrate his birthday, and presented poems to praise virtue.Going to Yongle Changling Tomb and Hongxi Xianling Tomb, when passing the river bridge, the emperor got off his horse and helped the chariot. Five, will be in the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren.Emperor Xuande died, and Emperor Sun Zhengtong succeeded to the throne at the age of nine, and rumors arose in the palace.The Empress Dowager hurriedly summoned all the ministers to the Qianqing Palace, pointed to the grandson and wept, saying: "This is the new emperor." The ministers shouted long live, and the rumors stopped.A minister asked the Empress Dowager to listen to the government behind the curtain, and the Empress Dowager said: "Don't destroy the ancestral law. After learning about it, everything is not urgent." From time to time, Xu encouraged the orthodox emperor to study hard and appoint a leader.When the great eunuch Wang Zhenyu was alive, he did not dare to monopolize power and did anything illegal. Sixth, the relationship between the monarch and his ministers will be established.Invited by the British public Zhang Fu, Shangshu Jianyi, and the great scholars Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, Jin Youzi, and Yang Pu, they were seen in the Xingdian. In October of the seventh year of Zhengtong (1442), when he was critically ill, he summoned the great scholar Yang Shiqi and others to come in, and ordered the eunuch to ask what major affairs the country had not yet done. That is to say, although Emperor Jianwen is dead, he should compile "Jianwen Shilu"; secondly, Emperor Yongle once issued an edict that "the person who received Fang Xiaoru's posthumous letters should die, and the ban should be relaxed"; .The edict exhorts the ministers, assists the emperor, implements benevolent government, and benefits the common people. (Volume 13 of "History of the Ming Dynasty: Biography of Empresses") Her good governance has been praised. Seven, will be in the relationship with the mother's family.For the natal brothers, follow the rules, "the empress dowager is strict with her family", and they are not easily promoted or rewarded, they are not allowed to engage in privileges, and they are not allowed to manage state affairs. Eight, the relationship between the common people will be dealt with.When visiting the Ming Tombs, "the people of Ji people line the road to worship, and all the old and young are greeted by the mountains next to the tomb."The Empress Dowager turned her head and said to the emperor: "The people wear the king to comfort their ears, and the emperor should remember it." The people love the king, because the people can live and work in peace, the emperor should keep in mind.Passing by a farmhouse on the way back, "call the old woman to ask about her livelihood and give money".Those who offered vegetables, food and wine, took them and gave them to the emperor, saying: "The taste of this field is also home." He told the emperor not to forget the farm. The "Rule of Hongxuan" mentioned in the history books, Empress Dowager Zhang also has a historical contribution.