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Chen Shuozhen (; died 653) was a
Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...
woman from Muzhou (in modern Chun'an,
Zhejiang ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = ( Hangzhounese) ( Ningbonese) (Wenzhounese) , image_skyline = 玉甑峰全貌 - panoramio.jpg , image_caption = View of the Yandang Mountains , image_map = Zhejiang i ...
), who led a peasant uprising in 653. During the rebellion, she declared herself Empress Wenjia (文佳皇帝), becoming the first female rebel leader in Chinese history to assume the title of ''Huangdi'' ("emperor"). Shuozhen rang bells and burnt incense as she marched to war. She was said to have magic powers, and her people said she was a deity.


Biography

Chen Shuozhen's family and background are not entirely known, though her skill with warfare suggests she may have come from a family with martial experience. She may have come from a humble background, as she is sometimes referred to as a peasant. In the early years of Tang Gaozong, the Zhejiang area went through successive periods of famine. The peasants were living in precarious conditions, due to hunger and also the oppression of the nobles. Because of this, there was an increasing discontent with the feudal lords and the Empire. This may have inspired Chen Shuozen to rebel, and may have encouraged people to join her. In 653 AD, less than four years after the death of Emperor Taizong, a large-scale peasant uprising occurred in
Zhejiang ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = ( Hangzhounese) ( Ningbonese) (Wenzhounese) , image_skyline = 玉甑峰全貌 - panoramio.jpg , image_caption = View of the Yandang Mountains , image_map = Zhejiang i ...
during the fourth year of Tang Gaozong's Yonghui era. Chen Shuozhen was the leader of this rebellion, she claimed to return to the world from heaven. She gathered a large number of believers with enchanting people. In early 653, she started her own army and claimed to be " ''Huangdi'' Wenjia"; and appointed her brother-in-law (Zhang Shuzeng) as her prime minister. Chen Shuozhen led two thousand people to capture
Chenzhou Chenzhou () is a prefecture-level city located in the south of Hunan province, China, bordering the provinces of Jiangxi to the east and Guangdong to the south. Its administrative area covers , 9.2% of the provincial area, and its total populatio ...
and Yuqian County, she also attacked
Zhangzhou Zhangzhou (, ) is a prefecture-level city in Fujian Province, China. The prefecture around the city proper comprises the southeast corner of the province, facing the Taiwan Strait and (with Quanzhou) surrounding the prefecture of Xiamen. Nam ...
but failed. After several battles the whole army was wiped out. She was also killed in November of that year, and tens of thousands of people surrendered. Chen Shuozhen's reign lasted only two months, with the last of her 14,000 troops surrendering in late 653. Her story survives though as she's said to have inspired Fang La's uprising at the end of the Northern
Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...
and remains prominent in
Zhejiang ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = ( Hangzhounese) ( Ningbonese) (Wenzhounese) , image_skyline = 玉甑峰全貌 - panoramio.jpg , image_caption = View of the Yandang Mountains , image_map = Zhejiang i ...
folklore. Historian Jian Bozan (翦伯赞) recognized Chen Shuozhen as the first empress-regnant in Chinese history.


References

653 deaths 7th-century executions by the Tang dynasty People from Hangzhou Year of birth unknown Generals from Zhejiang Tang dynasty rebels 7th-century Chinese monarchs Women in war in China Women in medieval warfare Chinese female military personnel 7th-century empresses regnant Self-proclaimed monarchy Chinese empresses regnant {{China-royal-stub