Ding Lingguang (丁令光; 485 – 3 January 527), formally known as Empress Dowager Mu (穆皇太后), was an imperial concubine of Xiao Yan, Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty. She was a native of Qiao County (谯国), today's

Bozhou Bozhou () is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Anhui province, China. It borders Huaibei to the northeast, Bengbu to the southeast, Huainan to the south, Fuyang to the southwest, and Henan to the north. Its population was 4,996,844 at ...

City,

Anhui Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...

Province.

Life

Ding Lingguang was born a commoner in Qiao County. A legend details that when she was born, light filled the room. At age fourteen, Xiao Yan, then Governor of Yongzhou (雍州刺史), fell in love with her. Her parents broke Ding's then-engagement and offered her as a concubine to Xiao Yan. In September or October 501, Concubine Ding gave birth to her first child, a son, named

Xiao Tong Xiao Tong (, October 501 – 7 May 531), courtesy name Deshi (), formally Crown Prince Zhaoming (昭明太子, literally "Accomplished and Understanding Crown Prince"), was a crown prince of the Chinese Liang dynasty, posthumously honored as ...

(蕭統). In April of the next year, Xiao Yan established the

Liang dynasty The Liang dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Liang () or Xiao Liang () in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the third of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. It was pre ...

. He awarded Ding the title of Noble Imperial Concubine, one of the highest titles held by women in Liang Dynasty. Her only son at that time,

, was made Crown Prince (皇太子).《南史·卷十二·列传第二》：贵嫔父道迁，天监初，为历阳太守。庐陵威王之生，武帝谓之曰：“贤女复育一男。”答曰：“莫道猪狗子。”世人以为笑。后位兖州刺史、宣城太守。 They both lived in Xianyang hall. Ding Lingguang disliked splendid or gorgeous ornaments, gaining the favor of the Emperor and the respect of lesser ranking concubines. On December 2, 503, Noble Imperial Concubine Ding gave birth to

Xiao Gang Xiao Gang (; born 1958 in Ji'an, Jiangxi) was the chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission from March 2013 until 20 February 2016. He was previously chairman of the board of directors of Bank of China Limited, of the Bank of China ...

(蕭綱) and in 506 gave birth to Xiao Xu (蕭續).《南史·卷12》，出自李延寿《南史》 She died in January 527 and her husband honored her as Consort Mu (穆妃). Her son, Crown Prince Xiao Tong, died in May 531 before his father and was succeeded by his full-brother, Xiao Gang. After Xiao Gang became Emperor, he elevated his mother's status, posthumously honoring her as Empress Dowager Mu (穆太后).

Title

*During the reign of

Emperor Wu of Southern Qi Emperor Wu of Southern Qi (南齊武帝) (440– 27 August 493), personal name Xiao Ze (蕭賾), courtesy name Xuanyuan (宣遠), childhood name Long'er (龍兒), was the second emperor of the Chinese Southern Qi dynasty. He is generally considere ...

(11 April 482 – 27 August 493) **Lady Ding (丁氏; from 484) *During the reign of Xiao Baojuan of Southern Qi (498–501) **Concubine (妾; from 498) *During the reign of

Emperor Wu of Liang Emperor Wu of Liang () (464 – 12 June 549), personal name Xiao Yan (蕭衍), courtesy name Shuda (叔達), childhood name Lian'er (練兒), was the founding Emperor of China, emperor of the Chinese Liang dynasty, during the Northern and Souther ...

(30 April 502–549) **Noble Imperial Concubine (貴嬪; from August 502) **Consort Mu (穆妃; from 526) *During the reign of

Emperor Jianwen of Liang Emperor Jianwen of Liang (梁簡文帝; 2 December 503 – 551), personal name Xiao Gang (蕭綱), courtesy name Shizuan (世纘), childhood name Liutong (六通), was an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty. He was initially not the crown princ ...

(549–551) **Empress Dowager Mu (穆太后; after 549)

Issue

*As a Concubine: **

, Emperor Zhaoming (昭明皇帝蕭統; 501–30 May 531), Xiao Yan's 1st son *As a Noble Imperial Concubine: ** Xiao Gang, Emperor Jianwen (簡文皇帝蕭綱; 2 December 503 – 551), Xiao Yan's third son **Xiao Xu, Prince Lulingwei (廬陵威王蕭續; 506–547), Xiao Yan's fifth son

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mu, Empress Dowager 480s births 526 deaths Chinese posthumous empresses 5th-century Chinese women 5th-century Chinese people 6th-century Chinese women 6th-century Chinese people