Empress Dayi, known during her life as Lady Wang, was a concubine of

Sun Quan Sun Quan (; 182 – 21 May 252), courtesy name Zhongmou (), posthumous name, posthumously known as Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu, one of the Three Kingdoms of China. He inherited control of the warlord regime established by hi ...

, the founding emperor of the state of

Eastern Wu Wu (Chinese language, Chinese: 吳; pinyin: ''Wú''; Middle Chinese *''ŋuo'' < Eastern Han Chinese: ''*ŋuɑ''), known in historiography as Eastern Wu or Sun Wu, was a Dynasties of China, dynastic state of China and one of the three major sta ...

and mother of heir Sun He during the

Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin dyna ...

period of China. She would lose favor due to the slanders of another and died. ''Sanguozhi'' vol.50.

Life

Lady Wang was from Langye (琅邪; present-day

Linyi Linyi ( zh, s=临沂 , t=臨沂 , p=Línyí) is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shandong province, China. As of 2011, Linyi is the largest prefecture-level city in Shandong, both by area and population, Linyi borders Rizhao to the eas ...

Shandong Shandong is a coastal Provinces of China, province in East China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River. It has served as a pivotal cultural ...

), and was referred to as ''Lady Wang of Langye'' to distinguish her from Lady Wang of Nanyang (posthumously known as

Empress Jinghuai Empress Jinghuai, known during her life as Lady Wang, was a concubine of Sun Quan, the founding emperor of the state of Eastern Wu and mother to future Emperor Sun Xiu, during the Three Kingdoms period of China. She had active participation in th ...

, another concubine of Sun Quan who shared the same surname). Lady Wang was the daughter of Wang Lujiu, and she is reported as having three younger brothers.(和子皓立，追尊夫人曰大懿皇后，封三弟皆列侯。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 50. She entered Sun Quan's harem during the Huangwu period (222-229), presumably before 224 when she gave birth to Sun He, and she was generally Sun Quan's second-favourite after

Lady Bu Lady Bu (died March or November 238), personal name Bu Lianshi, was a concubine of Sun Quan, the founding emperor of the state of Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms period of China. She has posthumously been honoured as an empress by Sun Quan. She ...

. When Crown Prince Sun Deng died in 241, Sun He became heir apparent and Sun Quan made overtures to make Lady Wang his empress with other favored ladies like Lady Wang of Nanyang were removed from the palace. However, Sun Quan's daughter by Lady Bu,

Sun Luban Sun Luban ( 229–258), courtesy name Dahu, was an imperial princess of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. She was the elder daughter of Sun Quan, the founding emperor of Wu, and his concubine Bu Lianshi. She is ...

was a supporter of rival candidate

Sun Ba Sun Ba (before 235 - September or October 250), courtesy name Ziwei, was an imperial prince of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the fourth son of Sun Quan, the founding emperor of Eastern Wu. Life Sun B ...

while she and Lady Wang had fallen out, slandering her little by little. When Sun Quan was bedridden and Sun He went to offer sacrifices at Sun Ce's temple, Sun Luban acted against both He and Lady Wang, saying Sun He had gone to conspire with his in-laws including Zhang Xiu and that Lady Wang rejoiced when she saw Sun Quan so unwell. Sun Quan was enraged on hearing this and Lady Wang supposedly died of anxiety.(夫人以選入宮，黃武中得幸，生（孫）和，寵次步氏。步氏薨後，和立為太子，權將立夫人為后，而全公主素憎夫人，稍稍譖毀。及權寢疾。言有喜色，由是權深責怒，以憂死。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 50.

Family and relatives

Sun He's position was weakened and he was exiled during the political scandal of his succession struggle with

in 250; he was forced to commit suicide in late 253 during

Sun Liang Sun Liang (243 – 260), courtesy name Ziming, was the second emperor of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the youngest son and heir of Sun Quan, the founding emperor of Wu. He is also known as the Prince o ...

's reign. He was survived by his own son,

Sun Hao Sun Hao (242 – January or February 284), courtesy name Yuanzong, originally named Sun Pengzu with the courtesy name Haozong, was the fourth and last emperor of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a son of ...

, who became emperor in 264, at which point Lady Wang was posthumously titled ''Empress Dayi'' (大懿皇后 ''Great Exemplary Empress''), and her three younger brothers were awarded marquisates.

Citations

References

* Chen, Shou (3rd century). ''

Records of the Three Kingdoms The ''Records of the Three Kingdoms'' is a Chinese official history written by Chen Shou in the late 3rd century CE, covering the end of the Han dynasty (220 CE) and the subsequent Three Kingdoms period (220–280 CE). It is regard ...

'' (''Sanguozhi''). Scroll 50. ** Robert Joe Cutter and William Gordon Crowell. ''Empresses and Consorts: Selections from Chen Shou's Records of the Three States with Pei Songzhi's Commentary.'' Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 1999. * Pei, Songzhi (5th century). ''

Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms ''Annotated Records of the Three Kingdoms'' () by Pei Songzhi (372–451) is an annotation completed in the 5th century of the 3rd century historical text ''Records of the Three Kingdoms'', compiled by Chen Shou. After the fall of the Eastern Jin ...

'' (''Sanguozhi zhu''). {{People of Eastern Wu Family of Sun Quan People of Eastern Wu Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Chinese concubines Eastern Wu posthumous empresses People from Linyi