Shuyuan Chen (5th century – September 19, 466), personal name unknown, was a consort of

Emperor Xiaowu of Liu Song The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/ grand empress dowager), or a woman who rule ...

who carried the second rank of concubine ''Shuyuan''. In 456 she bore Emperor Xiaowu his third son

Liu Zixun Liu Zixun (; 456 – 19 September 466), courtesy name Xiaode (孝德), was an imperial prince and pretender to the throne of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty, who received claims of allegiance from most provinces of the state during the year 466 afte ...

. Neither she nor her son was favored by Emperor Xiaowu. In 464 when Emperor Xiaowu died, with Zixun having been created Prince of Jin'an and appointed governor of Jiang Province, Shuyuan Chen was created Princess Dowager of Jin'an and sent to live with her son.''Book of Song'', vol. 80''Nan shi'', vol. 14 In 465,

Liu Ziye Former Deposed Emperor of Liu Song or Emperor Qianfei ((劉)宋前廢帝; 25 February 449 – 1 January 466), personal name Liu Ziye (劉子業), childhood name Fashi (法師), was an emperor of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty. His brief reign as a t ...

successor of Emperor Xiaowu was killed, and his uncle Liu Yu, Prince of Xiangdong succeeded as

Emperor Ming of Liu Song Emperor Ming of Liu Song ((劉)宋明帝; 9 December 439 – 10 May 472), personal name Liu Yu (劉彧), courtesy name Xiubing (休炳), childhood name Rongqi (榮期), was an emperor of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty. He became emperor after his ...

; he forced Liu Zishang Prince of Yuzhang second son of Emperor Xiaowu to commit suicide, making Zixun the eldest living son of Emperor Xiaowu. In 466, local officials led by Deng Wan, chief of staff of Zixun, supported Zixun as a rival emperor. Shuyuan Chen was presumably honored as empress dowager, although it was not clearly recorded. Initially, Zixun received support from most states and counties, but was suppressed seven months later; both Zixun and Empress Dowager Chen were executed by

Shen Youzhi Shen Youzhi (沈攸之) (died 9 March 478), courtesy name Zhongda (仲達), was a general during the Chinese Liu Song dynasty, who, in the final moments of the dynasty, made a final failed attempt to prevent Xiao Daocheng from seizing the throne. ...

, a general of Emperor Ming, upon the sack of Xunyang capital of Jiang Province.

References

{{reflist 5th-century births 466 deaths Liu Song imperial consorts Mothers of Chinese emperors Liu Song empresses dowager