Prominent figure Emperor Wu of Han

Author: Zhang Zhengzhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: To talk about Emperor Wu of Han, one must first discuss how he was born. The seventh day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is the traditional Chinese festival—the Qixi Festival. In folklore, there is the love story of the couple Niulang and Zhinü, who were separated by the Queen Mother of the West on either side of the Milky Way. It is said that on this day, thousands of magpies come to build a bridge of magpies for this unfortunate couple, allowing them to meet. Every night during the Qixi Festival, people burn sandalwood incense in their courtyards and offer seasonal fruits as offerings, recalling that touching bond and wishing that lovers in the world finally come together. Girls, in particular, pray devoutly, hoping to learn the art of needlecraft from the skillful and talented Zhinü.
On the seventh day of the seventh month in 156 BC, however, things were different. After a night of prayers, people went to sleep with hopeful dreams of the future. But in the Han Palace of Chang’an, the Yilan Pavilion was still brightly lit, with palace maids bustling about, their faces filled with anticipation. Soon, cries of a newborn baby came from the Yilan Pavilion.
“The Queen has given birth to an imperial prince.” This good news was swiftly reported to the newborn’s father—the ruler of the Han Empire, Emperor Jing of Han. Hearing that he had a son on a festive day, Emperor Jing was overjoyed. This was the year he had just inherited the throne from his father, Emperor Wen of Han. And now, this newborn had already become an imperial prince by name, truly a timely blessing. This child was luckier than his eight older brothers, who had all been born to concubines.
In the Yilan Pavilion, the newborn was wrapped in swaddling clothes, and the maids continued their busy work. Emperor Jing, illuminated by palace lamps, carefully examined his ninth son.
“This child is strong and healthy at birth, with a loud cry—clear signs of a future talent. This is truly a reason to celebrate for His Majesty.” The old palace maid who assisted the birth of the prince said happily to Emperor Jing.
The Queen, sitting up in bed, also said to Emperor Jing, “May Your Majesty give the prince a name.” Emperor Jing already had an idea. The night before, he had dreamed of a red pig falling from the sky into the palace. Soon after, Emperor Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang) appeared in his dream and instructed him to name the prince Zhi. Thinking about it, Emperor Jing realized that commoners often gave their children humble nicknames, hoping for a prosperous future and praying that the child would be as healthy and lively as the animal the name represented. Since the little prince was so robust, he decided to call him Zhi.
Zhi means “pig.” When the palace officials heard that the emperor had given the prince such a humble name, they were all surprised. They thought that imperial offspring were divine beings, and such a name was too unusual for royalty. However, no one dared to speak out and could only exchange puzzled glances.
Because of the birth of this prince, Emperor Jing showered even greater favor on the Queen. He immediately ordered lavish rewards for her.
This Queen was a woman of legendary status. Her lineage traced back to the early Han general Zang Tu, the King of Yan. The Queen’s mother, Zang Er, was the granddaughter of Zang Tu. Zang Er first married a man named Wang Zhong and had one son and two daughters. But fate was cruel—Wang Zhong died young, leaving her with three orphaned children. Zang Er and her children struggled to survive, their days passing like years. Eventually, Zang Er had to remarry into a family named Tian near Changling. She gave birth to two more sons for the Tian family—Tian Fen and Tian Sheng. The Queen herself was the eldest daughter of her first marriage.
Zang Er was once a lady of high status, but misfortune struck when the King of Yan, Zang Tu, was suppressed by Emperor Gaozu for rebellion. The war trampled her life of luxury. With her family’s fortune ruined, she became the wife of a humble village man. Zang Er never stopped dreaming of regaining her former wealth and status. She devoted herself to waiting for an opportunity, placing her hopes on her two daughters.
Time was not kind, and her eldest daughter, Wang Gu, could not find a good match and ended up marrying a man of modest means, Jin Wangsun. Wang Gu gave birth to a daughter named Jin Su. Zang Er could not help but feel resentful at the thought of this. Later, it is unknown how Zang Er managed to deceive the eunuchs in charge of selecting concubines, but Wang Gu was chosen to serve in the palace as a lowly maid for the Crown Prince Liu Qi.
Once in the palace, Wang Gu used her wits to ensnare the young Crown Prince Liu Qi. A year later, she gave birth to a daughter. Since the Crown Prince loved her, the palace officials began to call her the Beauty of Wang. The Beauty of Wang went on to give Liu Qi four children—three daughters, who later became the Princesses Pingyang, Nan Gong, and Longlü, and a son, Liu Zhi.
When Liu Zhi was born, the Crown Prince had already ascended the throne as Emperor Jing of Han. Zang Er had risked everything for this—any mistake could have led to her family’s execution. But she was a winner. Once her eldest daughter had secured a foothold in the palace, she sent her younger daughter to Emperor Jing as well. Zang Er finally climbed the social ladder, living a life of royal privilege.
The Queen’s cunning should not be underestimated. From a commoner’s wife to a princess, then a queen, and finally a grandmother of the emperor, her rise was rare in the history of feudal Chinese palaces. Generally, concubines were chosen from noble families at the age of sixteen or seventeen. Since Wang Gu was a remarried commoner, she knew she had to be proactive to survive. She first targeted the Crown Prince, using her maturity and boldness to capture his heart, thus winning his favor and securing her place among the palace beauties. She then worked her way up step by step to achieve her goals.
What was her next goal? Simple: to help her son Liu Zhi become the Crown Prince.
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