Empress Dowager Xiao (died June 1, 847), formally Empress Zhenxian (貞獻皇后, "the virtuous and wise empress"), known at times in her life as Empress Dowager Jiqing, was an empress dowager of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. She was the mother of Emperor Wenzong and a concubine of Emperor Muzong. Background It is not known when the future Empress Dowager Xiao was born, but it is known that she was from Fujian Circuit (福建, headquartered in modern Fuzhou, Fujian). She became a concubine of Li You, a son of Emperor Xianzong, while Li You was the Prince of Jian'an. At the time she left home, her parents had already died, and the only family member remaining at her home was a younger brother. She bore Li You a son, Li Han, in 809, when he was the Prince of Sui. In 821, by which time Li You's name had been changed to Li Heng and he had become emperor (as Emperor Muzong), Li Han was made the Prince of Jiāng, although it is not known what title she carried during Emperor Muzong's reign or the subsequent reign of Li Han's older brother, Emperor Jingzong, following Emperor Muzong's death in 824. As empress dowager During Emperor Wenzong's reign In 826, Emperor Jingzong was assassinated, purportedly by his polo players, led by Su Zuoming. The eunuch Liu Keming initially supported Emperor Muzong's younger brother, Li Wu, the Prince of Jiàng (note different tone) to succeed Emperor Jingzong, but soon the eunuch army commanders Wang Shoucheng, Yang Chenghe, Wei Congjian, and Liang Shouqian killed Liu and Li Wu, supporting Li Han instead (as Emperor Wenzong, with his name changed from Li Han to Li Ang). Emperor Wenzong honored his mother as empress dowager while honoring Emperor Jingzong's mother as Empress Dowager Wang "Empress Dowager Baoli" ("Baoli" being Emperor Jingzong's era name). There were thus three empresses dowager in the palace at the time (along with Emperor Muzong's mother and Emperor Wenzong's grandmother Grand Empress Dowager Guo). It was said that Emperor Wenzong was filially pious and honored the three empresses dowager properly. Whenever he received valuable food items, he would first submit them to the ancestral temples, then the empresses dowager, before receiving them himself.

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Overview

Empress Dowager Xiao (died June 1, 847), formally Empress Zhenxian (貞獻皇后, "the virtuous and wise empress"), known at times in her life as Empress Dowager Jiqing, was an empress dowager of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. She was the mother of Emperor Wenzong and a concubine of Emperor Muzong. Background It is not known when the future Empress Dowager Xiao was born, but it is known that she was from Fujian Circuit (福建, headquartered in modern Fuzhou, Fujian). She became a concubine of Li You, a son of Emperor Xianzong, while Li You was the Prince of Jian'an. At the time she left home, her parents had already died, and the only family member remaining at her home was a younger brother. She bore Li You a son, Li Han, in 809, when he was the Prince of Sui. In 821, by which time Li You's name had been changed to Li Heng and he had become emperor (as Emperor Muzong), Li Han was made the Prince of Jiāng, although it is not known what title she carried during Emperor Muzong's reign or the subsequent reign of Li Han's older brother, Emperor Jingzong, following Emperor Muzong's death in 824. As empress dowager During Emperor Wenzong's reign In 826, Emperor Jingzong was assassinated, purportedly by his polo players, led by Su Zuoming. The eunuch Liu Keming initially supported Emperor Muzong's younger brother, Li Wu, the Prince of Jiàng (note different tone) to succeed Emperor Jingzong, but soon the eunuch army commanders Wang Shoucheng, Yang Chenghe, Wei Congjian, and Liang Shouqian killed Liu and Li Wu, supporting Li Han instead (as Emperor Wenzong, with his name changed from Li Han to Li Ang). Emperor Wenzong honored his mother as empress dowager while honoring Emperor Jingzong's mother as Empress Dowager Wang "Empress Dowager Baoli" ("Baoli" being Emperor Jingzong's era name). There were thus three empresses dowager in the palace at the time (along with Emperor Muzong's mother and Emperor Wenzong's grandmother Grand Empress Dowager Guo). It was said that Emperor Wenzong was filially pious and honored the three empresses dowager properly. Whenever he received valuable food items, he would first submit them to the ancestral temples, then the empresses dowager, before receiving them himself.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Empress Dowager Xiao (died June 1, 847), formally Empress Zhenxian (貞獻皇后, "the virtuous and wise empress"), known at times in her life as Empress Dowager Jiqing, was an empress dowager of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. She was the mother of Emperor Wenzong and a concubine of Emperor Muzong.