Empress Yang Yan

Yang Yan (楊艷) (238 – August 25, 274), courtesy name Qiongzhi (瓊芝), formally Empress Wuyuan (武元皇后, "the martial and discerning empress") was an empress of the Western Jin dynasty. She was the first wife of Emperor Wu. Early life and marriage to Sima Yan Yang Yan was a daughter of Yang Wenzong (楊文宗), a marquess during the Cao Wei era, and his wife Lady Zhao. Her mother died early, probably when she was still in infancy, and she was initially raised by her maternal uncle and aunt (who breastfed her). After she grew older, she was raised by her stepmother Lady Duan. By this time, her father, who is said to have also died early, was probably dead. When she was young, she was described as intelligent, studious and beautiful. A fortune teller once foretold that she would have an extraordinary honour, and it was said that when the Cao Wei regent Sima Zhao heard this, he took her and married her to his eldest son Sima Yan. She had three sons and three daughters with her husband. After Sima Zhao's death in September 265, Sima Yan inherited his father's position and forced the Cao Wei emperor Cao Huan to abdicate in favour of him about five months later. This action ended the state of Cao Wei and Sima Yan established the Jin dynasty (as Emperor Wu). On 20 March 266, he created Yang Yan as empress. As empress Empress Yang's oldest son, Sima Gui (司馬軌), died whilst a child, making her second son, Sima Zhong the legitimate heir, by traditional succession laws. However, Emperor Wu hesitated about selecting him as crown prince because he was developmentally disabled. Empress Yang was instrumental in persuading him to have her son designated crown prince anyway, arguing that tradition should not be abandoned easily. She was also instrumental in her son's selection of a wife, as Emperor Wu initially favoured Wei Guan's daughter, but Empress Yang, friendly with Jia Chong's wife Lady Yang, praised Jia's daughter Jia Nanfeng greatly, leading to Jia Nanfeng's selection as crown princess.