Empress Wang Zhi

Queen Wang Zhi (Chinese:王娡) (173 BC–112 BC), the queen of Liu Qi, Han Jing Di.

Wang Zhi was born in 173 BC and later she became a queen of Western Han Dynasty. She had a moderate, elegant, demure and noble demeanor. When Liu Qi, Han Jing Di of Western Han Dynasty found her name in the name list of the girls who were sent to be his concubines, he loved the name instantly and finally chose Wang Zhi to come into the palace. In 156 B.C., Wang Zhi gave birth to the tenth son of Liu Qi, Han Jing Di. This son was named Liu Che. Upon his birth, Liu Che was designated as the king of the land of Jiaodong. Liu Che was much favored by Han Jing Di. The night before Wang Zhi knew she was pregnant with Liu Che, she dreamed that the sun plunged into her arms. This was regarded as a auspicious forebode by Han Jing Di, who thought there was a great future ahead of this son. But at then Wang Zhi was not the queen, and Liu Che was not the first son. Therefore he was not appointed as the heir to the throne.

Overview

Unexpectedly, Liu Piao, the Big Princess, changed the fate of Liu Che, King of Jiaodong. Since Liu Piao, the Big Princess, is the only sister of Liu Qi who had the same mother with him, Liu Qi, Han Jing Di took much notice on the opinions from this sister. Liu Piao had a daughter who was named A Jiao. At the beginning, Liu Piao wanted to marry her daughter A Jiao to Liu Rong, the heir to the throne at that time, in the hope that one day A Jiao could become the queen. But Li Ji, the mother of Liu Rong, refused her proposal. Then she turned her eyes to Liu Che. One day, Liu Piao held the five-year-old Liu Che on her laps and asked him: “Is A Jiao nice or not?” The words coming from a child is unreserved, Liu Che answered in a generous manner: “Nice! If I could have A Jiao as my wife, I shall build a golden house for her to live.” Hearing that, Liu Piao was extremely delighted. She managed to let Liu Che to be the heir to the throne. So she started to praise Liu Che, King of Jiaodong in front of Liu Qi, Han Jing Di while slandering Liu Rong, and his mother Li Ji.

In 150 BC, Liu Qi, Han Jing Di decreed to appoint the 7-years-old Liu Che, King of Jiaodong as the heir to the throne. Liu Qi denounced Liu Rong, the former the heir to the throne and appointed him as the king of the land of Lingjiang. Wang Zhi was appointed to be the queen.

After Liu Qi died, Liu Che assumed the throne to become Han Wu Di. Queen Wang Zhi was old at that time and was in need of a maid with reliable character to attend her. An eunuch recommended his unmarried sister to be the maid. Queen Wang Zhi died in 112 BC.

Queen Wang Zhi died in 112 BC. She was given the posthumous title as Xiao Jing Queen and was buried with Liu Qi, Han Jing Di in Yang Mausoleum.

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