Empress Qincheng

1. Early Life and Background

Empress Qincheng was born in Kaifeng, which is located in present-day Henan Province, China. Her birth father, Cui Jie (崔傑^Chinese), died when she was young. Her mother, Lady Li (李氏^Chinese), subsequently remarried to Zhu Shi'an (朱士安^Chinese). As a result, she adopted the surname Zhu. Due to the impoverished circumstances of her stepfather Zhu Shi'an's family, she was later adopted by Ren Tinghe (任廷和^Chinese).

2. Palace Life and Promotions

In 1068, at the age of sixteen, Zhu Shi entered the imperial palace as an Imperial Servant (御侍^Chinese), a position for concubines without specific rank within the inner court. After eight years as a maid, she gained the attention of Emperor Shenzong. In 1075, she was granted the title of Cairen (才人^Chinese). The following year, in 1076, she was promoted to Jieyu (婕妤^Chinese). By 1079, she had risen to the rank of Zhaorong (昭容^Chinese), which was a second-rank consort position. Her promotions continued, reaching Xianfei (賢妃^Chinese) in 1082 and finally Defei (德妃^Chinese) in 1084. During her time as a consort, she gave birth to three children for Emperor Shenzong: two sons and one daughter. These children included Zhao Yong (趙傭^Chinese), who would later become Emperor Zhezong, Zhao Si (趙似^Chinese), and a princess.

3. Role during Emperor Zhezong's Reign

In 1085, her son, Zhao Yong, ascended to the throne as Emperor Zhezong. Upon his enthronement, Zhu Shi was honored with the title of Imperial Consort Dowager Shengrui (聖瑞皇太妃^Chinese). This designation was chosen because Emperor Shenzong's legal wife, Empress Xiang, was elevated to the rank of Empress Dowager, and Emperor Zhezong's grandmother, Grand Empress Dowager Gao, also held a senior imperial title.

Her ritualistic status was significantly elevated during her son's reign. In 1088, the Grand Empress Dowager Gao issued an edict, citing the principle of "Mother is honored by her son" (母以子貴^Chinese) from the Spring and Autumn Annals, to grant Imperial Consort Dowager Shengrui ceremonial privileges equivalent to those of an Empress. This included the use of specific carriage covers, ceremonial guards, and imperial attire. During the Shaosheng era (1094-1098), Emperor Zhezong further enhanced her status. He decreed that her palanquin procession could pass through the Xuan De East Gate (宣德東門^Chinese), a privilege typically reserved for Empresses. Furthermore, all imperial officials were required to address her as 'Your Highness' (殿下^Chinese), and her residence was officially named Shengrui Palace (聖瑞宮^Chinese). Emperor Zhezong also posthumously honored her birth father Cui Jie, her stepfather Zhu Shi'an, and her adoptive father Ren Tinghe, by granting them the high official titles of Grand Tutor (太師^Chinese) and Grand Protector (太保^Chinese).

4. Succession Crisis and Emperor Huizong's Ascension

In 1100, Emperor Zhezong died without leaving any direct heirs. This led to a succession crisis within the imperial court. The then Prime Minister, Zhang Dun, advocated for Zhu Shi's younger son, Zhao Si, to inherit the throne. However, Empress Dowager Xiang strongly opposed this proposal. She feared that if Zhao Si became emperor, the Zhu family, as his maternal relatives, would gain excessive power and influence within the government.

To prevent this, Empress Dowager Xiang rallied the support of other high-ranking officials and successfully countered Zhang Dun's suggestion. Instead, she put forward another prince, Zhao Ji (趙佶^Chinese), who was the eleventh son of Emperor Shenzong. Zhao Ji's birth mother, Consort Chen, had already passed away, which meant there would be no powerful maternal family to contend with. Consequently, Zhao Ji was enthroned, becoming Emperor Huizong of Song. Upon Emperor Huizong's ascension, his own birth mother, Consort Chen, was posthumously honored as Imperial Consort Dowager. To differentiate, Zhu Shi's title was specifically designated as Shengrui Imperial Consort Dowager (聖瑞皇太妃^Chinese). Despite the slight change in designation, her ceremonial status and privileges remained as they were during Emperor Zhezong's reign.

5. Death and Posthumous Ennoblement

Zhu Shi died in 1102, at the age of 51. Following her death, she was posthumously honored and elevated to the rank of Empress. She was bestowed with the posthumous title of Empress Qincheng (欽成皇后^Chinese), which translates to "The admirable and becoming Empress." Her remains were interred in the Yongyu Mausoleum (永裕陵^Chinese), and her spirit tablet was subsequently enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple (太廟^Chinese).

6. Family Relations

Empress Qincheng's family included her birth parents, her stepfather, her adoptive father, her husband, and her children.

• Parents**
  • Birth Father: Cui Jie (崔傑^Chinese), posthumously honored as Grand Tutor (太師^Chinese) and Grand Protector (太保^Chinese).
  • Mother: Lady Li (李氏^Chinese), posthumously honored as Grand Lady of Chu State (楚國太夫人^Chinese).
  • Stepfather: Zhu Shi'an (朱士安^Chinese), posthumously honored as Grand Tutor (太師^Chinese) and Grand Protector (太保^Chinese).
  • Adoptive Father: Ren Tinghe (任廷和^Chinese), posthumously honored as Grand Tutor (太師^Chinese) and Grand Protector (太保^Chinese).
  • Husband**
    • Emperor Shenzong of Song (宋神宗^Chinese; 1048-1085), the sixth emperor of the Northern Song dynasty.
    • Children**
      • Emperor Zhezong of Song (哲宗 趙煦^Chinese; 1077-1100), born Zhao Yong (趙傭^Chinese), the sixth son of Emperor Shenzong and the seventh emperor of the Northern Song dynasty.
      • Zhao Si (趙似^Chinese; 1083-1106), the thirteenth son of Emperor Shenzong. Born in 1083, he was initially granted the title of He Guo Gong (和國公^Chinese). During Emperor Zhezong's reign, he was successively enfeoffed as Jinning Jun Wang (普寧郡王^Chinese) and Jian Wang (簡王^Chinese). After Emperor Zhezong's death, he was proposed as a successor but was ultimately passed over. He later received the title of Han Wang (韓王^Chinese) in 1106. Upon his death, he was posthumously honored as Prince Churongxian (楚榮憲王^Chinese), with the honorific "Rongxian" (榮憲^Chinese).
      • Princess Xianjing (賢靜帝姬^Chinese; 1085-1115), the tenth daughter of Emperor Shenzong. Born a few months after her father's death in 1085, she was initially titled Qingguo Gongzhu (慶國公主^Chinese). Her title was subsequently changed multiple times, including Yiguo (益^Chinese), Jiguo (冀^Chinese), and Shuguo (蜀^Chinese) Grand Princess, before finally becoming Xuguo Grand Princess (徐國長公主^Chinese). In 1104, she married Pan Yi (潘意^Chinese), a great-grandson of Pan Mei. In 1113, with the reform of imperial princess titles, she was redesignated as Rouhui Diji (柔惠帝姬^Chinese). Upon her death, she was posthumously honored as Xianjing Grand Diji (賢靜長帝姬^Chinese).

7. Titles

Empress Qincheng held numerous titles throughout her life and posthumously, reflecting her changing status within the imperial court.

• During the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song (1022-1063):**
  • Lady Zhu (朱氏^Chinese)
• During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of Song (1067-1085):**
  • Cairen (才人^Chinese; from 1075)
  • Jieyu (婕妤^Chinese; from 1076)
  • Zhaorong (昭容^Chinese; from 1079)
  • Xianfei (賢妃^Chinese; from 1082)
  • Defei (德妃^Chinese; from 1084)
• During the reign of Emperor Zhezong of Song (1085-1100):**
  • Dowager Imperial Consort Shengrui (聖瑞皇太妃^Chinese; from 1085)
• During the reign of Emperor Huizong of Song (1100-1126):**
  • Empress Qincheng (欽成皇后^Chinese; from 1102, posthumous)