Empress Zhang (Hongxi)

Zhang was from Northern Shanxi, a peasant background, the daughter of Zhang Qi and Lady Tong.[1] She became the first spouse of the future Hongxi Emperor in 1396.[2] On her marriage, her father was posthumously enfeoffed as Marquis of Pengcheng (彭城侯).[2] In 1404, her spouse was made heir apparent and Zhang was elevated to crown princess (Chinese: 皇太子妃; pinyin: huángtàizǐ fēi). She gave birth to 3 sons and a daughter.

On 7 September 1424, her spouse ascended the throne as the Hongxi Emperor, and on 29 October, she was made empress. She was described as wise, good and capable, with a great knowledge of all events both inside and outside of the palace, and was held in good confidence of the emperor, who allowed her to participate in state affairs.[3]

In 1425, her son succeeded to the throne as the Xuande Emperor. He granted his mother the title of Empress Dowager. She was a dominant presence during the reign of her son, and accompanied him on his trips around the empire.[3][4]

In 1435, Zhang's son was succeeded by her eight-year-old grandson, Emperor Yingzong of Ming, and she was granted the title Grand Empress Dowager. There was no precedent on how to handle the occurrence of a child Emperor in the Ming dynasty. The Emperor had instructed his ministers to guide his son and take advise from Zhang. [5] To prevent any succession dispute, Zhang appeared before the ministers and presented her grandson as the new Emperor.[6]

A regency was formed consisting of Zhang Fu (Duke of Yingguo), as well as three grand secretaries: Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong and Yang Pu, with Empress Zhang as the head of the regency council and regent.[3] It was she who appointed the five ministers of the minor government.[7] She was never formally given the title of regent: when she was asked to, she responded that there was no ancestral precedence for such a thing in the dynasty.[3] Though she refused the title, however, she still acted as regent, and held council with her ministers, listened to their views, and reserved the final say to her.[3]

Well known was her conflict with the child emperors influential favorite, Wang Zhen (eunuch), whom she regarded as too influential and in danger of becoming one of the infamous de facto ruler-eunuchs of the past.[8] She summoned the ministers and group of female officials, armed them, called upon Wang Zhen and sentenced him to death on the spot, and ordered the ministers and female officials to kill him immediately.[9] When the emperor and ministers begged her to pardon Wang Zhen, she did so and warned the latter not to err again.[10]

She kept her position as regent of China until her death in 1442. She was called a "Yao and Shun among women".[11]

Empress Zhang was played by Wu Yue in the 2019 series Ming Dynasty.

• Denis C.; GRIMM, Tilemann. The Cheng-t'ung, Ching-t'ai, and T'ien-shun reigns, 1436—1464. In MOTE, Frederick W; TWITCHETT, Denis C. The Cambridge History of China Volume 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368–1644, Part 1. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1988. [dále jen Twitchett, Grimm]. ISBN 0521243327.
• DREYER, Edward L. Early Ming China: A Political History. Stanford : Stanford University Press, 1982. 315 s. ISBN 0-8047-1105-4. S. 223. (anglicky) [Dále jen Dreyer].
• EER, Ph. de. The Care-taker Emperor : Aspects of the Imperial Institution in Fifteenth-century China as Reflected in the Political History of the Reign of Chu Chʾi-yü. Leiden : Brill, 1986. 226 s. ISBN 9004078983, 9789004078987.