Empress Zheng

Biography

Family Background and Early Life

Empress Zheng was a native of Kaifeng and came from an official family. Her father Zheng Shen rose to Grand Preceptor and Commandery Prince of Leping. Orthodox histories record little about Zheng's early life, stating only that after entering the palace she served Empress Dowager Xiang, the empress of Emperor Shenzong. Empress Dowager Xiang was an important figure at the late Northern Song court and exerted considerable influence during the reigns of Emperors Zhezong and Huizong. Zheng's ability to distinguish herself among numerous palace attendants was directly related to her appearance and intelligence. The History of Song, “Biographies of Empresses and Consorts,” states that “after entering the palace, she enjoyed reading, could draft memorials herself, and the emperor loved her talent,” indicating that her favor rested not only on beauty but also on literacy and skill in written composition, qualities not especially common among women of the inner palace at the time.

Given to the Prince of Duan and Early Favor

Before becoming emperor, Zhao Ji was Prince of Duan and often visited Cide Palace to pay respects to Empress Dowager Xiang. Xiang ordered Zheng and another palace attendant, Lady Wang, to serve the prince. Zheng was careful and prudent in conduct and responded appropriately, gradually winning Zhao Ji's favor. Over time Xiang noticed the prince's interest in Zheng but did not interfere. In the first lunar month of 1100, the third year of Yuanfu, Emperor Zhezong died and Prince of Duan Zhao Ji ascended the throne as Emperor Huizong. In the twelfth lunar month of that year, Xiang formally gave Zheng and Wang to Huizong. Huizong was delighted. Zheng was immediately made Cairen and then rose exceptionally quickly: in the eighth lunar month of 1101 she became Meiren, in the tenth Jieyu, and in the twelfth Wanyi; in the eleventh lunar month of 1102 she became Worthy Consort; in the fifth lunar month of 1103, Virtuous Consort; and in the second lunar month of 1104, Noble Consort. In only four years she advanced from Cairen to Noble Consort, second only to the empress, an unusually rapid rise in the Northern Song inner court and evidence of Huizong's strong favor.

Established as Empress

Empress Wang died in 1110, the fourth year of Daguan. In the tenth lunar month of that year Huizong established Noble Consort Zheng as empress, and the formal investiture ceremony took place in the second lunar month of 1111. When palace attendants prepared the new empress's crown and ceremonial robes, Zheng considered the strain on the treasury and the high cost of producing new regalia and ordered them instead to alter the crown she had used as Noble Consort in order to reduce expenditure. The action was praised at court and beyond; the History of Song records it as an example of her being “upright and prudent in disposition, and skilled in responding to others.” Zheng remained empress for about sixteen years. During this period she conducted herself cautiously, did not intervene in politics, and maintained a harmonious relationship with Huizong. Huizong repeatedly gave her lyrics and songs; some later circulated outside the palace and became part of the court culture of his reign.

Retired Empress and the Jingkang Incident

In 1125, the seventh year of Xuanhe, Jin forces advanced south and Huizong hastily abdicated in favor of Crown Prince Zhao Huan, Emperor Qinzong of Song. After Qinzong's accession, Empress Zheng was honored as Retired Empress and moved to Ningde Palace, becoming known as Empress of Ningde. Less than two years remained before the fall of the Northern Song. In 1127, the second year of Jingkang, Jin forces captured Bianjing. Huizong, Qinzong, and large numbers of imperial clansmen, empresses, and consorts were taken north in the Jingkang Incident, and Zheng was among them. During the northward journey, she petitioned the Jin commander Wanyan Zonghan: “I have incurred guilt and must go, but my family took no part in court affairs; I beg that they be left behind and not sent away.” Wanyan Zonghan granted the request and allowed her father Zheng Shen to return south. According to unofficial works such as Jingkang baishi jianzheng, a Jin envoy commented that “the empress dowager spoke well, knew the proper forms of advance and withdrawal, and was elegant in bearing and appearance, so the commander granted her request.” This detail is not recorded in the orthodox History of Song, but it reflects the way Zheng was represented as conducting herself during the forced migration.

Years in Captivity and Death

Empress Zheng was taken north with Huizong's party and eventually reached Wuguocheng, in the area of present-day Yilan, Heilongjiang. There she lived with Huizong for nearly three years. Orthodox histories preserve few details of these years, and only scattered material survives in private writings such as Jingkang baishi jianzheng. According to these accounts, Zheng and Huizong continued exchanging verses during captivity, though their living conditions were extremely harsh compared with the palace at Bianjing. On the fifth day of the ninth lunar month in 1130, the fourth year of Jianyan, Zheng died at Wuguocheng at the age of fifty-two. After news reached the Southern Song, Emperor Gaozong posthumously granted her the title Xiansu in the sixth lunar month of 1137 and enshrined her in Huizong's chamber of the imperial ancestral temple in the twelfth lunar month. In 1142, after peace between Song and Jin, the coffins of Huizong and Zheng were returned to the Southern Song and temporarily interred at Yongyou Mausoleum in the tenth lunar month. Members of Zheng's clan were dispersed in Jiangnan, and Gaozong once issued an order to search for them.

Major Activities

Rise in the Inner Palace and Attainment of the Empress Position

Zheng's path from palace maid to empress was a notable example of advancement within the Northern Song inner palace. Through beauty, learning, and a cautious temperament, she gradually became one of Huizong's most favored women. The History of Song says she received “exceptional favor,” indicating her elevated position at court. Her advancement was extremely rapid: only four years from Cairen to Noble Consort, followed by another six years from Noble Consort to empress. The process reflects Huizong's trust in and attachment to her.

Economy in the Empress's Regalia

When Zheng became empress in 1111, she ordered palace attendants to alter her old Noble Consort crown and robes into the ceremonial regalia of an empress in order to save treasury expenditure. Such economy was relatively unusual in the Northern Song inner palace and was presented as evidence of her consideration for state finances. The History of Song records the episode, and later evaluations repeatedly cited it as evidence that she was “upright and prudent.”

Petition during the Northward Removal

During the forced northward journey in 1127, Empress Zheng petitioned Wanyan Zonghan to leave her relatives behind. Her request was granted, allowing her father Zheng Shen to return south. The incident is recorded in unofficial sources such as Jingkang baishi jianzheng rather than orthodox history. The fact that Zheng Shen did return south indicates that the petition had practical effect.

Children

Zheng had one son and five daughters. Her son Zhao Cheng, Huizong's second son, was born in the ninth lunar month of 1101 and died the next day. Her five daughters were Princess Jiade, born in 1100; Princess Ande, born in 1102; Princess Shoushu, born in 1103; Princess Rongshu; and Princess Chengde. Princess Jiade was also taken north after the Jingkang Incident.

Personal Relations

Family

• Father: Zheng Shen, Grand Preceptor and Commandery Prince of Leping, who returned south after the Jingkang Incident
• Husband: Emperor Huizong Zhao Ji of Song
• Son: Zhao Cheng, died in infancy
• Daughters: Princess Jiade, Princess Ande, Princess Shoushu, Princess Rongshu, Princess Chengde

Ruler-Subject Relationships

• Emperor Qinzong Zhao Huan of Song: son of Huizong, who honored Zheng as Retired Empress after his accession
• Emperor Gaozong Zhao Gou of Song: son of Huizong, who posthumously granted Zheng the title Empress Xiansu
• Empress Dowager Xiang: Zheng's mistress upon entering the palace, who later gave her to Huizong

Fellow Members of the Inner Court

• Empress Wang: Huizong's first empress; after her death in 1110 Zheng was established as empress
• Lady Wang: like Zheng, a palace maid of Empress Dowager Xiang who was given to Huizong at the same time

Historical Assessment

Song and Contemporary Assessments

• The History of Song, “Biographies of Empresses and Consorts,” states that Zheng “enjoyed reading after entering the palace, could draft memorials herself, and the emperor loved her talent,” and that she enjoyed “exceptional favor,” affirming both her learning and the degree of imperial favor she received.
• The History of Song also describes her as “upright and prudent in disposition, and skilled in responding,” a judgment associated with the story of her economizing on ceremonial regalia when she became empress.
• A Jin envoy reportedly said that Empress Zheng “spoke well, knew the proper forms of advance and withdrawal, and was elegant in bearing and appearance,” according to Jingkang baishi jianzheng, suggesting the impression she made during the northward removal.

Song-Yuan Period

• Yuan historians included Zheng in the “Biographies of Empresses and Consorts” of the History of Song and gave a relatively complete account of her life, generally in positive terms and without explicit disparagement.
• The story in the History of Song about her economizing on ceremonial regalia was repeatedly cited by later writers and became a central element of her image as a “virtuous” empress.

Ming-Qing Period

• Ming and Qing scholars offered relatively few direct judgments of Zheng. Wang Fuzhi's Song Lun concentrated on the political successes and failures of Huizong's reign and did not discuss Zheng separately.
• Ming anecdotal works such as Qingshi record several stories about Zheng and Huizong, but these are largely hearsay and have limited scholarly value.

Modern Assessments

• Modern research on Zheng has focused mainly on the survival conditions of empresses and consorts taken north after the Jingkang Incident. As one of the highest-ranking women among them, Zheng is frequently discussed as a representative case.
• Taiwan scholar Wang Zengyu, in works including The Jingkang Incident, has examined the experiences of Zheng and other women taken north in considerable detail.
• Scholars generally regard Zheng as a relatively cautious empress who did not intervene in politics. Her political role was limited, but her experience after the northward removal has continuing documentary value.