Wang Xianyuan

Wang Xianyuan
王憲嫄
Empress consort of Liu Song
Tenure5 June 453 – 12 July 464
PredecessorEmpress Yin Yuying
SuccessorEmpress Lu
Born427
Died9 October 464(464-10-09) (aged 36–37)
Jiankang, Liu Song
SpouseEmperor Xiaowu of Song
IssueLiu Chuyu, Princess Kuaiji (446?[1] – 2 January 466[2])
Liu Ziye, Emperor Qianfei (449–466)
Liu Zishang, Prince of Yizhang (451[3] – 2 January 466)
Posthumous name
Empress Wenmu (文穆皇后)
FatherWang Yan
MotherPrincess Wuxing

Wang Xianyuan (Chinese: 王憲嫄; 427[4] – 9 October 464[5]), formally Empress Wenmu (文穆皇后, literally "the civil and solemn empress"), was an empress of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty. Her husband was Emperor Xiaowu (Liu Jun).

  1. ^ Lady Liu's birth year and her age when she died were not recorded. However, it is likely that she was born in or after 443 as that was the year her parents married.
  2. ^ According to Emperor Ming's biography in Book of Song, Lady Liu and her brother Liu Zishang were ordered to commit suicide on the jiwei day of the 11th month of the 1st year of the Yongguang era. This corresponds to 2 Jan 466 in the Julian calendar. ([永光元年十一月]己未,司徒扬州刺史豫章王子尚、山阴公主并赐死。) Song Shu, vol.08
  3. ^ According to Liu Zishang's biography in Book of Song, he was 16 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died. (太宗殒废帝,称太皇后令曰:“子尚顽凶极悖,行乖天理。楚玉淫乱纵慝,义绝人经。并可于第赐尽。”子尚时年十六。) Song Shu, vol.80. Thus, his birth year should be 451.
  4. ^ Lady Wang's biography in Book of Song indicated that she was 38 (by East Asian reckoning) when she died.
  5. ^ jichou day of the 8th month of the 8th year of the Da'ming era, per volume 129 of Zizhi Tongjian