Empress Xiaoduanxian

Empress Xiaoduanxian, born Wang Xijie on November 7, 1564, in Beijing, was the consort of the Wanli Emperor and held the record for the longest-serving empress consort in Chinese history. She died on May 7, 1620.

Her father was Wang Wei from Yuyao, Zhejiang. In the first month of 1577, at the age of 12, Wang Xijie was selected as a candidate for the imperial harem during a selection event organized by Empress Dowager Rensheng and Empress Dowager Xiaoding. In the following year, January 1578, she was formally married to the Wanli Emperor at the age of 13. Her marriage was part of the imperial court's traditional customs, and her youth was noted in correspondence from the grand secretary Zhang Juzheng, who advised that both she and the emperor were too young for marriage.

Upon her selection, her father was elevated to a position within the Jinyiwei, with authority over 1,000 households, and in 1579, the emperor conferred upon him the rank of Count of Yongnian. This rank was significant because, since the reign of the Jiajing Emperor, hereditary feudal titles had been suppressed; thus, this was a special honor granted to her family. After her father’s death, her brother Wang Dong was also granted the countship, and extending this favor to his children was requested and granted, marking a unique exception in imperial customs.

As empress, she was known for her solemn demeanor and filial piety, which earned her favor among her mother-in-law, Empress Dowager Xiaoding. During a period when succession was uncertain, she took measures to increase security for her stepson, the emperor’s eldest son by Lady Gong, organizing additional guards at his residence.

According to the "History of Ming," she was a dutiful and filial figure, and her role within the palace was largely administrative and ceremonial. She bore the emperor a daughter, Zhu Xuanying, in 1582, who was titled Princess Rongchang and married military commander Yang Chunyuan.

Her titles evolved during her lifetime, beginning as Lady Wang during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor, and from 1578, she was recognized as Empress. In 1620, posthumously, she received a comprehensive epithet: Empress Xiaoduanxian, with the full title reflecting her virtues and status.

She is interred at Dingling, adjacent to her husband. During the 1956 excavation of her tomb, numerous treasures were uncovered, including her phoenix crown, a ceremonial headpiece adorned with phoenixes and dragons, weighing approximately 2.96 kilograms. This artifact is now housed in the National Museum of China.

She had one recorded daughter, Princess Rongchang, who lived from 1582 to 1647 and married Yang Chunyuan in 1597, producing five sons.

References for her life include historical texts such as the "History of Ming," records compiled by scholars like Zhang Tingyu, and modern historical analyses, including works by Ray Huang and reports from the China Daily.