Consort Wu (Xuande)

Empress Dowager Xiaoyi, of the Wu clan, was a concubine of the Xuande Emperor.

Biography

Records say she comes from the Wu clan from Zhejiang Province. Her family consisted of her father Wu Yanming, her mother Lady Shen, her four brothers Wu Xing, Wu Zhong, Wu Rong and Wu An and three sisters: Wu Miaoxiang, Wu Miaoyin and Wu Miaoqing.
She entered court on the 10th year of Yongle when she was sixteen years old. At this time Zhu Zhanji was the emperor's grandson, and she was assigned as his servant in Yuqing Palace. After this, the next record of her is when she gave birth to Zhu Qiyu in 1428 and was instated as Consort Xian that same year. It is rumored however that Zhu Qiyu is not the Xuande Emperor's child.
After the death of the Xuande Emperor, his eldest son by his wife Empress Sun was enthroned as the Zhengtong Emperor. In 1449, the Zhengtong Emperor became a prisoner of the Oirat Mongols and because of this, Zhu Qiyu was enthroned as the Jingtai Emperor. He honored his mother as empress dowager. But after the deposition of the Jingtai Emperor, the Zhengtong Emperor demoted Empress Dowager Wu and gave her the title of Consort Xuanmiaoxian. When she died she was given the posthumous title of Consort Rongsixian.
After the enthronement of the Hongguang Emperor, she was elevated to the rank of empress dowager and was given the posthumous title Empress Dowager Xiàoyì Chénhuì Shūshèn Círén Kuāngtiān Xīshèng.