Wang Baoming
Wang Baoming , formally Empress An, semi-formally Empress Dowager Xuande, was an empress dowager of the Chinese Southern Qi dynasty. She was never empress regnant or empress consort, being the wife of Xiao Zhangmao, the oldest son and crown prince of Emperor Wu, who was posthumously honored as an emperor, and the mother of his son Xiao Zhaoye, who later became emperor.
Biography
Early life
Wang Baoming's grandfather, Wang Shaozhi, and father, Wang Yezhi, were mid-level officials during Liu Song. During the reign of Emperor Houfei of Liu Song, when Xiao Daocheng was a Liu Song general, Xiao Daocheng had already taken her as his grandson Xiao Zhangmao's wife, and in 473 she gave birth to Xiao Zhangmao's oldest son Xiao Zhaoye. In 474, when Xiao Daocheng's mansion was being ransacked by pillagers during the rebellion of Emperor Houfei's uncle Liu Xiufan the Prince of Guiyang, Xiao Zhangmao and his brother Xiao Ziliang took Wang Baoming, Xiao Zhangmao's mother Pei Huizhao, and Lady Yu, the wife of Xiao Zhangmao's uncle Xiao Ni and took refuge in the house of Wang Baoming's Wang Bing, and did not leave until Liu Xiufan's rebellion had been suppressed by Xiao Daocheng.During Southern Qi
After Xiao Daocheng took over the throne in 479, ending Liu Song and establishing Southern Qi, Xiao Zhangmao, as his oldest grandson, was created the Prince of Nan Commandery, and Wang Baoming became the Princess of Nan Commandery. After Emperor Gao died in 482 and was succeeded by Xiao Zhangmao's father Xiao Ze, Xiao Zhangmao was created crown prince, and Princess Wang became crown princess. She was not favored by Xiao Zhangmao, and it was said that while the luxury-loving crown prince gave many of his concubines new clothes and jewelry, the crown princess was using old items. After Xiao Zhangmao died in February 493, Xiao Zhaoye was created crown prince, and Crown Princess Wang carried the title of crown princess dowager. After Emperor Wu died later that year, Xiao Zhaoye succeeded him as emperor, and he honored her as empress dowager, setting her household at Xuande Palace, thus giving rise to her later semi-formal title. In a rather unusual action, he gave her 30 male attendants who were not eunuchs; however, whether they were serving as her lovers is not clear. Whether truthful or not, they have, however, been referred to as her male concubines.In 494, Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated by the prime minister Xiao Luan, who, issuing an edict in Empress Dowager Wang's name, deposed him and demoted him to the title of Prince of Yulin on 6 September 494. Xiao Luan continued to honor her as empress dowager, and initially made Xiao Zhangmao's son by his concubine Lady Xu, Xiao Zhaowen, emperor, although he himself controlled the regime. Later that year, he deposed and killed Xiao Zhaowen as well, taking over the throne personally. Empress Dowager Wang, while still carrying her title, vacated the palace and took up residence at the old mansion of Emperor Wu's brother Xiao Qiang the Prince of Poyang, whom Xiao Luan had killed as well, and the residence became known as Xuande Palace as well.