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Biography
Empress Wang, formally Empress Xiaozhenchun (died 1518) was a Chinese Empress consort of the Ming Dynasty, married to the Chenghua Emperor.
Empress Wang was chosen by the emperor to the position of empress after her predecessor had been deposed due to a conflict with the emperors favorite concubine, Consort Wan. Aware of the mistake of her predecessor, Wang was very anxious to avoid any conflict with the emperors favorite. Consort Wan had no son with the emperor after her first son died in infancy, and feared the competition if any other of the emperors consorts or concubines gave birth to a son. It was said that empress Wang deliberately stayed childless to avoid such a conflict with Consort Wan. The efforts to avoid all conflicts with Consort Wan and to show herself submissive to her, did secure the position of empress Wang at court.
In 1487, the Chenghua Emperor died, and empress Wang was given the title Empress Dowager. The Hongzhi Emperor granted her the title Grand Empress Dowager. In 1510, she was further raised in rank by the then-reigning emperor, Emperor Zhengde, who was the eldest son of the Hongzhi Emperor and the grandson of the Chenghua Emperor.