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Yu Wenjun (Chinese: 庾文君; 297 – March or April 328), formally Empress Mingmu (明穆皇后, literally "the understanding and solemn empress"), was an empress of the Chinese Jin dynasty by marriage to Emperor Ming. She served as regent during the minority of her son Emperor Cheng from 2 November 325 to early March 328, when the capital Jiankang fell to Su Jun and Emperor Cheng became Su's captive.

Life

Empress Yu's father Yu Chen (庾琛) was the governor of Kuaiji Commandery along the southern shore of Hangzhou Bay and later served on the staff of Sima Rui the Prince of Langye (later Emperor Yuan) when Sima Rui was posted at Jianye. She was considered kind and beautiful, and Sima Rui took her to be his son Sima Shao's wife. Her elder brother Yu Liang became a key friend and advisor to Sima Shao. Later, after Sima Rui declared himself emperor in April 318 and created Sima Shao crown prince on 10 May, she became crown princess. After Emperor Yuan died in January 323 and Sima Shao succeeded to the throne as Emperor Ming, she became empress. She had two sons with him, Sima Yan and Sima Yue, the future emperors Cheng and Kang respectively. She was also the first non-posthumous empress of the Eastern Jin, and the first empress of the Jin dynasty since Liang Lanbi (Emperor Huai's consort). Besides Yu Liang, Empress Yu's other brothers Yu Yi and Yu Bing were important Eastern Jin officials.

Regency

Emperor Ming only ruled briefly (about two years) and died in 18 October 325. Initially, he left a balance of power between high-level officials with whom he entrusted the four-year-old Crown Prince Yan, who later succeeded to the throne as Emperor Cheng on 19 October 325. Empress Yu was honored as Empress Dowager Yu on the same day, and the officials encouraged her to become regent. Under this arrangement, Yu Liang became the most powerful official of the empire. He became apprehensive of the generals Su Jun, Zu Yue, and Tao Kan, each of whom suspected Yu of erasing their names from Sima Shao's will, which promoted and honored a large number of officials. Yu Liang was also apprehensive of Emperor Ming's step-uncle Yu Yin (虞胤) and the Imperial Princes Sima Zong (司馬宗) the Prince of Nandun and Sima Yang (司馬羕) the Prince of Xiyang, all of whom were powerful during Emperor Ming's reign but who had been removed under Empress Dowager Yu's regency. In winter 326, Yu Liang accused Sima Zong of treason and killed him, demoted Sima Yang, and exiled Yu Yin. This led to the people losing confidence in him.

Deposition, death and burial

In 327, Yu Liang further resolved on separating Su, then the governor of Liyang Commandery (歷陽, roughly modern Chaohu, Anhui) from his troops, and he promoted Su to minister of agriculture—a post that did not involve commanding troops. Su saw his intent and declared a rebellion, with Zu's assistance. Yu Liang initially thought that Su could be easily defeated, but instead Su quickly arrived at the capital in early March 328 and captured it. Yu Liang was forced to flee. Meanwhile, Su granted himself and Zu various titles on 5 March 328 and allowed his troops to pillage the capital; it was said that even Empress Dowager Yu's servant girls became spoils for his troops. Further, it was said that Su himself "humiliated" Empress Dowager Yu— although the method of humiliation was not specified in history, it is believed that she was raped by the troops. Empress Dowager Yu died in distress and fear at the age of 32 (by East Asian reckoning). Her son Emperor Cheng became Su's captive for months before other provincial generals converged on Jiankang and defeated Su. The empress dowager's body was eventually recovered and she was buried together with Emperor Ming at Wuping Mausoleum on 19 May 328.

References

1. (六月，壬子，立妃庾氏为皇后...) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.92
2. According to Emperor Cheng's biography in Book of Jin and vol.94 of Zizhi Tongjian, Empress Dowager Yu died on the bingzi day of the 3rd month of the 3rd year of the Xian'he era of his reign. However, there is no bingzi day in that month; the month corresponds to 27 Mar to 25 Apr 328 in the Julian calendar. Jin Shu, vol.07. It is possible that the correct month was the 2nd (二) month; the corresponding date in the Julian calendar is 24 Mar 328.
3. According to Emperor Cheng's biography in Book of Jin, Empress Dowager Yu assumed regency on the guimao day of the 9th month of the 3rd year of the Taining era of his father's reign. This corresponds to 2 Nov 325 in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. Jin Shu, vol.07
4. According to Emperor Cheng's biography in Book of Jin, Su Jun occupied Jiankang on the bingchen day of the 2nd month of the 3rd year of the Xianhe era of his reign; the date corresponds to 4 Mar 328 in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. Jin Shu, vol.07
5. (庚午，立王太子绍为皇太子。....聘亮妹为太子妃。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.90. Note that Sima Shao was already crown prince and heir during his father's tenure as Prince of Langye.
6. Emperor Yuan's biography in Book of Jin indicate that his consort Lady Yu was posthumously named empress on 10 Oct 320. (八月戊午，尊敬王后虞氏为敬皇后。) Jin Shu, vol.06.
7. According to Emperor Cheng's biography in Book of Jin, he ascended the throne on the jichou day in the leap month of the 3rd year of the Taining era of his father's reign. This corresponds to 19 Oct 325 in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. Jin Shu, vol. 07
8. According to Emperor Cheng's biography in Book of Jin and vol.94 of Zizhi Tongjian, Su Jun granted himself and Zu Yue the titles on the dingsi day of the 2nd month of the 3rd year of the Xianhe era of Emperor Cheng's reign; the date corresponds to 5 Mar 328 in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. Jin Shu, vol.07. Tongjian also added the observation that Su Jun also issued a general pardon on that day, but said pardon did not include Yu Liang and his brothers (丁巳，峻称诏大赦，惟庾亮兄弟不在原例。...).
9. (及苏峻作逆，京都倾覆，后见逼辱，遂以忧崩,时年三十二。) Jin Shu, vol.32. Vol.94 of Zizhi Tongjian only recorded that Lady Yu died in distress (以忧崩). However, the volume did record that Lady Yu's servant girls, along with other women of the harem, became spoils for Su's troops (; this is similar to the record found in Emperor Cheng's biography in Jin Shu). Tongjian also recorded that noblewomen were stripped naked; those who could found straw or hay from damaged mats to preserve their modesty. Those who couldn't find straw sat down and used earth from the ground to cover themselves (裸剥士女，皆以坏席苦苫草自鄣，无草者坐地以土自覆.).
10. According to Emperor Cheng's biography in Book of Jin, Empress Dowager Yu was buried on the renshen day of the 4th month of the 3rd year of the Xianhe era of his reign. This corresponds to 19 May 328 in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. Jin Shu, vol.07

• Book of Jin, vol. 07, vol. 32, vol. 73.
• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 90, 92, 93, 94.

• 297 births
• 328 deaths
• Jin dynasty (266–420) empresses
• Jin dynasty (266–420) empresses dowager
• 4th-century women regents
• 4th-century Chinese women
• 4th-century Chinese people
• Jin dynasty (266–420) regents
• 4th-century empresses consort
• 4th-century regents
• Mothers of Chinese emperors