Empress Zhang (Liu Shan's second wife)

Empress Zhang (fl. 237–264), personal name unknown, was an empress of the state of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms period. She was the daughter of the Shu general Zhang Fei and a younger sister of Empress Jing'ai. In 237, she became an Imperial Consort (貴人) of the Shu emperor Liu Shan. She became empress in February 238, succeeding her elder sister, who died in the previous year.

Empress Zhang 張皇后
Empress of Shu Han
Tenure	February 238 – December 263
Predecessor	Empress Jing'ai
Born	Unknown
Died	Unknown
Spouse	Liu Shan
Father	Zhang Fei
Mother	Lady Xiahou

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Zhang.

Life

Empress Zhang's father was the famous general Zhang Fei and her mother was the niece of Xiahou Yuan, a noble lady from the rival state of Cao Wei. She was the sister of Empress Jing'ai and Zhang Bao.

As usual at the time, Empress Zhang only married Liu Shan for political reasons. Liu Shan's father, Liu Bei founded the Shu Han kingdom alongside his sworn brother, Zhang Fei. The Shu Han strategist, Zhuge Liang, recommended that the daughters of the Zhang family marry the sons of the Liu family to ensure the connection and political privileges between them.

During one of Jiang Wei's campaigns against Cao Wei in the north, Xiahou ba surrenders to the Shu kingdom. The reason for the surrender was that Sima Yi orchestrated a coup d'etat against Cao Shuang, the regent of Cao Wei, so Xiahou Ba was opposed to serving the Sima clan. The Xiahou clan that served the Cao clan for many decades surrenders to the enemy of its ancestors.

Empress Zhang's kinship with Xiahou Ba was vital to a good relationship between the Xiahou clan and the Liu clan. Empress Zhang's mother, Lady Xiahou, was Xiahou Ba's cousin, so Liu Shan accepts the surrender.

In 264, after Shu Han was conquered by the rival state of Cao Wei, Empress Zhang accompanied Liu Shan and her entire family to the Wei capital Luoyang.[1]

In popular culture

Empress Zhang is first introduced as a playable character in the fifth instalment of Koei's Dynasty Warriors video game series. She was omitted from Dynasty Warriors 6, but was reintroduced in Dynasty Warriors 7 and has been present since. She is given the fictional name "Xingcai" (星彩) in the games. Although there is no mention of her sister throughout the series, the Scholar Quiz of Dynasty Warriors 7 confirms that Xingcai is the second empress of Liu Shan.

See also

• Shu Han family trees
• Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms

References

1. (後主張皇后，前後敬哀之妹也。建興十五年，入為貴人。延熙元年春正月，策曰：「朕統承大業，君臨天下，奉郊廟社稷。今以貴人為皇后，使行丞相事左將軍向朗持節授璽綬。勉脩中饋，恪肅禋祀，皇后其敬之哉！」咸熙元年，隨後主遷於洛陽。) Sanguozhi vol. 34.

• Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).

Chinese royalty
Preceded by Empress Jing'ai	Empress of Shu Han 238–263	Dynasty ended
	Empress of China (Southwestern) 238–263	Succeeded by Empress Bian of Cao Wei