China: Empress Xiao Jing (February 27 1565 - October 18 1611), consort of the 14th Ming Emperor Wanli (r. 1572-1620). Hanging scroll painting, 16th-17th century. Empress Dowager Wang (1565-1611), formally Empress Xiaojing but primarily known as Consort Gong, was the mother of the Taichang Emperor. Initially a maid of Dowager Empress Xiaoding, she caught the eye of the Wanli Emperor. The emperor ignored her when she became pregnant however, and it was only at the Empress Dowager's behest that he relented and married her. Her grandson, the Tianqi Emperor, promoted her to Empress Dowager.

---

Size: 3700px × 4839px
Photo credit: © Pictures From History / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 16th, 16th-17th, 17th, art, arts, asia, asian, century, china, chinese, concubine, consort, crown, dowager, dragon, dynasty, east, empress, gong, hanging, historical, history, images, imperial, jing, leader, ming, monarch, monarchy, painting, pictures, portrait, queen, robe, royal, royalty, ruler, scroll, wang, xiao, xiaojing