1st, 2nd and 6th daughter of 魏王wei4wang2, 彥卿 yan4qing1(0-40)

from " History of Song 宋史"

周 宣 懿 皇 后 符 氏 傳

zhou1 xuan1 yi4 huang2 hou4 fu2 shi4 chuan2

synopsis of the Biography of Queen xuan1 yi4 周 宣 懿 皇 后 符 氏 傳of Later Zhou (951-960 CE)

She is the eldest daughter of wei4 wang2 yan4 qing1(魏 王 彥 卿). She initially married to chong2 xun4 崇 訓, the son of Mid River military governor, shou3 zhen1守 貞, who had disloyal thought. A fortunet taller heard her voice and was astonish to comment,"that is the voice of an empress." So shou3 zhen1守 貞 had no doubt and rebelled. Later Han dynasty( 947-950 CE) sent zhou1 tai4 zu3 周 太 祖 to counter attack. A year later, he conquered rebellion's castle. Chong2 xun4 崇 訓 knew what would happen to them and started killing his family so they woludn't be disgraced. xuan1 yi4 hid and saved her live from the execution. Later, she was able to sit on the hall and calmly convince the soldiers not to disgrace/hurt her.

zhou1 tai4 zu3 周 太 祖 was amazed by her grace, so spared and returned her to her father,wei4 wang2 yan4 qing1(魏 王 彥 卿). She then became zhou1 tai4 zu3 周 太 祖 's daughter for his kindness. His son, shi4 zong1 世 宗 admired her demeaner.So when his wife, Madam Liew died, he married her, and later the Queen of Later Zhou (951-960 CE). shi4 zong1 世 宗 had a quick and bad temper, and she was always able to calm him down and he treasured her more.---After she died, she was buried at yi4 ling2 懿 陵. He then married her 2nd sister as his queen.

The 2^nd and 6^th daughter of 魏王wei4wang2,彥卿 yan4qing1(0-40)

符氏族譜 (Fu2Shi4Zu2pu3) Volume 2, page 14

Biography of Emperor Mother of the West Palace ( 西宮太后 符氏傳 Xi1 gong1 tai4 hou4 )

Emperor Mother of the West Palace (西宮太后 Xi1 gong1 tai4 hou4) was second daughter of the king of wei4 wang2 魏王彥卿 yan4qing1(0-40). She was big, strong, vigilant and sharp (魁偉警悟) at her young age.She was the wife of 世宗shi4zong1, the emperor of 後周hou4zhou1 (951-960 CE). When he died, her son 宗 zong1 xun4,became the emperor gong1di4恭帝, who was seven years old at the time.She therefore help him governed the country behind the dropping curtain. At that time the country was peaceful and ministers abused their power. Emperor恭帝gong1di4 was too young to be effective. His general 宋太 祖Song4 tai4 zu3 gradually gained power, and soon there was plot to elect him as the Monarch.On the January of 庚子year,two provinces (鎮,定) jointly reported the invasion of joined army of Liao and Han. So 恭帝gong1 di4 ordered his general 宋太 祖Song4 tai4 zu3 to defend against the invasion. Three years (癸卯) later, with the soldiers under his control, the army reached the Chan Bridge Post 陳橋 驛, he crowned himself (自立而還) and led his soldiers to the capitol. Two years later (乙巳) Zhou emperor 恭帝 gong1di4 was abdicated and 宋太祖Song4 tai4zu3 became the Emperor and change the dynasty to Song. He then proclaimed (封) 恭帝gong1di4 to be the king of Zheng4 (鄭 王 Zheng4 wang2) and his mother (the Fooempress zhou1 ), Emperor mother of Zhou1,and moved to live in the west Palace, so she was named Emperor Mother of the West Palace (西宮太后 Xi1gong1tai4hou4 ). She died during the reign of 2^nd Song Emperor 太宗 (淳化四年 994 CE), the calendar year of 癸巳 and buried in the north west of imperial yi4 tomb (懿陵)of her sister.

Empress of exemplary virtue (宋 懿德皇后 符氏傳 Song4 yi4 de2 Huang2 hou4 )

yi4de2 Fu2Huang2hou4 懿德符皇后 was the native of Chen2 province (陳州宛邸). She was the 6^th daughter of the king of Wei (魏王wei4wang2, 彥卿 yan4qing1(0-40)). During the Later Zhou dynasty, she was married to宋太 祖 tai4 zu3‘s son 太宗 tai4 zong1. When 太宗 became king of 晉jin4, she was name the lady of yue4 guo2 (越國夫人). She died at the age 34 on the year (開寶八年 976 CE) under the reign of first Song emperor, 宋太 祖 tai4 zu3 .She was buried at the north west of 安陵. When her husband太宗 tai4 zong1 became the 2^nd Song Emperor, she was honored post-humorously as queen, and was decreed the Empress of exemplary virtue ( 懿德皇后 yi4de2 Huang2hou4 ).

Edit & translate by Sun-Hoo Foo 符傳孝 (32-74-109)