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Princess Si of Anding

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Princess Si of Anding
安定思公主
Born19 March(?) 654
Chang'an, Tang China
Died654
Burial
Chongjing Temple
Posthumous name
Si (思; lit. ''to yearn for'')
HouseLi
DynastyTang
FatherEmperor Gaozong of Tang
MotherEmpress Zetian
Princess Si of Anding
Chinese安定思公主
Traditional Chinese安定思公主
Simplified Chinese安定思公主
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinĀndìng Sī Gōngzhǔ
IPAIPAc-cmnan1.ding4 si1 gong1.zhu3
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpingon1 ding6 si1 gung1 zyu2
IPAIPAc-yueɔːn1.tɪŋ6 sɪː1 kʊŋ1.tsyː2

Princess Si of Anding (安定思公主; 19 March(?) 654[1] – 654) was a princess of the Tang dynasty of China. She was honored with the title "Princess Anding", along with the posthumous name "Si" in 664.

She was the first daughter and second child of Empress Zetian,[2][3][4] the only empress regnant in Chinese history, and was the third daughter and eighth child of her father, Emperor Gaozong of Tang.[5][6]

Brief life

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Princess Si was born in 654 AD during her father’s reign,[1] Emperor Gaozong of Tang (third emperor of the Chinese Tang dynasty)[7] to then concubine Wu Zetian (Later the only empress regnant in Chinese history), We know she lived within the Taiji Palace in Chang’an, as it was the imperial residence before the establishment of Daming Palace.[8]Tragically, she died within the same year, before receiving a formal name.

Family background

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Princess Si of Anding was a member of the imperial Tang dynasty, born into the ruling family. Her father, Emperor Gaozong of Tang[7]governed the empire during a period of expansion and consolidation, while her mother, Wu Zetian, was the only female Chinese emperor.

She had notable several siblings, including:

  • Li Hong: Crown prince of the Tang Dynasty and son of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian; he died young under mysterious circumstances.[9]
  • Li Xian: Son of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian, he was Crown Prince but was forced to abdicate and never became emperor due to palace intrigues during Wu Zetian’s rise to power.[10]
  • Emperor Zhongzong of Tang : Twice emperor of Tang China, he was restored to the throne after Empress Wu’s reign and known for his turbulent rule and political struggles.[11]
  • Emperor Ruizong of Tang: Tang emperor who ruled twice, often overshadowed by Empress Wu and his sister Princess Taiping’s political influence.[12]
  • Princess Taiping: She was was a prominent political figure of the Tang dynasty and Zhou dynasty.[13]
Chongqing CITY.png (description page)

Death and burial

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Princess Si of Anding was born in 654 AD but tragically died in the same year several months later,[14] too young to have a name.

In 664,Ten years after her death, the Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Wu Zetian decreed that the princess be posthumously honored with the title Princess Anding, along with the posthumous name "Si." She was initially laid to rest at Deye Temple with a ceremonial burial ,and later, her remains were relocated to Chongjing Temple.[4][15]

Alleged murder

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Despite limited historical records about her life, Princess Si’s death is often associated with various stories concerning her alleged murder. The earliest sources, such as The Old Book of Tang , written in five Dynasties and ten Kingdoms Period, records that Princess Si of Anding "died suddenly," implying a natural cause of death without suggesting foul play but the Tang Huiyao,which was complied in the early Song Dynasty adds that Wu Zetian[16][17][18][19] later accused Empress Wang[20][21] of killing her daughter.[22][2][23] However, later historical texts—such as New Book of Tang and Zizhi Tongjian ( texts compiled centuries later) —present vastly different accounts, accusing Wu Zetian or Empress Wang of involvement and include many more details about the incident and in great Detail.[24][22][4]

Consistent Historical Details

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The only consistent details across the Historical sources are that Princess Si of Anding died suddenly in 654 AD and that Empress Wang's eventual deposition did not officially cite the alleged murder of the princess as a reason.[2][25][26] Given the discrepancies, the other claims regarding the circumstances of her death and the surrounding political intrigue remain speculative, with later sources presenting conflicting narratives.

New Book of Tang

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According to the New Book of Tang ,Wu Zetian gave birth to a daughter and then While visiting her residence for an unspecified matter, Empress Wang encountered the infant and found the child to be exceptionally endearing. Unable to resist, she paused to engage playfully with the baby for a brief moment. Following her departure, Wu zetain secretly killed the child under the quilt, When the emperor arrived, She feigned shock upon discovering her "sudden death", when Emperor Gaozong questioned the people there and they said Empress Wang was here few a moments ago and Wu Zetain started crying and slandered Empress Wang even more and Empress Wang lost the opportunity to explain the situation ,which contributed to Wang’s eventual deposition. However, when Emperor Gaozong formally removed Empress Wang,the official justification was that of Empress Wang’s removal citied her alleged use of poison with no mention of the death or her killing the princess.[1][27]

This dramatic account has been adapted in TV series and historical dramas, often depicting Wu Zetian as a calculating ruler willing to sacrifice her own child for political gain.[28]

Zizhi Tongjian

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The account in the Zizhi Tongjian is very similar to that in the New Book of Tang:

The Zizhi Tongjian records an account that follows the New Book of Tang .It states that despite the Empress Wang favor, the emperor did not intend to depose her. Zhaoyi gave birth to a daughter, and the empress briefly interacted with the child. However, after the empress left, Wu Zetian allegedly strangled the infant and then hid the body under a quilt. When the emperor arrived, Wu Zetian revealed the quilt, showing that the child had died. She reacted with shock and cried out. The emperor then questioned his attendants, who reported that the empress had been present earlier. This angered the emperor, and he accused the queen of the act. Wu Zetian further slandered the empress, leaving her unable to defend herself. As a result, the emperor began to consider deposing her.[25]

Hui Yao

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During the late Tang Dynasty, a book titled Hui Yao was written by Su Bian and Su Mian, brothers who lived during the reign of Emperor Dezong (742–805), nearly a century after Wu Zetian. Hui Yao contains the statement: "The daughter born to Zhaoyi died suddenly, and she reported to Emperor Gaozong that Queen Wang had killed her." This suggests that Wu Zetian’s daughter passed away unexpectedly, but she accused Empress Wang of the crime.[1]

Artistic Representation

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Film and television image
Year Title Actor Ref.
2011 Secret History of Empress Wu [28]
2012 Secret History of Princess Taiping [29]
2014 The Empress of China [30]

Ancestry

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16. Li Bing, Duke Ren of Tang
8. Emperor Gaozu
17. Duchess Dugu
4. Emperor Taizong
18. Dou Yi, Duke of Shenwu
9. Empress Taimushunsheng
19. Princess Xiangyang of Northern Zhou
2. Emperor Gaozong
20. Zhangsun Si
10. Zhangsun Sheng
5. Empress Wendeshunsheng
Gao Jingde or Gao Mai
11. Lady Gao
1. Princess Si
24. Wu Jian
12. Wu Hua
25. Lady Song
6. Wu Shihuo, Duke Ding of Ying
3. Empress Wu Zetian
28. Yang Shao
14. Yang Da
7. Lady Yang
15. Lady Zhao


References

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  1. ^ a b c d "隋唐历史 | 武则天长女安定公主生死之谜". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
  2. ^ a b c Liu, Xu (2010). Jiu Tang shu. Bai na ben er shi si shi (Tai 2 ban ed.). Taibei Shi: Taiwan shang wu yin shu guan gu fen you xian gong si. ISBN 978-957-05-2526-7. OCLC 743522862.
  3. ^ Ouyang, Xiu, ed. (2010). Xin tang shu. Bai na ben er shi si shi (Tai 2 ban ed.). Taibei Shi: Taiwan shang wu yin shu guan. ISBN 978-957-05-2518-2.
  4. ^ a b c ""Historical figure of Tang Dynasty——Princess Anding, Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty"". iNEWS. p. 1. Retrieved Sep 22, 2023.
  5. ^ Liu, Xu (2010). Jiu Tang shu. Bai na ben er shi si shi (Tai 2 ban ed.). Taibei Shi: Taiwan shang wu yin shu guan gu fen you xian gong si. ISBN 978-957-05-2526-7. OCLC 743522862.
  6. ^ Ouyang, Xiu, ed. (2010). Xin tang shu. Bai na ben er shi si shi (Tai 2 ban ed.). Taibei Shi: Taiwan shang wu yin shu guan. ISBN 978-957-05-2518-2.
  7. ^ a b "真实的历史上，唐高宗李治到底有多厉害，是否被严重低估了？_武则天". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  8. ^ "大明宫、太极宫、兴庆宫，一个长安城为何挤进了三座宫殿_高宗尝". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
  9. ^ "Wu Zhao: Ruler of Tang Dynasty China". Association for Asian Studies. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  10. ^ "Tomb of Crown Prince Zhanghuai | Xian Qianling Mausoleum Tours". www.xianprivatetour.com. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  11. ^ "唐高宗李治有8个儿子：5位不得善终，两位当了皇帝！_元年_武则天_李旦". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  12. ^ "唐高宗李治有8个儿子：5位不得善终，两位当了皇帝！_元年_武则天_李旦". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  13. ^ "Princess Taiping - Struggles and Sorrows of the Most Powerful Princess of Tang | ChinaFetching". ChinaFetching.com. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  14. ^ Liu, Xu (2010). Jiu Tang shu. Bai na ben er shi si shi (Tai 2 ban ed.). Taibei Shi: Taiwan shang wu yin shu guan gu fen you xian gong si. ISBN 978-957-05-2526-7. OCLC 743522862.
  15. ^ Liu, Xu (2010). Jiu Tang shu. Bai na ben er shi si shi (Tai 2 ban ed.). Taibei Shi: Taiwan shang wu yin shu guan gu fen you xian gong si. ISBN 978-957-05-2526-7. OCLC 743522862.
  16. ^ "Wu Zhao: Ruler of Tang Dynasty China". Association for Asian Studies. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  17. ^ "10 Facts About Wu Zetian: The Only Empress of China". History Hit. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  18. ^ "It's Lonely At The Top: The Forgotten History Of Wu Zetian, The Only Empress Of China". HistoryExpose. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  19. ^ Dash, Mike. "The Demonization of Empress Wu". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  20. ^ Ann Paludan (1999). Chronicle of the Chinese emperors. Internet Archive. Thames and Hudson. ISBN 978-0-500-05090-3.
  21. ^ Remer, Ashley (2018-03-27). "Empress Wu Zetian". Girl Museum. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  22. ^ a b Zhang, Chenshi, ed. (1991). Tang hui yao ren ming suo yin (Di 1 ban ed.). Bei jing: Zhong hua shu ju. ISBN 978-7-101-00762-6.
  23. ^ "The cause of Wu Zetian's 1-year-old daughter's death may have been revealed. The truth is too cruel, no wonder historical materials do not record it".
  24. ^ Ouyang, Xiu, ed. (2010). Xin tang shu. Bai na ben er shi si shi (Tai 2 ban ed.). Taibei Shi: Taiwan shang wu yin shu guan. ISBN 978-957-05-2518-2.
  25. ^ a b Zizhi Tongjian. ISBN 978-7101053463.
  26. ^ Zhang, Chenshi, ed. (1991). Tang hui yao ren ming suo yin (Di 1 ban ed.). Bei jing: Zhong hua shu ju. ISBN 978-7-101-00762-6.
  27. ^ Ouyang, Xiu (2015). Xin Tang shu (Nachdruck der Ausgabe 1975 ed.). Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju. ISBN 978-7-101-00320-8.
  28. ^ a b "资料：电视剧《武则天秘史》故事梗概_影音娱乐_新浪网". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  29. ^ "电视剧《太平公主秘史》_影音娱乐_新浪网". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  30. ^ "The Empress of China 第1集 The Empress of China 01". www.youku.tv. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
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