Ding Lingguang (丁令光; 485 – 3 January 527[1]), formally known as Empress Dowager Mu (穆皇太后), was an imperial concubine of Xiao Yan, Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty. She was a native of Qiao County (谯国), today's Bozhou City, Anhui Province.
Life
Ding Lingguang was born a commoner in Qiao County. A legend details that when she was born, light filled the room.[2] At age fourteen, Xiao Yan, Governor of Yongzhou (雍州刺史), fell in love with her. Her parents broke Ding's then-engagement and offered her as a concubine to Xiao Yan.
In September or October 501, Concubine Ding gave birth to her first child, a son, named Xiao Tong (蕭統). In April of the next year, Xiao Yan established the Liang dynasty. He awarded Ding the title of Noble Imperial Concubine, one of the highest titles held by women in Liang Dynasty. Her only son at that time, Xiao Tong, was made Crown Prince (皇太子).[3][4] They both lived in Xianyang hall.[3]
Ding Lingguang disliked splendid ornaments, gaining the favor of the Emperor and the respect of lesser ranking concubines. On December 2, 503, Noble Imperial Concubine Ding gave birth to Xiao Gang (蕭綱) and in 506 gave birth to Xiao Xu (蕭續).[5][3]
She died in January 527 and her husband honored her as Consort Mu (穆妃). Her son, Crown Prince Xiao Tong, died in May 531 before his father and was succeeded by his full-brother, Xiao Gang. After Xiao Gang became Emperor, he elevated his mother's status, posthumously honoring her as Empress Dowager Mu (穆太后).[5]
Xiao Xu, Prince Lulingwei (廬陵威王 蕭續; 506–547), Xiao Yan's fifth son
References
^geng'chen day of the 11th month of the 7th year of the Pu'tong era, per Emperor Wu's biography in Book of Liang. Lady Ding's biography in Book of Liang indicate that she was 42 (by East Asian reckoning) when she died.
^Keith McMahon (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 169. ISBN9781442222908.
^ abcTaiping Chang,David R. Knechtges (2010). Ancient and Early Medieval Chinese Literature. pp. 1483–1503.
