Princess Fengyi

Who is Princess Fengyi?

Princess Fengyi, later honored as Empress Wenxiang, formally posthumously honored as Empress Jing by Northern Qi, was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Northern Wei and its branch successor state Eastern Wei. She was the sister of Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei, and the wife of Eastern Wei's paramount official Gao Cheng, son of Gao Huan.

It is not known when she was born to Yuan Dan the Prince of Qinghe, a grandson of Emperor Xiaowen, but what is known is that during the reign of Emperor Xiaowu, she was created the Princess Fengyi. In 534, Emperor Xiaowu, seeking to escape the grasp of Gao Huan, fled west from the capital Luoyang to the domain of the independent general Yuwen Tai. Gao Huan subsequently made her brother Yuan Shanjian emperor, signifying a division of Northern Wei into Eastern Wei and Western Wei. She was subsequently given to Gao Huan's son Gao Cheng as his wife, although the date of the marriage is not known.

Princess Fengyi was said to be both beautiful and virtuous. In 541, she bore Gao Cheng a son, Gao Xiaowan. Emperor Xiaojing personally visited Gao Cheng and her to congratulate them. Later, she also bore him two daughters.