Empress Feng Qing

Who is Empress Feng Qing?

Empress Feng Qing was an empress of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. She was Emperor Xiaowen's first empress.

Feng Qing was a daughter of Feng Xi the Prince of Changli, who was a brother of the powerful Grand Empress Dowager Feng, the wife of Emperor Wencheng and regent over his son Emperor Xianwen and grandson Emperor Xiaowen. Her mother was probably Feng Xi's wife Princess Boling. She had two older sisters who were concubines of Emperor Xiaowen — Feng Run and an unnamed sister, but the unnamed sister died early, and after Feng Run had a major illness, she left the palace and became a Buddhist nun.

In 493, Emperor Xiaowen took Feng Qing as his empress. She initially was much favored. However, after Emperor Xiaowen found out that Feng Run had recovered, he took Feng Run back as a concubine. Feng Run, because she was Emperor Xiaowen's concubine earlier and an older sister, refused to submit to Feng Qing, and tried to undermine Feng Qing's position as an empress, including accusing her of being against Emperor Xiaowen's Sinicization program. In 496, Emperor Xiaowen deposed Feng Qing. Because Feng Qing was virtuous and much interested in Buddhism, she became a Buddhist nun and remained one for the rest of her life.