Ruan Lingying

Ruan Lingying (阮令嬴, 476–542) was a woman of the Southern Qi and Liang dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period of China. Her original name was Shi Lingying (石令嬴), which was later changed to Ruan Lingying. She was the daughter of Shi Lingbao (石靈寶) and a woman of the Chen (陳氏) family, and became a concubine of Emperor Wu of Liang. After the founding of the Liang dynasty, she became his Shourong (修容).

Life

At first, she became a concubine of Xiao Yaoguang (蕭遥光), Prince of Shi'an (始安王) of Southern Qi.

In 499, Xiao Yaoguang was executed for treason, and she was implicated in the affair. However, because of her beauty, she was taken as a consort by the emperor of that time, Xiao Baojuan, and entered the palace. When Emperor Wu entered Jiankang and killed Xiao Baojuan, about 2,000 beautiful women (美人), including Shi Lingying, were all dismissed from the palace. After Emperor Wu destroyed Southern Qi and ascended the throne as emperor, Shi Lingying was summoned again by Emperor Wu because of her beauty, entered the palace, and became a cainü (采女).

In August 508, she gave birth to Xiao Yi, the eighth son of Emperor Wu. Emperor Wu was greatly pleased, made Shi Lingying his Shourong, bestowed upon her the surname Ruan (阮氏), and appointed her father, Shi Lingbao, as Fengchaoqing (奉朝請).

In July 542, she died at her residence in Jiangzhou (江州) at the age of 67. Emperor Wu posthumously honored her as Xuan Shourong (宣修容) and buried her on Mount Tongwang (通望山) in Jiangning County (江寧縣). Later, after her son Xiao Yi ascended the throne as emperor, she was posthumously honored as Empress Dowager Wenxuan (文宣皇太后).