Lady Zhen

Lady Zhen (26 January 183 – 4 August 221), personal name unknown, was the first wife of Cao Pi, the first ruler of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period. In 226, she was posthumously honoured as "Empress Wenzhao" when her son, Cao Rui, succeeded Cao Pi as the emperor of Wei.

Early life

Lady Zhen was from Wuji County (無極縣), Zhongshan Commandery (中山郡), which is in present-day Wuji County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei. She was a descendant of Zhen Han (甄邯), who served as a taibao (太保) in the late Western Han dynasty and later the General-in-Chief (大將軍) during the short-lived Xin dynasty. Her father Zhen Yi (甄逸) served as the Prefect (令) of Shangcai County (上蔡縣) in the late Eastern Han dynasty. He died when Lady Zhen was about three years old. Lady Zhen's mother, whose maiden family name was "Zhang" (張), was from Changshan Commandery (常山郡; around present-day Zhengding County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei). Lady Zhen's parents had three sons and five daughters: eldest son Zhen Yu (甄豫), who died early; second son Zhen Yan (甄儼), who became a xiaolian and later served as an Assistant (掾) to the General-in-Chief (大將軍) and as the Chief (長) of Quliang County (曲梁縣); third son Zhen Yao (甄堯), who was also a xiaolian; eldest daughter Zhen Jiang (甄姜); second daughter Zhen Tuo (甄脫); third daughter Zhen Dao (甄道); fourth daughter Zhen Rong (甄榮). Lady Zhen was the youngest of the five daughters.