Ren Neiming


Ren Neiming , courtesy name Zhaohua, formally Lady Shangxian of Wei, was the wife of Wang Shenzhi, the founding ruler of Min, a state during the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.

Traditional sources

Very little was recorded about Lady Ren in extant sources, which indicated that her geographic origins and her family background had been lost to history even when the sources were written. She was created a lady during Wang Shenzhi's reign as the Prince of Min. She carried that title for several years before her death. She was buried on the backside of Mount Fengchi in Fu Prefecture. After Wang Shengzhi himself died in 925, he was buried with her. In the Longqi era of Wang Shenzhi's son Wang Yanjun, who was born of his primary concubine Lady Huang, Wang Shenzhi and Lady Ren were posthumously honored emperor and empress.

Tombstone

Lady Ren's tombstone, which had been discovered in modern times, however, provided her name, title, and more background information. She was said to be from Jin'an. Her father was named Ren Hui, and mother was a Lady Luo. She had two brothers, Ren Yanwen and Ren Yanzhang. She died on July 2, 918, at the age of 53. As her tombstone listed only five sons and three daughters and Wang Shenzhi's listed 12 sons and eight daughters, presumably, seven of his sons and five of his daughters were born after her death.