Shangguan Wan'er

Shangguan Wan'er
Born664AD
Shan County, Shan Prefecture, Tang China
Died21 July 710AD (aged about 46)
Chang'an, Tang China
SpouseEmperor Zhongzong of Tang
Names
上官婉兒
Posthumous name
Huiwen (惠文)
HouseHouse of Li (by marriage)
FatherShangguan Tingzhi
MotherLady Zheng (elder sister of Zheng Xiuyuan)
Shangguan Wan'er
Traditional Chinese上官婉兒
Simplified Chinese上官婉儿
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinShàngguān Wǎn'ér
Wade–GilesShang-kuan Wan-erh
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationSeuhng-gwān Yún-yìh
JyutpingSoeng6-gun1 Jyun2-ji4
Southern Min
Hokkien POJSiōng-kuan Uán-jî
Middle Chinese
Middle ChineseŹjangCkwân ɁjwɐnBńźje

Shangguan Wan'er (664 – 21 July 710) was a Chinese politician, poet, and imperial consort of the Wu Zhou and Tang dynasties. Described as a "female prime minister," Shangguan rose from modest origins as a palace servant to become secretary and leading advisor to Empress Wu Zetian of Zhou. Under Empress Wu, Shangguan exercised responsibility for drafting imperial edicts and earned approbation for her writing style. She retained her influence as consort to Wu's son and successor, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, holding the imperial consort rank of Zhaorong (昭容). Shangguan was also highly esteemed for her talent as a poet. In 710, after Emperor Zhongzong's death, Shangguan was killed during a palace coup that ended the regency of Empress Dowager Wei.