Chen Shuozhen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Empress Wenjia文佳皇帝 |
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| Empress Regnant of China self-proclaimed |
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| Reign | September - November 653 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Empress Wang (as Empress consort of the Tang dynasty) Emperor Gaozong (as Emperor of the Tang dynasty) |
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| Successor | Empress Wang (as Empress consort of the Tang dynasty) Emperor Gaozong (as Emperor of the Tang dynasty) Wu Zetian (as Empress Regnant of the Zhou Dynasty) |
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| Prime Minister | Zhang Shuzeng | ||||||||
| Born | 7th-century | ||||||||
| Died | November 653 | ||||||||
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| Occupation | Rebel leader | ||||||||
Chen Shuozhen (Chinese: 陳碩真; pinyin: Chén Shuòzhēn) was a brave woman from the Tang Dynasty in China. She lived in a place called Muzhou, which is now part of Zhejiang province. In the year 653, she led a big uprising of ordinary people.
During this uprising, Chen Shuozhen declared herself Empress Wenjia (文佳皇帝). This was a very important moment in Chinese history. She became the first female rebel leader to call herself Huangdi, which means Emperor. People believed she had special powers and was even a deity. She would ring bells and burn incense as her army marched.
Early Life and Challenges
Chen Shuozhen came from a very humble background. She lived during the early years of Emperor Gaozong's rule. At this time, the Zhejiang area faced many difficult years. There was a lot of hunger and hardship because of famines.
Ordinary people, often called peasants, were struggling. They were also treated unfairly by powerful nobles. This made many people unhappy with the government and the rich landowners. Chen Shuozhen felt great sympathy for those who were suffering. She started to help them by taking from the wealthy and giving to the poor.
Leading the Uprising
In 653 AD, a large uprising began in Zhejiang. Chen Shuozhen was the main leader of this movement. She told people that she had returned from heaven to help them. She even claimed she could change into a man. Many people believed her and joined her cause.
Early in 653, Chen Shuozhen formed her own army. She then declared herself "Empress Wenjia." She appointed her brother-in-law, Zhang Shuzeng, as her prime minister. A prime minister is a very important government official, often second only to the ruler.
The Rebellion and Its End
Empress Wenjia led about two thousand people. They successfully captured two areas: Chenzhou and Yuqian County. Her forces also tried to attack Zhangzhou, but they were not successful there.
After several battles, her army faced strong opposition. The rebellion eventually came to an end. Empress Wenjia was killed in November of that same year. Many thousands of her followers surrendered.
Empress Wenjia's rule as Empress lasted only about two months. Her last 14,000 troops surrendered by the end of 653. Even though her rebellion was short-lived, her story is still remembered. She is said to have inspired other uprisings later in history, like the Fang La's uprising. Her story remains an important part of the local folklore in Zhejiang.
See also
In Spanish: Chen Shuozhen para niños
