The Ugly Empress of China | Jia Nanfung, Western Jin Dynasty

Jia Nanfeng was the prominent figure in the Western Jin dynasty. Despite being described as jealous, ugly and short, she eventually became the empress of Emperor Hui and gained significant power due to the emperor's incompetence...
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[@sierrajohnson717]

“Why not eat meat porridge” sounds almost EXACTLY LIKE “Then why do they not eat cake?” From Mary Antoinette, and the situation was similar (ruler that truly doesn’t understand their subjects) and the phrase has been used to mock her lack of understanding.
(The type of cake she’s talking about is like a dense bread, not a cake with frosting to my understanding)

[@crislyngracecasquite119]

Thank you of having this video I really love it !🤗

[@storyofhistoricalfigures9278]

Thank you 🥰Glad that you like it

[@chauminh]

I enjoy watching your videos merci​@@storyofhistoricalfigures9278

[@doreensika837]

Great video as always I really enjoyed it. I wonder what caused he to be so cruel. I wonder if it’s because she knew she was attractive so that caused bitterness. And I am shocked that crown Prince own mother can select such a wife for her own son. Can you please tell me what series/ Movie was displayed.

[@storyofhistoricalfigures9278]

Thank you❤
It is an old fictional movie called "I Love Zhong Wuyan".

[@dennishuynh3089]

I could not believe the parents put their child with an intellectual disability on the throne based on agnatic primogeniture. Officials advised the emperor several times to replace a disabled son with a more capable son. But, no, the war of between relatives happened. People in the Jin court fought for power with an intellectually disabled puppet ruler benefitting them. At the end, Emperor Hui died as a victim of political intrigues. If Sima Yan (Emperor Wu) had carefully considered and firm of decisions, none of the War of the Eight princes and the fall of Western Jin dynasty wouldn't have occurred.
Jia Nanfeng might not look physically plain as portrayed in stories and media. Her character was a very ugly and had a strong grip of power compared with other empresses in different dynasties such as Empress Lu Zhi of Han and Empress Li Fengniang of Song. Empress Jia's jealousy was her downfall. And Emperor Wu's first wife Empress Yang Yan was indirectly blamed for the events occurring in the future due to her connection with the Jias and the belief of primogeniture.

[@doreensika837]

@@dennishuynh3089 I couldn’t agree more. I also wonder why Emperor Wu didn’t make better decisions regarding his next successor, he must have known his son wasn’t up to par. Too bad that caused the fall of the empire, he must was filled with regret in the afterlife.
I seriously wonder what the mother was thinking when she kept insisting on Jia Nanfeng.

[@dennishuynh3089]

Emperor Wu wanted a smooth transition of power preventing a succession crisis and future usurpers by putting a disabled/mediocre son on the throne so his supporters, the capable bureaucrats, and rich aristocrats to support him and keep the political system balanced. Emperor Wu removed and exiled some of his offspring and relatives including his younger brother who was thought to have the contended for the throne. He also had hopes on only grandson Sima Yu, born to the disabled son. It's baffling to know a man who unified the Three Kingdoms overestimating the system and putting his effort to de-unify China again.
Regarding Jia Nanfeng, her mother was longtime friends with Empress Yang Yan. Her father bribed his way out from serving at the frontier by marrying his daughter to the imperial family. Both parents bribed the empress into recommending Jia Nanfeng to marry Jia Zhong. The empress had little regard of her son's disability and had very little to do with it. I feel she was a poor example of a mother of special needs child. She only used her connections and her influence to benefit the Sima clan and her clan. Another reason was Emperor Wu had thousands of beautiful women in his harem. In occasion, Empress Yang picked the ugly ones, which dissatisfied him. I think the empress was secretly jealous of the beautiful women her husband brought and spent time with while maintaining her wifely virtues and tolerance. That's how Empress Yang Yan picked Lady Jia for her son not the pretty Wei girl which her husband recommended. Empress Yang Yan might never found anything any fault from Jia Nanfeng seeing her maintain her "wifely virtues" at her presence. The empress believed her son was staying faithful to Lady Jia. The empress never found any reports of abuse afflicting her son.
If Empress Yang Yan lived long in becoming an empress dowager, then she could experience a power struggle with Jia Nanfeng. Both women might control Emperor Hui and influence the court. Empress Yang could finally see Jia Nanfeng was a termegant all along. Jia Nanfeng had no hesitation to eliminate her mother in-law and the Yang clan to take power for herself. She could never thank Empress Yang for bringing her into the palace to where she currently stood.