Empress Xiaokang

Empress Xiaokang, of the Shang clan (孝康皇后 常氏, Zhizheng 15 of the Yuan (1355) – 11th month of Hongwu 11 of the Ming (1378)) was the consort of the posthumously honored emperor Heungjong (興宗). Her father was Shang Yuchun (常遇春), Duke Zhongwu of Kaiping (開平忠武王), and her mother was Lady Lan (藍氏), Consort of the Prince of Kaiping (開平王妃).

In the 4th year of Hongwu (1371), she was selected as crown princess consort and was personally invested by the Hongwu Emperor. However, she died in the 11th month of Hongwu 11 (1378), and was posthumously honored with the title Crown Princess Consort Jingyi (敬懿皇太子妃). Twenty years later, when the Jianwen Emperor ascended the throne, she was posthumously elevated to empress and given the posthumous title Empress Xiaokang (孝康皇后). However, after the Jingnan Campaign in which the Jianwen Emperor lost the throne to the Yongle Emperor, Heungjong and Empress Xiaokang Shang were demoted again to crown prince and crown princess. Later, they were restored as empress by the Hongguang Emperor of the Southern Ming.