Zhang Chunhua - Life

Life

Zhang Chunhua was a native of Pinggao (平臯), Henei (河內), which is in present-day Wen County, Henan. Her father Zhang Wang (張汪) served as the Prefect (令) of Suyi (粟邑) in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. Her mother, whose maiden family name was "Shan" (山), was a grandaunt of Shan Tao (one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove). In her youth, Zhang Chunhua was already known for her good moral conduct, intelligence and wisdom.

Zhang Chunhua married Sima Yi in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. She bore Sima Yi three sons — Sima Shi, Sima Zhao and Sima Gan (司馬幹). She also bore him a daughter whose personal name was not recorded in history, but was known as "Princess Nanyang" (南陽公主) in the Jin Dynasty.

Once, the warlord Cao Cao (who had become the de facto head of the Han government) wanted to recruit Sima Yi into the civil service, but Sima lied that he was ill and stayed at home. One day, while Sima Yi was drying his books under the sun, there was a sudden downpour, so Sima immediately rushed out to collect his books. The incident was witnessed by one of Sima Yi's maids. Zhang Chunhua was worried that the maid would leak out news that Sima Yi was well and get their family into trouble, so she killed the maid to silence her. She then personally prepared meals for the family, and Sima Yi was very impressed with her.

In his later years, Sima Yi favoured his concubine Lady Bai (柏夫人) and started neglecting Zhang Chunhua. Once, when Sima Yi was ill, Zhang Chunhua visited him, and he said to her, "Old creature, your looks are disgusting! Why do you even bother to visit me?" Zhang Chunhua was angry and she attempted to starve herself and her sons to death. Sima Yi was shocked and he immediately apologised to his wife and they reconciled. Sima Yi later secretly told someone, "It doesn't matter if that old creature died. I was actually worried about my boys!"

Zhang Chunhua died in 247 at the age of 59 (by East Asian age reckoning). She was buried at Gaoyuanling (高原陵; somewhere in present-day Yanshi, Luoyang, Henan). The Wei emperor Cao Fang granted her the posthumous title of "Lady of Guangping County". In 264, during the reign of Cao Huan, she was given the posthumous name "Consort Xuanmu". A year later, Sima Yi's grandson Sima Yan forced Cao Huan to abdicate in his favour and established the Jin Dynasty to replace the state of Cao Wei. Sima Yan became emperor and he posthumously honoured his grandmother as "Empress Xuanmu".