Song Fujin

It is not known when Song Fujin was born. It is further not known where she was born, although it is known that her father Song Wen (宋韞) was from Jiangxia (江夏, in modern Wuhan, Hubei). In her youth, she became caught up in warfare, and was eventually taken into the household of Wang Rong (王戎), a prefect of Sheng Prefecture (昇州, in modern Nanjing, Jiangsu) during Wu. At some point, Wang Rong gave his daughter in marriage to Xu Zhigao, the adoptive son of the Wu regent Xu Wen (although it is not known whether Xu Wen was already regent at that time). Lady Song was also sent to the Xu household to serve as Lady Wang's servant girl, and eventually became a concubine of Xu Zhigao's. As concubine, she gave birth to his oldest son Xu Jingtong. == As Xu Zhigao's wife during Wu ==

As some point (before 927), Lady Wang died. At Xu Wen's direction, Xu Zhigao elevated Lady Song to the status of wife. As Xu Zhigao was then serving as the junior regent, in control of the Wu imperial government at the capital Guangling (廣陵, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) with Xu Wen himself stationed at Jinling (金陵, i.e., Sheng Prefecture), Lady Song was created the Lady of Guangping, and later the greater title of Lady of Jin. It was said that she governed the household capably, and did not often smile or joke. When Xu Wen died in 927, Xu Zhigao was originally set to immediately head for Jinling to attend to the funeral affairs. Lady Song thus took the title of princess. == As empress of Southern Tang ==

In 937, Xu Zhigao had Yang Pu yield the throne to him, ending Wu and starting Southern Tang. He created Princess Song empress. It was said that, as empress, Empress Song often advised Li Bian regarding proposals and reports that his officials submitted to him, and he found her advice beneficial, stating, "Even as my own thoughts had not reached the right conclusion, the Empress has already understood correctly." Li Bian died in 943, and was set to be succeeded by Li Jing. The chancellor Sun Sheng, however, was concerned at the possibility that a number of Li Jing's close associates, including Wei Cen (魏岑), Feng Yanji, and Feng Yanlu (馮延魯), whom he considered wicked, might take power. He therefore wanted to manufacture an order in Li Bian's name ordering that Empress Song serve as regent. However, Empress Song herself did not find this appropriate, pointing out that she did not want to be like Wu Zetian, and the imperial scholar Li Yiye (李貽業) also found it unlikely that Li Bian, who often spoke against the idea of women in control of the state, would authorize such a regency, and Sun thus dropped the idea, fearing a public dispute. == As empress dowager ==

After Li Jing took the throne, he honored Empress Song empress dowager. It was said that the empress dowager, due to her hatred of Consort Zhong, had wanted to kill Li Jingti, but Li Jing, who created Li Jingti the Prince of Baoning, protected him. == Notes and references ==

• Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms, vol. 18. • Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 281, 283, 285.