Chen Shuozhen (d. 653) was the first woman to proclaim herself Emperor of China, decades before Wu Zetian. A charismatic leader, she led a major peasant uprising.
Ringing bells and marching to war
The reign of Emperor Taizong was marked by large-scale construction projects and rising public expenditure. These policies contributed to declining prosperity and growing unrest among non-Han communities. His successor, Emperor Gaozong, proved a weaker administrator, and continuing border wars brought further hardship to the population.
It was in these circumstances that Chen Shuozhen gathered a large following. Her origins remain unknown. She may have come from a religious or sectarian background, as many female rebel leaders did. Later sources accused her of heresy and of deceiving the people. Her ability to organize and command an armed uprising also suggests that she may have belonged to a military family.
The Civil and Excellent Emperor
As she marched to war, Chen Shuozhen rang bells and burned incense. She proclaimed herself Emperor Wenjia, adopting the title of "Civil and Excellent Emperor," and appointed her brother-in-law as prime minister. This is significant, as it clearly demonstrates that she herself was the leader of the rebellion.
Whether Chen Shuozhen personally fought in battle remains unknown. She nevertheless proved to be a capable commander, capturing Tonglu, Muzhou, and Yuqian in rapid succession. Government troops were reluctant to confront her because she was believed to possess magical powers and had defeated every force sent against her.
Her advance came to an end when the prefect of Wuzhou organized a large army to resist her. Outnumbered, Chen Shuozhen's forces were defeated, and both she and her brother-in-law were killed. Her rebellion had lasted less than two months.
Although short-lived, Chen Shuozhen's career remains historically significant. She was the first known Chinese woman to proclaim herself Emperor, and she succeeded in attracting a remarkably large following in a very short period, an extraordinary achievement for a woman of her social standing.
The fact that she claimed the imperial title herself suggests that attitudes toward female leadership were more fluid than is often assumed. In 681, while the future Wu Zetian was still empress consort, another woman, Liu Ningjing, arrived at the imperial Astrological Service. Dressed in white and riding a white horse, she was accompanied by eighty-nine male followers. She correctly predicted the appearance of a comet that remained visible for seventeen days.
Although little else is known about Liu Ningjing, she provides another example of a woman exercising authority over men.
Chen Shuozhen later became an inspiration for subsequent rebellions. Her memory survives in the folklore of her native Zhejiang, where a statue commemorates her. This places her among some of China's greatest female rebel leaders, including Mother Lü, Tang Sai'er, and Hong Xuanjiao.
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Hughes April D., Worldly Saviors and Imperial Authority in Medieval Chinese Buddhism
Lily Xiao Hong Lee, “Chen Shuozhen”, in: Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women, Volume II Tang Through Ming 618 - 1644
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