This phoenix crown can be said to be too gorgeous, not only inlaid with gems and dotted with kingfisher feathers, but also surpassing the "Nine Dragons Supreme" emperor of the super-standard existence. Not only does it make people sigh at how luxurious the glory and wealth enjoyed by the royal family are.
Loading...
But...... DID YOU KNOW
The owner of the crown
Empress Ming Hsiaojing
But I haven't worn this phoenix crown once?
In October of the first year of Taichang (1620), Zhu Youxiao, the emperor of the Apocalypse, moved the tomb of the Empress Dowager Xiaojing from Dongjing to the coffin, and buried it in the underground palace of Dingling with Mingshenzong and Empress Xiaoduan. And supplemented three boxes of burial goods, one of which put 12 dragons and nine phoenix crowns, to provide his grandmother with the corresponding tomb specifications. It was at this time that the crown of twelve dragons and nine phoenixes was made. At this time, it has been nearly ten years since the death of Empress Xiaojing, and during these ten years, she has been buried next to Dongjing Pinggang with the treatment of "unmarried concubine".
Empress Xiaojing received a lot of unwarranted criticism before her death, and she did not get the status and treatment she deserved
Behind the phoenix crown, it is actually the tragic fate of the Empress Dowager Xiaojing.
So why did Empress Xiaojing suffer such treatment?
It turned out that Empress Xiaojing Wang was originally just a palace maid,
After being included in the harem by the Wanli Emperor,
She has been ostracized because of her humble status,
Even the funeral goods consisted only of a small amount of old clothes, gold and silver.
Compared with the coffins of other concubines in Wanli full of gold and silver, it is very shabby.
It was not until Wang's grandson, Zhu Youxiao, ascended the throne that there was a change.
Speaking of Zhu Youxiao, you may not know who it is,
But when I say Wei Zhongxian, everyone must know.
Wei Zhongxian was in charge of Dongchang during the reign of Zhu Youxiao.
And this crown of twelve dragons and nine phoenixes,
It was made in such a historical period.
Photo丨Chen Qifei
At that time, the treasury was empty, but the jewelry used was still extremely extravagant
At that time, Zhu Youxiao decided
posthumously crowned her long-deceased grandmother as queen,
And let the craftsman build it for her
This is a crown of twelve dragons and nine phoenixes that far exceeds the specifications.
Other words
The Wang family never wore this phoenix crown that belonged to her until she died!
It is also worth mentioning that
Most of the gemstones on this phoenix crown are not native to their origins.
They have been identified as matching varieties from the Mogok mining area in Myanmar.
Combined with the record of the Wanli Emperor sending people to Southeast Asia to buy gems many times in history,
This is where the jewel on the crown of the phoenix comes from.
The jewel on the phoenix crown 丨Chen Qifei
The jewels that Wang could not enjoy during his lifetime,
The grandson gave her after his death,
It can be regarded as a consolation to her bleak life.