King Xiaowen of Qin

King Xiaowen of Qin (302–250 BC), personal name Ying Zhu or Ying Shi, was a king of the state of Qin. He is also known as Lord Anguo (安國君), based on his title before his kingship.

King Xiaowen of Qin 秦孝文王
Reign	12 November – 14 November 250 BC[1]
Predecessor	King Zhaoxiang
Successor	King Zhuangxiang
Born	302 BC
Died	14 November 250 BC (aged 51–52)
Spouse	Queen Dowager Huayang Queen Dowager Xia
Issue	Zixi [zh] King Zhuangxiang of Qin
Names Ancestral name: Ying (嬴) Given name: Zhu (柱) or Shi (式) Posthumous name King Xiaowen (孝文王)
House	Ying
Dynasty	Qin
Father	King Zhaoxiang of Qin
Mother	Queen Dowager Tang

Life

Xiaowen was the second son of King Zhaoxiang of Qin and Queen Tang, and grandson of Queen Dowager Xuan.

He was the king of Qin for less than one year, and died three days after his coronation.

Various theories explaining his short reign have been proposed. The most accepted theory is that he was very old when he ascended to the throne, as his father had ruled for over 50 years.^[2]

However, there is a conspiracy theory that Lü Buwei poisoned the king, or at least hastened his death, to put the next king, King Zhuangxiang of Qin, onto the throne.^[3]

Family

Queens:

• Queen Dowager Huayang, of the Xiong lineage of the Mi clan of Chu (華陽太后 羋姓 熊氏; 296–230 BC), a royal of Chu by birth
• Queen Dowager Xia, of the Xia lineage (夏太后 夏氏; 300–240 BC), the mother of Crown Prince Yiren

Sons:

• Prince Zixi (子傒; ?–?), half-brother of Yiren
• Crown Prince Yiren (太子異人; 281–247 BC), renamed Zichu (子楚); ruled as King Zhuangxiang of Qin from 250–247 BC