Wang De-lu was from Chiayi. During the Qianlong period (1796-1820) of the Qing dynasty, he aided in suppressing the Lin Shuangwen rebellion. He served as the provincial commander-in-chief of land and water and later as the assistant guardian of the crown prince. After his death, he was given the title of Instructor of the Crown Prince—one of the highest official ranks of the Taiwanese during the Qing dynasty. This picture from 1926 shows a funeral procession for one of the female descendants of Wang De-lu. “Grand Madam” (tai gongren) is an honorific title of a noble woman. At the end of the procession, one can see banners with “General of Awe,” “Provincial Commander-in-Chief of the Lands and Seas,” and “Instructor of the Crown Prince” written on them. Actually, General of Awe is Wang De-lu’s oldest brother’s honorary title. It is said that Wang De-lu lost both parents when he was still a child. Fortunately, his oldest sister-in-law, née Xu, took care of him. Because of this, after he achieved success and renown, he requested the court award her the highest rank available to the wife of an official. Her husband was then given the title of General of Awe.
The image on the right is a portrait of Grand Madam Jiang.
A Wife in the Wang De-lu Clan
- NCL Special Collection / Chen Bo-xin / Japanese Colonial Period (1895-1945) / 10.2×15.2cm / 《Visual Feast》