Empress An Siyan, originally named Ji, was from Xingyang, Henan. Her grandfather was named Zhang, who held the position of Minister during the Yongping era. He had two daughters, one of whom became a favored consort of the emperor. Grandfather Zhang was very talented and well-versed in ancient laws and customs. After reaching a certain rank, he should have been promoted to a higher position. However, due to his relation to the empress, Emperor Xianzong chose not to promote him, and instead sent him to the position of Colonel of Infantry. Grandfather Zhang had a son named Chang, who then had the empress.
The empress was both beautiful and exceptionally talented. In the first year of the Yuan Chu period, she was selected to enter the palace and was deeply loved by the emperor, being titled as a consort. The following year, she was made empress. Due to her strong favoritism and jealousy within the harem, when the emperor favored the palace maid Li and she gave birth to a son named Bao, the empress, in a fit of jealousy, poisoned Li. In the third year of the Yuan Chu period, the empress's father Chang was appointed as the Colonel of the Water Guard and titled as the Marquis of North Yichun, with a fief consisting of five thousand households. In the fourth year of the Yuan Chu period, Chang passed away and was posthumously granted the title Marquis Wen. His son Xian inherited the title.
In the first year of Jianguang, Empress Dowager Deng passed away, and the emperor took charge of political affairs personally. The empress's brothers Xian, Jing, Yao, and Yan were appointed as ministers and commanded the imperial guards. In the first year of Yanguang, Xian was further titled as the Marquis of Changshe, with his fief increased to thirteen thousand five hundred households. The empress's mother was posthumously honored as the Lady of Xingyang. The sons of Xian, Jing, and others were all very young and were appointed as Attendants of the Yellow Gate. The empress's influence continued to expand, and her brothers held great power in the court. Therefore, the empress conspired with the eunuchs Jiang Jing and Fan Feng to falsely accuse Crown Prince Bao and had him deposed, relegating him to the title of Prince of Jiyin.
In the spring of the fourth year of the Yongguang era, the Empress followed the Emperor to Zhangling, where the Emperor fell ill and died en route, in Yexian. The Empress and her brothers, as well as Jiang Jing and Fan Feng, discussed, "Now that the Emperor has died on the road, Prince Jiyin is still in the palace. If the ministers in the court support him, it will be a disaster for us!" So they falsely claimed that the Emperor was gravely ill and moved his litter. After four days, they hurried back to the palace. The next day, they pretended to send Liu Xi, the Minister of Works, to the suburban temple to offer prayers to the gods for guidance. It was not until the evening that they announced the Emperor's death and conferred the title of Empress Dowager upon her. The Empress Dowager assumed control of the government and appointed her brother Xian as General of Chariots and Cavalry and concurrently as a Three Excellencies. The Empress Dowager planned to install a young Emperor, so she and Dou Xian and others conspired to bring Prince Huai of Jibei and Marquis Liu Yi of Beixiang into the palace and establish him as the Emperor. Dou Xian feared the power of General Geng Bao, who wielded considerable influence in the court, so he secretly incited officials to accuse Geng Bao and his associates, including the Minister of the Household Fan Feng, the Tiger Elite General Xie Yun, Xie Yun's brother and attendant Xie Du, Du's brother and General Changshi Mi, attendant Zhou Guang, Lady Wang Sheng, Wang Sheng's daughter Yong, and Yong's husband and Yellow Gate Attendant Fan Yan, of colluding, being domineering, eavesdropping on palace affairs, and committing serious crimes. Fan Feng, Xie Yun, and Zhou Guang were imprisoned and executed, and their families were exiled to Bijing; Mi and Fan Yan were spared the death penalty, had their heads shaved, and wore ankle chains; Geng Bao was demoted to Marquis of Zeting, sent back to his territory, and ultimately took his own life; Lady Wang Sheng and her son were exiled to Yanmen.
In this way, Dou Xian became the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Dou Jing became the General of the City Gates, and Dou Yan became the Chief of Justice. The Dou brothers wielded significant power and acted as they wished. The young emperor fell gravely ill after just over 200 days on the throne, with Dou Xian and his associates by his side. Jiang Jing quietly pulled Dou Xian aside and said, "The Marquis of Beixiang's illness is not improving; the heir to the throne should be decided as soon as possible. If we don't choose Prince Ji Yin as we did before, but select him now, he will surely hold a grudge against us in the future. Why not summon the other princes early and select one from among them?" Dou Xian thought he made sense. After the young emperor's death, Jiang Jing suggested to the Empress Dowager to summon the Prince of Jibei and the Prince of Hejian. Before they could arrive, Chamberlain Sun Cheng conspired with others to assassinate Jiang Jing and his allies and enthroned Prince Liu Bao of Ji Yin as emperor; this was Emperor Shun. Dou Xian, Dou Jing, Dou Yan, and their accomplices were all executed, the Empress Dowager was relocated to a secluded palace, and their families were all exiled to Bijing. The next year, the Empress Dowager passed away after twelve years of reign and was buried together with Emperor Han Gong in Gong Ling.
Emperor Shun's birth mother, Lady Li, was buried north of Luoyang City. The emperor initially did not know, and no one dared to tell him. After the Empress Dowager's death, attendants informed the emperor, who was deeply saddened. He personally went to Lady Li's grave, reburied her with appropriate rites, posthumously conferred upon her the title of Empress Gongmin, buried her in the North Gong Ling, and wrote a decree which he placed in a golden coffer, hidden within the Temple of the Ancestors.
Empress Liang, named Fei, is the daughter of General Shang and the granddaughter of Empress Gonghuai's sibling. She was born with auspicious signs. She excelled in domestic arts from a young age, enjoyed reading historical books, could recite the Analects at the age of nine, studied Han poetry, and had a general understanding of the underlying meanings. She often kept images of virtuous women by her side to remind herself. Her father Shang valued her greatly and privately told his brothers, "Our ancestors have saved countless lives in the lands west of the Yellow River. Although she did not attain the highest official position, accumulating virtue and doing good deeds will surely be rewarded. If this blessing is to be passed on to future generations, it will probably be through this daughter."
During the third year of Yongjian, she was selected to enter the palace with her aunt at the age of thirteen. The physiognomist Maotong was astonished upon seeing her, repeatedly congratulating her, saying, "This is the so-called 'sun and moon in the sky,' a highly auspicious sign of beauty that I have never seen before!" The court astrologers obtained auspicious signs for the Longevity Hall and the Kun and Bi hexagrams through divination, so they all believed that she would become a noble person in the future. She was often summoned by the emperor, but she always humbly said to him, "A ruler should be generous with their grace, and a minister should not seek power. Blessings come from virtuous actions. I hope Your Majesty can bestow grace equally like the rain, follow the order like the fish swimming in a line, and spare the concubines from blame and gossip." Therefore, the emperor respected her even more.
In the spring of the first year of Yangjia, the authorities proposed the establishment of Changqiu Palace because the Marquis Chengshi Shang was the late emperor's in-law, and according to the teachings of the Spring and Autumn Annals, marrying a woman from a powerful state, Lady Liang was deemed worthy of the emperor's blessing and ascended to the position of empress. The empress had been intelligent and wise since childhood, deeply understanding the rise and fall of the previous dynasties. Although she was made empress based on her virtue, she never allowed herself to be arrogant or overbearing. Whenever criticized, she would immediately bow her head, admit her mistakes, and ask for forgiveness. Her humility and wisdom earned her the respect of all around her.
In the first year of Jiankang, the emperor passed away. The empress had no sons, so the beautiful Yu Shi's son, Bing, ascended the throne as the emperor. The empress dowager was honored as such and held court in the emperor's place. Shortly after, the emperor passed away as well, and a new emperor was enthroned. The empress dowager continued to handle state affairs.
At that time, the bandits Yang and Xu were plundering and killing in various places, while the Western Qiang, Xianbei, and southern barbarians were attacking cities and territories, looting everywhere. Taxes were heavy, and the common people were suffering greatly. The empress dowager labored day and night, promoted virtuous officials, appointed General Li Gu and other loyal officials and good generals, and advocated frugality. Many corrupt officials were executed or removed from office. The court dispatched troops to quell the bandits, restoring peace across the country and stability to the imperial ancestral temple. However, the empress dowager's brother, General Liang Ji, schemed to poison the emperors, consolidate power, act recklessly, exclude loyal officials, and often misled the empress dowager with fallacies. Eventually, Emperor Huan was established, and Li Gu was killed. The empress dowager became infatuated with the eunuchs, showing them great favor and rewards, which caused the people to lose faith in her.
In the spring of the first year of He Ping, the empress dowager returned power to the emperor and fell seriously ill. She rode a carriage to Xuan De Hall to meet with officials and the Liang brothers. She issued a decree stating, "I have had heart disease and, more recently, edema, making it difficult to eat and causing great discomfort. I feel weaker each day and fear I may not be able to see you ministers through to the end. I have chosen a successor, but I regret that I will not live to see him grow up and fulfill his potential. I entrust the emperor and the Liang brothers to you, hoping you will serve them with all your heart." Two days later, the empress dowager passed away after a reign of nineteen years, at the age of forty-five, and was interred alongside the emperor in Xianling.
Lady Yu hailed from a prestigious family and was selected to enter the imperial harem at the age of thirteen, and later gave birth to Princess Wuyang. Since the establishment of the Han Dynasty, the mothers of the imperial family have always been held in high esteem and favored. However, Emperor Shun did not bestow upon her the title of "Beauty," and he passed away at a young age. After the early death of Emperor Shun, Grand General Liang Ji rose to power and marginalized other families, so the Yu family never received any elevation in status, merely referred to as "the Grand Family."
Madam Chen, who originally hailed from Wei County, entered the Xiaowang Palace at a young age due to her exceptional talent in singing and dancing, gaining the favor of Xiaowang and giving birth to Emperor Zhi. Similarly, due to the influence of the Liang family, she too did not receive the honor and recognition she deserved.
In the year 141 AD, a eunuch named Zhao You, along with a court official, jointly submitted a memorial to the emperor, saying, "The principles outlined in the 'Spring and Autumn Annals' assert that a mother's status is not derived from her son. Our Han Dynasty has always held mothers in high regard and treated imperial relatives with respect. Now, the mothers of Emperor Chong and Emperor Zhi, Lady Yu and Lady Chen, have both given birth to emperors, yet neither has received a formal title. Even an ordinary subject can receive posthumous honors, much less that both mothers are still alive and lack a proper title. How can we justify this to our ancestors and serve as a model for future generations?" The emperor found their arguments compelling and bestowed the title of Xianling Noble Lady upon Lady Yu and that of Bohai Xiaowang Consort upon Lady Chen, dispatching a eunuch with the emperor's seal and insignia to confer their titles, and also sending a court official with offerings to conduct sacrifices at the tombs of Xianling, Huailing, and Jingling.
Empress Xiaochong, born Ming, was a concubine of Marquis Yi of Liwu and gave birth to Emperor Huan. After Emperor Huan ascended the throne, he posthumously honored Yi with the title Xiaochong Emperor in the second year, constructing his tomb, known as Boling, and posthumously honored his wife with the title Lady Boyuan. In the first year of the He Ping era, Empress Dowager Liang passed away, and Emperor Huan posthumously honored Lady Xiaochong Emperor of Boling as Empress Xiaochong, sending the Grand Minister with the imperial edict, seal, ribbon, and various gifts to bestow upon her. He also provided her with the empress's chariots, horses, clothing, and other necessities. Her palace, named Yongle Palace, was comparable in size to Changle Palace, and official positions, including Grand Equerry and Minister of Works, were created. Additionally, the Tiger Elite and Imperial Guard were stationed for protection, and the palace was renovated. Nine counties of Julu were designated as her Tangmu fief (a fief granted with special privileges). She reigned as empress for three years before her death in the second year of the Yuanjia era. Emperor Huan assigned his brother, Prince Pingyuan Shi, to handle the funeral arrangements, with East Garden preparing burial items including funeral figures, jade boxes, and food containers of equal quality to those for Empress Gonghuai. The Grand Minister carried the imperial edict, and the Grand Chancellor went to offer sacrifices. A reward of 40 million coins and 40,000 pieces of cloth was given, with the Minister of Ceremonies overseeing the funeral arrangements and the Attendant Imperial Secretary escorting the coffin. The emperor summoned Prince Anping Bao, Prince Hejian Jian, Prince Bohai Kui, Princess Changshe, Princess Yiyang, and other vassals within a radius of three hundred li, along with officials of all ranks, to attend the funeral. The Chief Architect then filled the tomb with earth and constructed a temple, where Empress Xiaochong and Emperor Xiaochong were buried together in Boling.
Empress Liang, the wife of Emperor Huan, whose birth name was Liang Ying, was the sister of Empress Shunlie, the wife of Emperor Shun. When Emperor Huan was still known as the Marquis of Liwu, Empress Dowager Liang took a liking to her and wished to marry her off to Emperor Huan. Before the wedding could take place, Emperor Qizhi passed away, leading to Emperor Huan ascending the throne.
In the second year, the court officials reported to Dowager Empress Liang, "The 'Spring and Autumn Annals' states that a woman can be referred to as Empress even before the wedding. Now, General Liang Ji's sister is about to become Empress, which is wonderful news! The wedding should take place, the imperial decree has been issued, the ceremony needs to be well-prepared, and the betrothal gifts need to be prepared. Please have the Three Dukes and the Minister of Rites devise a plan according to the proper etiquette." The Empress Dowager agreed. Therefore, following the customs of Emperor Han Huidi's wedding, twenty thousand catties of gold were sent as betrothal gifts, as well as geese, jade bi, horses, and silk, just like before. In June of the first year of Jianhe, Liang Ying entered the palace, and in the eighth month, she was officially appointed as Empress. At that time, Empress Dowager Liang held great power in court, while Liang Ji abused his power, so Empress Liang was particularly favored, and others could not even see the Emperor. Empress Liang, relying on the power of her siblings, lived an extremely luxurious life, with the palace lavishly decorated, and her clothing and jewelry were precious and magnificent, exceeding all previous standards. When the Empress Dowager passed away, the Emperor's affection for her gradually faded. Without children of her own, Empress Liang was consumed by resentment and jealousy. Very few palace maids who became pregnant managed to keep their children. Although Emperor Huan feared Liang Ji and did not dare to blame the Empress, his visits to her grew increasingly rare. In the second year of Yanxi, Empress Liang died from depression after thirteen years on the throne and was laid to rest in Yiling. That same year, Liang Ji was executed, and Yiling was demoted to a noblewoman's tomb.
Empress Deng Mengnu, wife of Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty, was the daughter of Deng Xiang, cousin of Empress He Xi. Her mother, Lady Xuan, was initially married to Deng Xiang and gave birth to Deng Mengnu. Later, she remarried Liang Ji, who was the uncle of Sun Shou, wife of General Liang Ji. Deng Mengnu lost both her parents at a young age and lived with her mother, so she took on the Liang surname. Liang Ji's wife saw that Deng Mengnu was beautiful and sent her to the palace as a court lady during the Yongxing era, where she was greatly favored by the emperor. The following year, Deng Mengnu's brother Deng Yan was granted the title of Marquis of Nandun and promoted to the rank of Special Advisor. After Deng Yan's death, his son Deng Kang inherited the title. When Empress Yi Xian passed away and Liang Ji was executed, Deng Mengnu was made empress. Emperor Huan disliked the Liang family, so he had Deng Mengnu change her surname to Bo and granted her mother, Lady Xuan, the title of Duchess of Chang'an. Four years later, someone reported that the empress was, in fact, the daughter of Langzhong Deng Xiang and should not have changed her surname, so Deng Mengnu reverted to the Deng surname. The emperor posthumously appointed Deng Xiang as General of Chariots and Cavalry and Marquis of Anyang, and bestowed upon him a seal and insignia; Lady Xuan was posthumously appointed Duchess of Kunyang, and Deng Kang was appointed Marquis of Biyang, receiving numerous rewards. After Lady Xuan's death, her funeral arrangements were conducted according to the customs reserved for the mother of an empress. Deng Kang's younger brother Deng Tong inherited the title of Marquis of Kunyang and was appointed as a Palace Attendant; Deng Tong's cousin Deng Hui inherited the title of Marquis of Anyang and served as a Tiger Elite Guard; Deng Tong's younger brother Deng Bing was similarly appointed as Marquis of Yuyang. Members of the Deng clan held various official titles such as Commanders and Commandants.
Emperor Huan of Han had a fondness for women, with as many as five or six thousand concubines in the palace, and even more palace maids. Empress Deng, due to her noble status, arrogance, and her conflicts with Guo, the emperor's favored concubine, was deposed after eight years of conflict, banished to the cold palace, where she died of melancholy. Her cousin Wan Shi and her cousin Deng Hui were both imprisoned and executed. Deng Tong was also imprisoned in the cold palace, stripped of his titles, and sent back to his hometown with his property confiscated.
Empress Dowager Dou Miao, the granddaughter of a cousin of Empress Zhang De, was the daughter of Dou Wu. After the deposition of Empress Deng, Dou Miao was selected as a noblewoman in the imperial harem. She became empress in the winter of the same year, but the emperor rarely visited her, instead favoring Tian Sheng and others. After the death of Emperor Huan, without leaving an heir, Dou Miao became Empress Dowager and decided to make Liu Hong the Emperor, known as Emperor Ling of Han.
Empress Dowager Dou was ruthless, harboring resentment against Tian Sheng and others. She ordered Tian Sheng's execution while Emperor Huan's body still lay in the palace. She also planned to eliminate all influential figures, but was persuaded by the court officials Guan Ba and Su Kang to reconsider. Empress Dowager's father, General Dou Wu, wanted to eradicate the eunuchs, but was killed by court officials led by Cao Jie. Empress Dowager was subsequently relocated to the Southern Palace of Yun Tai, along with her family.
Although the Dou clan was wiped out, the emperor remembered the empress dowager's role in his ascension to the throne. On the first day of October in the fourth year of Jianning, he led his courtiers to pay respects to the empress dowager at the Southern Palace and personally presented her with birthday tributes. The palace eunuch Dong Meng repeatedly pleaded on behalf of the empress dowager, and the emperor listened to him, increasing the offerings made to the empress dowager. The palace eunuchs Cao Jie and Wang Fu, envious of Dong Meng's favor with the empress dowager, falsely accused him of defaming the Yongle Palace. Dong Meng was imprisoned and eventually died in jail. In the first year of Xiping, the empress dowager's mother passed away, leading to the empress dowager's death from grief. She reigned for seven years and was buried alongside the emperor in Xuanling.
The filial and benevolent Empress Dong, whose name escapes me, was from Hejian. She was originally the wife of Marquis Jie of Jieduting, who gave birth to Emperor Ling. In the first year of Jianning, Emperor Ling ascended the throne and posthumously honored Marquis Jie as Filial and Benevolent Emperor; his mausoleum was originally named Shenling and later renamed Shenyuan. The year following the extermination of the Dou clan, the emperor sent a palace eunuch to bring Dong Guiren into the palace and also welcomed Dong Guiren's brother Dong Chong to the capital. Dong Guiren was conferred the title of Empress Xiaoren and resided in the Jia De Hall of the Southern Palace, which was also known as the Yongle Palace. Dong Chong was appointed as the Chief of the Imperial Guards. Later, Empress Dong was imprisoned and died in jail for forging documents pertaining to the Yongle Palace.
After Empress Dowager Dou passed away, Empress He began to intervene in political affairs. She made the emperor sell off offices and titles, accepted bribes herself, and filled her house with money. In the fifth year of Zhongping, Empress He promoted her brother's son, Wei Weixiu, to the position of General of Cavalry, commanding over a thousand soldiers. Earlier, Empress He had long wanted the emperor to make her son, Prince Xie, the crown prince, but she held a strong dislike for him. Before this could be resolved, the emperor passed away. Empress Dowager He assumed control of the government, and Empress He and her brother, General He Jin, vied for power. Empress He always wanted to meddle in political affairs, but Empress Dowager He always stopped her. In a fit of rage, Empress He shouted, "You are acting so arrogantly now, are you relying on your brother's power? You should order the General of Cavalry to cut off He Jin's head!" When Empress Dowager He heard about this, she immediately informed He Jin. He Jin and the three high officials, along with his brother, the General of Chariots, He Miao, jointly submitted a memorial saying, "Empress Xiaoren has instructed the former eunuch Xia Yun and the Grand Preceptor Yongle to conspire with officials from various provinces to plunder treasures and riches, all of which have been sent to the Western Palace. According to previous rules, deposed empresses cannot remain in the capital, and there are regulations regarding their clothing, food, and drink. We request that Empress Yongle be exiled back to her hometown." The memorial was approved. He Jin then surrounded Biaoqi Mansion with troops, arrested Wei Weixiu, who took his own life after being dismissed. Empress He, overcome with fear, fell seriously ill and soon passed away after ruling for twenty-two years. The blame for her death was placed on the He family. After her funeral, she was sent back to her ancestral home in Hejian and buried beside the late emperor at Shenling.
Empress Song, the wife of Emperor Ling, whose name has been lost to history, was from Pingling, Fufeng, and was the great-granddaughter of Empress Song from the Sui Dynasty. In the third year of Jianning, she was chosen to enter the palace as a concubine. The following year, she was crowned empress. Her father, Song Feng, served as the Commandant of the Golden Shield and was granted the title of Marquis of Buqi Township.
Empress Song did not receive the emperor's favor, but she held the title of empress. There were many concubines in the palace who all conspired to slander and frame her. Initially, the eunuch Wang Fu wrongfully accused and executed Prince Bo of Hai, Kui, and his concubine, Lady Song, who was the empress's aunt. Wang Fu was afraid that the empress might seek revenge, so he and the Grand Master Cheng A accused the empress of using witchcraft to curse the emperor, and the emperor believed them. In the first year of Guanghe, the emperor ordered the confiscation of the empress's seal and insignia. Empress Song walked to the execution chamber and died of grief after eight years of reign. Her father and son were all killed. The eunuchs and attendants in the palace all felt that Empress Song was innocent, so they pooled money to bury the remains of the deposed empress and her father and son in the family tomb at Gaomen Pavilion.
The emperor dreamed that Emperor Huan was angrily questioning him, "What crime did Empress Song commit that led you to trust those treacherous people and allow her to die so tragically? Prince Bo of Hai had already abdicated, but you still put him to death. Now Empress Song and Kui are complaining in heaven, angering the heavens. The crimes are too great to be redeemed!" The emperor woke up feeling a deep sense of dread and quickly asked the Left Guardian of the Feather Forest, Xu Yong, "What is going on? Is there any way to make amends?"
Xu Yong replied, "Empress Song and Your Majesty served the ancestral temple together, exemplifying virtue for all. For so many years, there has been peace in the world, and she has done nothing wrong. However, Your Majesty believed the slanderous and jealous words, resulting in her unjust death, bringing misfortune to her family and causing widespread resentment among the populace. Prince Kui of Bohai, the younger brother of Emperor Huan, has diligently fulfilled his duties in his fiefdom and has never made any mistakes. Yet Your Majesty punished him without conducting an investigation. In the past, Marquis Jin made a mistake and dreamed of a fierce ghost crying on the ground. Heaven's will is evident, and ghosts and gods cannot be deceived. Your Majesty should give them proper burials to appease their spirits, restore the status of Empress Song's family, and restore Prince Kui's former title in order to eliminate the guilt." However, the Emperor did not accept Xu Yong's suggestion and soon after passed away.
Empress Lingsi, whose full name is not recorded, was from Wanyang in Nanyang. Her family were pig farmers before she was chosen to enter the palace. She stood at seven feet one inch and gave birth to a prince named Bian, who was sent to be raised by Historian Dao and came to be known as Marquis Shi. Empress Lingsi was elevated to noblewoman and was deeply loved by the Emperor. She had a strong personality and a strong sense of jealousy, instilling fear in the palace concubines.
In the third year of Guanghe, she was crowned Empress. The following year, the Emperor bestowed posthumous honors upon her father as General of Chariots and Cavalry, Marquis of Wuyang Xuan De, and her mother as Lady of Wuyang. At that time, Lady Wang, who was pregnant, feared the Empress, so she took medicine in an attempt to terminate the pregnancy. However, the child remained unharmed, and Lady Wang dreamed multiple times of walking with the sun on her back. In the fourth year of Guanghe, Lady Wang gave birth to a prince named Xie, and the Empress had Lady Wang poisoned. The Emperor was furious and wanted to depose the Empress, but some eunuchs vehemently advised against it, and he relented. Empress Dowager Dong took the prince Xie under her care and named him Marquis Dong.
Wang Meiren was from the state of Zhao; her grandfather Bao had once served as the General of the Guards. Wang Meiren was beautiful, intelligent, and talented, skilled in calligraphy as well as accounting. As a noblewoman, she was selected into the imperial harem through legal procedures. Due to the early death of the prince's mother, the emperor longed for Wang Meiren and specifically composed "Ode to Virtue" and "Song of Command" to commemorate her.
In the year 189 AD, the emperor passed away, and his son Liu Bian ascended the throne, honoring his mother as Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager held court and exercised power. The Empress Dowager's brother, Grand General He Jin, wanted to kill the eunuchs but was ultimately killed by them; and Lady Wuyang also died in the chaos. At that time, Dong Zhuo, stationed in Bingzhou, was summoned by the court, leading his army into Luoyang. He acted arrogantly, dominated the court, and eventually deposed the young emperor Liu Bian, making him the King of Hongnong, and then installed Liu Xie as the emperor, who became Emperor Xian of Han. Just imagine, they brought the King of Hongnong down from the palace hall at that time, made him kneel facing north before the court officials; the Empress Dowager wept inconsolably, and all the civil and military officials were grief-stricken, none dared to make a sound.
Dong Zhuo also wanted to drive the Empress Dowager to the Yongle Palace, putting her life at risk and causing her great distress. This was a blatant violation of the filial piety expected towards one's mother-in-law! Finally, Dong Zhuo moved the Empress Dowager to the Yong'an Palace and then poisoned her to death. The Empress Dowager reigned for ten years. Dong Zhuo also ordered the emperor to mourn at the Fengchang Pavilion, with all court officials wearing white to attend, but the funeral was conducted in a chaotic and disgraceful manner. Ultimately, the mother and son were laid to rest together in the Wenzhao Tomb.
At first, when the Empress Dowager just ascended the throne, she wanted to offer sacrifices at the ancestral temple, but disasters kept occurring; this happened several times, and in the end, the sacrifices were unsuccessful. Some wise individuals at the time found it puzzling; only later did they realize that it was the downfall of the He family that led to the Han Dynasty's demise.
The following year, uprisings broke out all over Shandong to overthrow Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo confined the Prince of Hongnong (Liu Bian) in a loft and ordered the Imperial Physician Li Ru to bring him poisoned wine, saying, "This medicine will ward off evil spirits if you drink it." The Prince of Hongnong said, "I am not sick; you are trying to kill me, aren't you!" He resolutely refused to drink. Dong Zhuo forced him to drink, and ultimately, Liu Bian had no choice but to drink with his wife Tang Ji and the palace maids for a farewell toast. After three rounds of wine, the Prince of Hongnong lamented:
"Heaven's will is inscrutable; my fate is fraught with misfortune!
Abandoning the throne of the Nine Five, retreating to the border.
Pressured by treacherous ministers, life is hard to protect,
I must leave you and descend to the underworld!"
Then he asked Tang Ji to dance; Tang Ji waved her sleeve and sang:
"The sky collapses, the earth trembles,
I, as the emperor, meet an untimely death.
Separated by yin and yang, we bid farewell forever,
I am lonely and sorrowful in my heart!"
As she sang, tears streamed down her face, and she sobbed uncontrollably, and everyone present joined her in heartfelt tears. The Prince of Hongnong said to Tang Ji, "You were once the emperor's consort; you can never return to being a commoner's wife. Take care of yourself, as we part ways forever!" After speaking, he drank the poisoned wine and died at just eighteen.
Tang Ji is from Yingchuan, Henan. After the death of the King of Hongnong, she returned to her hometown. Her father, Cai Mao, the Governor of Kuaiji Province, wanted to marry her off, but she firmly refused. Later, Li Jue attacked Chang'an, sending troops to pillage the area and captured Tang Ji. Li Jue wanted to marry her, but she consistently refused and never revealed her true name. The Minister Jia Xu became aware of this and reported the situation to Emperor Xian. Emperor Xian was deeply moved and saddened by this news, so he issued a decree to marry Tang Ji, bringing her to the palace and bestowing upon her the title of Princess of Hongnong. In the first year of Chuping, the Hongnong King was buried in the tomb of the former Minister Zhao Zhong, with the posthumous title of Huai Wang. The Emperor sought to find his maternal uncle, Wang Bin, who arrived in Chang'an with his wife. The Emperor granted him a mansion and land, appointing him as the Attendant of the Chariots. In the first year of Xingping, the Emperor held the ceremony of adulthood. The relevant departments requested the construction of the Changqiu Palace. The Emperor decreed, "I am mediocre in talent, have experienced wars, and have not been able to inherit the legacy of my ancestors. My mother passed away early, without having chosen a burial site, causing a lack of proper rituals, which greatly troubles me. The three-year mourning period has not yet passed, so it is not auspicious, and we must wait." Therefore, the relevant departments requested to posthumously honor Queen Wang as the Linghuai Empress, relocating her burial to Wenzhao Mausoleum with the same specifications as Jingling and Gongling, appointing the Gentleman of the Household to serve as the acting Minister of Works, responsible for offering the seal and ribbon. Wang Bin and the Governor of Henan, Luo Ye, were responsible for filling the tomb. After returning to Chang'an, Wang Bin was promoted to Commander of the Golden Guards, enfeoffed as the Marquis of Duting, with a fief consisting of five hundred households. Later, he fell ill and passed away, and the court posthumously awarded him the title of General and entrusted his funeral arrangements to an official. His eldest son, Wang Duan, inherited his title.
Empress Fu Shou, the Empress of Emperor Xian, was named Shou and hailed from Dongwu in Langya. She was the eighth generation granddaughter of the Grand Minister Fu Zhan. Her father, Fu Wan, was a calm and level-headed man who inherited the title of Marquis, married Princess Yang'an, the daughter of Emperor Huan of the Han dynasty, and served as a court attendant.
In the year 190 AD, she accompanied the Emperor on his westward journey to Chang'an and later entered the imperial palace as a noble. In 195 AD, she was declared Empress, while her husband, Fu Wan, was appointed as the Commandant of the Guards. Later, when the Emperor returned east, Li Jue and Guo Si caught up with the Emperor's entourage and defeated the escorting forces at Caoyang. The Emperor had to secretly cross the Yellow River at night to escape, and the concubines and palace maids were forced to leave the camp on foot. At that time, Empress Fu Shou was holding several pieces of silk, and Dong Cheng sent someone with a token, forcing Sun Hui to threaten the Empress with a knife to surrender the silk, even killing the Empress's attendants and splattering blood on her clothes.
After arriving in Anyi, the Emperor's clothes were in tatters, and he could only survive on dates and chestnuts. In 196 AD, Wan was appointed as the General Who Assists the State, a position comparable to that of the Three Excellencies. Feeling that all the power was in the hands of Cao Cao and being a relative of the imperial family, he feared drawing attention, so he surrendered his seal and official title, becoming a Physician to the Imperial Court, and later was promoted to Colonel of the Cavalry. He passed away in 214 AD, and his son, Wan Dian, inherited his title.
Since becoming Emperor in Xu City, Cao Cao firmly controlled the power, with most of the palace guards being his confidants and marriage relatives. A gentleman named Zhao Yan once gave some advice to the Emperor, which angered Cao Cao, resulting in his immediate execution. Numerous other court officials, both within and outside the palace, also met their end at Cao Cao's hands.
Once, Cao Cao had a matter to discuss with the Emperor in the palace. The Emperor couldn't contain his anger and said to Cao Cao, "If you can assist me well, that would be good; if not, please spare my life!" Cao Cao's expression changed upon hearing this, and he hurriedly tried to leave. According to the established protocol, when the Three Dukes lead troops to meet the Emperor, the Tiger Guard should be armed and positioned on both sides. When Cao Cao came out, he looked around and sweat began to drip down. From then on, he never dared to easily enter the palace to meet the Emperor again.
Dong Cheng's daughter was one of the Emperor's favored concubines. After Cao Cao killed Dong Cheng, he also wanted to kill Dong Cheng's daughter. But because the concubine was pregnant, the Emperor pleaded for her life multiple times, and Cao Cao couldn't do anything. From then on, the Emperor lived in constant fear, so he secretly wrote a letter to his father Dong Cheng, informing him of Cao Cao's cruel actions and requesting him to devise a plan to deal with Cao Cao. Dong Cheng was cautious and refrained from acting rashly until the nineteenth year of the Jian'an era, when the matter was revealed. Cao Cao, enraged, coerced the Emperor into deposing the Empress, citing numerous fabricated reasons, saying, "The Empress hails from humble origins, yet she has held a noble position in the women's quarters for twenty years. She lacks the virtues of Ren Yi and does not have the blessings of self-cultivation. Instead, she harbors jealousy and schemes, truly unworthy of upholding the Mandate of Heaven and serving our ancestors. Now, the Imperial Grand Secretary Xi Lu is holding a decree to reclaim the Empress's seal, ordering her to leave the palace and relocate. Alas, it is truly pitiful! The Empress brought this upon herself, deserving of punishment; it is her misfortune as well!" Cao Cao also had the Prefect of the Masters of Writing, Hua Xin, assist Xi Lu in entering the palace to capture the Empress. The Empress hid in her room, but Hua Xin forcibly dragged her out.
At this time, the emperor was in the side hall and summoned Xie Guo to his seat. The empress, with her hair down and barefoot, walked over crying and said, "Is there really no way to save me?" The emperor said, "I don't even know how much longer I can live!" Then he said to Xie Guo, "Xie Gong, can such things really happen in this world?" The empress was then imprisoned in the dungeon and soon died of sorrow. Her two sons were both poisoned to death. During her twenty-year reign, over a hundred of her brothers and relatives died, and nineteen people including her mother Ying Shi were exiled to Zhuo County.
Empress Xianmu Cao was the daughter of Cao Cao. In the 18th year of Jian'an, Cao Cao sent his three daughters - Xian, Jie, and Hua - to the palace as wives, with a dowry of up to fifty thousand pieces of silk fabric. The younger ones lived in the palace until they reached the appropriate age for marriage. In the 19th year of Jian'an, all three daughters were appointed as noblewomen. After Empress Fu was killed, the following year, Cao Jie was elevated to empress. After the Wei dynasty usurped the Han dynasty and declared itself emperor, envoys came to demand the empress's seal and sash, but she was furious and refused. After several attempts, she summoned the envoys, threw the seal down the steps of the palace, and tearfully said, "Heaven will not bless you!" No one present could lift their heads. Cao Jie reigned as empress for seven years. After the establishment of the Wei dynasty, she was honored as Lady of Shanyang. In the first year of Jingyuan, when she was forty-one years old, she passed away and was buried alongside Emperor Ming of Wei at Chanling, in accordance with Han dynasty funeral customs.
This passage mainly discusses the experiences of Empress Cao Jie, from her entry into the palace to her death, and her attitude towards the Wei dynasty's declaration as emperor. She had a rich dowry, was eventually made empress, and after the Wei dynasty declared itself emperor, she refused to hand over the seal, demonstrating her loyalty to the Han dynasty, and was buried according to the customs of the Han dynasty.
The article then analyzed the system of posthumous titles of empresses in the Han Dynasty. Empresses in the Han Dynasty did not have posthumous titles; they were all referred to by the posthumous titles of the emperors. Even during the times when Empress Lü wielded power or Empress Shangguan took charge of court affairs, they did not have special posthumous titles. It was not until the middle of the Eastern Han Dynasty that Emperor Ming began to bestow posthumous titles on empresses, such as "Guanglie Empress," using the character "de" as the basis. Empresses like Empress Ma and Empress Dou were only referred to by the character "de." Only the emperors' biological mothers and the princes who ascended to the throne received special posthumous titles as a result of posthumous honors, such as "Gonghuai" and "Xiaochong." During the Chuping period, Cai Yong began to bestow posthumous titles on Empress He and Empress Xi. Other posthumous titles for empresses, such as Ansi and Shunlie, were modeled after this. This section outlines the evolution of the posthumous title system for Han Dynasty empresses, from no posthumous titles to gradually forming a system based on the character "de," as well as the practice of posthumous honorifics. This part provides supplementary explanations about the life of Empress Cao Jie, explaining why her posthumous title was not specifically mentioned. Finally, the commendation: "The way of virtue supports the world, and inner virtue is righteous. Like the 'beautiful couple' in the Book of Songs and the 'returning maiden' in the Book of Changes. The empress was dignified and virtuous, carrying out the mandate of heaven, managing the inner palace, and observing rituals. Her noble character, along with her good fortune, elevated her to a high position, bringing prosperity to her family. She shone brightly like the sun, towering like Mount Tai. However, those who are strong-willed often face challenges; only by following the natural order can one go further. Arrogance invites disaster, while loyalty and honesty bring blessings. Her glory and wealth stemmed from her self-cultivation, but who will shoulder the burden of her misfortunes?" This part is a summary evaluation, praising Empress Cao Jie's virtues using allusions from the Book of Songs and the Book of Changes, summarizing her fate, affirming her strengths, and explaining her experiences with philosophical implications.
According to the regulations of the Han Dynasty, the emperor's daughters were given the title of county princesses, dressed and treated like marquises. If the emperor valued a certain daughter greatly, she would be given the title of higher-ranking princess, dressed and treated as grandly as princes. The emperor's brothers' daughters were titled village princesses or pavilion princesses, dressed and treated the same as village marquises or pavilion marquises. However, Emperor Suzong made an exception by granting the daughters of the Prince of Dongping and the Prince of Langye the title of county princesses. Later, the sisters of Emperor An and Emperor Huan were also given the title of higher-ranking princesses, receiving the same privileges as the emperor's daughters. Once the emperor's daughters received their titles as princesses, their sons could inherit their mother's title and become marquises, which could be inherited by their descendants. However, the titles of village princesses and pavilion princesses were not hereditary. The officials and ranks of the princess's residence were recorded in the "Hundred Officials Records," which will not be discussed further here and will be included in the historical records' conclusion.
Now, let's discuss the marital situations of the emperor's daughters. Princess Yiwang was given the title of Princess of Wuyang in the fifteenth year of Jianwu and married the Marquis of Lingxiang, Taipu Liang Song. Later, Liang Song was executed for false accusations. Princess Zhongli was also given the title of Princess of Nieyang in the fifteenth year of Jianwu and married the Marquis of Xianqin, Dahonglu Dou Gu, whom Emperor Suzong later honored as a higher-ranking princess. Princess Hongfu was given the title of Princess of Guantao in the fifteenth year of Jianwu and married Han Guang, the Imperial Guard Commander. Han Guang was later executed for conspiring with Prince Yan of Huaiyang to rebel. Princess Liliu was given the title of Princess of Yuyang in the seventeenth year of Jianwu and married Yin Feng, the heir of the Marquis of Xinyang. Yin Feng later murdered her and was subsequently executed.
Emperor Shizu had five daughters in total. Princess Ji was granted the title of Princess Huojia in the second year of Yongping and married Feng Zhu, the Marquis of Yangyi and Grand Architect. Princess Nu was granted the title of Princess Pingyang in the third year of Yongping and married Feng Shun, the Grand Herald. Princess Ying was granted the title of Princess Longlv in the third year of Yongping and married Geng Xi, the Marquis of Muping. Princess Ci was granted the title of Princess Pingshi in the third year of Yongping. Princess Zhi was granted the title of Princess Qinshui in the third year of Yongping and married Deng Qian, the Marquis of Gaomi. Princess Xiaoji was granted the title of Princess Pinggao in the twelfth year of Yongping and married Deng Fan, the Marquis of Chang'an and Attendant. Princess Zhong was granted the title of Princess Junyi in the seventeenth year of Yongping and married Wang Du, the Marquis of Yao and Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. Princess Hui was granted the title of Princess Wuan in the seventeenth year of Yongping and married Lai Leng, the Crown Prince of Zhengqiang and Gentleman of the Yellow Gate; later, Emperor An honored her as the Grand Princess. Princess Chen was granted the title of Princess Luyang in the first year of Jianchu. Princess Xiaoying was granted the title of Princess Yueping in the first year of Jianchu. Princess Xiaomin was granted the title of Princess Cheng'an in the first year of Jianchu.
Emperor Xianzong had eleven daughters.
It is said that the princesses of the Han Dynasty were consecrated one after another. First, Emperor Zhang had a daughter who was given the title of Princess Wude in the fourth year of Jianchu.
Next, he had another daughter, who was also given the title of Princess Pingyi in the fourth year of Jianchu and married Feng You, the Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. Then, there was another daughter who was granted the title of Princess Yin'an in the fifth year of Yongyuan. In total, Emperor Zhang had three daughters.
Next came Emperor Suzong, who also had three daughters. One of them was granted the title of Princess Xiuwu in the first year of Yanping; another was granted the title of Princess Gongyi in the first year of Yanping; and another was granted the title of Princess Linying in the first year of Yanping and married Jia Jian, who was then the Marquis of Jimo and Attendant. Additionally, Suzong had another daughter, who was granted the title of Princess Wenxi in the first year of Yanping.
Emperor Han He had four daughters. One of them was named Princess Wuyang in the third year of Yonghe; another was named Princess Guanjun in the third year of Yonghe; and another was named Princess Ruyang in the sixth year of Yonghe. Now let's talk about Emperor Han Shun, who also had three daughters. One of them was named Princess Yang'an in the first year of Yanxi, and she married Fu Wan, who was then the General of the State; another was named Princess Yingyin in the seventh year of Yanxi; and the last one was named Princess Yangzhai in the seventh year of Yanxi. Finally, Emperor Han Huan also had three daughters. One of them was named Princess Wannian in the third year of Guanghe. Emperor Han Ling had just one daughter.
