The Han Dynasty inherited the system of the Qin Dynasty. The emperor's grandmother was referred to as the Grand Empress Dowager, mother as the Empress Dowager, wife as the Empress, and other women were mostly referred to as Ladies. The number varied over time, unlike the clear regulations in the "Rites of Zhou" for the number of Ladies, Concubines, and Consorts. The Wei and Jin periods were similar, with changes in the rank and number of concubines, as detailed in historical records. Although the royal family of Wei rose during the reign of Emperor Shenyuan, it was not until Emperor Zhaocheng that they emphasized frugality and simplicity, with relatively few concubines, referred to simply by rank. The eight emperors: Zhang, Ping, Si, Zhao, Mu, Hui, Yang, and Lie, had concubines who were not well-known. The position of Empress was officially established only when the founding emperor posthumously honored his female ancestors, with other concubines sometimes called Ladies, with no limit in number but with rank and status. Emperor Shizu slightly increased the titles of Left and Right Zhao Yi, as well as Noble Lady, Chamber Lady, and Middle Palace, resulting in a growing number of palace concubines. There was an old Wei custom that before a woman could be made Empress, she had to personally cast a gold figure. If successful, she could be appointed Empress; if not, she would not be eligible. Emperor Shizu and Emperor Gaozong both greatly respected their foster mothers, despite this going against etiquette, demonstrating their kindness through their actions.
The founding emperor reformed the official positions in the harem, with the rank of Left and Right Consort equivalent to Grand Marshal, Three Consorts equivalent to Three Dukes, Three Concubines equivalent to Three Marquises, Six Concubines equivalent to Six Viscounts, Noble Women equivalent to Middle Officials, and Court Ladies equivalent to Gentlemen. Later, some female officials were appointed to manage harem affairs. The Inner Office was equivalent to the Minister of Personnel and Supervisor, with the positions of Chief Steward, Grand Supervisor, and Female Attendant-in-Chief equivalent to second-rank officials; Beauties, Female Secretaries, Female Historians, Female Scholars, Scribes, and Junior Scribes were equivalent to third-rank officials; Middle-Ranked Talented Women, Attendants, Middle-Ranked Female Envoys, Talented Women, and Palace Attendants were equivalent to fourth-rank officials; Spring Attendants, Female Wine Stewards, Female Feasters, Female Food Stewards, and Female Eunuchs were equivalent to fifth-rank officials.
Emperor Shenyuan's Empress Dou was the daughter-in-law of the chief of the Lu Hui clan. Before his death, the chief instructed his two sons, Su Hou and Hui Ti, to serve the emperor well. After the chief's death, Su Hou and others planned to rebel during the emperor's attendance at the funeral, but their plot was uncovered. Upon hearing this, the emperor realized they would not be loyal, so he acted preemptively. He arranged for warriors to lie in wait in the palace, and in the morning they used their swords to kill the empress, then informed Su Hou and the others that the empress had died suddenly. Su Hou and the others rushed to the funeral in a panic, only to be captured and executed on the spot.
Empress Feng, the consort of Emperor Wen of Han, gave birth to two future emperors, Huan and Mu, but she passed away early. Emperor Huan buried her after ascending the throne. During the construction of Tianyuan Pond, a stone tablet was unearthed chronicling how Emperor Huan buried Empress Feng. At the funeral, there were over 200,000 attendees from miles around. The appropriate officials reported this to the emperor, who commanded that the tablet be concealed in the ancestral temple.
Next, we discuss the concubine Lan, who bore two sons: the elder named Lan, who died early, and the younger one, Emperor Si.
Empress Qi, the wife of Emperor Huan, gave birth to three sons: the eldest, named Pugen, the second son was Emperor Hui, and the youngest was Emperor Yang. After the death of Emperor Ping, Empress Qi took charge of state affairs, and people at the time referred to her as the "empress regnant." This empress had a strong personality, was suspicious and resentful, and Emperor Ping's death was also connected to her.
Empress Wang, the wife of Emperor Ping, was from Guangning. She entered the palace at the age of thirteen for some reason and gained the favor of Emperor Ping, giving birth to Emperor Zhao. When Emperor Ping died, Emperor Zhao was still very young. At that time, the country was in turmoil, and there were people who wanted to harm the princes. Empress Wang hid the young emperor in her clothing, fearing that others would find him, and whispered a spell, saying, "If heaven protects you and you’re still alive, then don’t cry out." Because of this, the young emperor didn't cry for a long time, allowing him to escape disaster. Initially, Emperor Zhao wanted to move the capital to Luyuan Chuan and build walls and palaces, but the opinions could not be unified. Upon hearing this, Empress Wang said, "Throughout our country's history, there have been many instances of relocating the capital. Now that the country has just experienced internal turmoil, the foundation is still unstable. If we build a city to live in, once the enemy attacks, it will be very difficult to relocate quickly." Thus, the matter of moving the capital was shelved. Later, after Emperor Lie's death, the country was in a precarious situation, and the restoration of the empire depended entirely on Empress Wang's contributions. She ruled for eighteen years before her death and was laid to rest in Yunchong Jinling. After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, he honored her at the ancestral temple.
The empress of Emperor Zhao Cheng, of the Murong family, was the daughter of Yuan Zhen. Initially, Emperor Zhao Cheng took Yuan Zhen's younger sister as a concubine, but she died shortly after. Yuan Zhen requested another marriage alliance and sent the minister Changsun Zhi to escort the Murong family, and Yuan Zhen even bid her farewell at the border. After entering the palace, the Murong empress was highly favored and gave birth to Emperor Xianming and King Qinming. She was intelligent and capable, composed and experienced, adept at making decisions, and managed the affairs of the harem, with many decisions made by her. At one point, Emperor Zhao Cheng sent Wei Chen's brother Xi Wuqi back to the tribe, and Empress Murong warned him, "You must be cautious of Wei Chen when you return. He is sly and treacherous, and he will ultimately destroy you." Later, Xi Wuqi was indeed killed by Wei Chen, just as the empress had warned. She passed away after ruling for twenty-three years. After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, he enshrined her in the ancestral temple.
Empress Xianming, of the He clan, was the daughter of Ye Yu, a high official from the east. When she was young, her beauty caught the eye of the Crown Prince, leading to her being chosen for his palace, where she gave birth to Emperor Taizu. Later, Fu Luo caused chaos, and the empress fled north with Emperor Taizu and several loyal ministers. Soon, the Gaoche suddenly attacked them, and the empress took Emperor Taizu and fled south in a carriage. Halfway, the carriage's axle broke, and the empress was terrified. She looked up to the sky and prayed, "How can the heir to the throne be lost like this! I hope the deities protect us!" She then continued on her way, and miraculously, the wheels stayed on. After traveling over a hundred miles, they finally escaped disaster when they reached the southern side of Qijie Mountain.
Later, Liu Xian sent assassins to kill Taizu. Liu Xian's aunt was married to his younger brother Kang Ni. Upon learning of this plot, she secretly informed the queen. Liang Juan also alerted the queen to this danger. The queen urged Taizu to leave at once. That night, the queen also got Liu Xian's messenger drunk. Early the next morning, the queen deliberately startled the horses in the stable, prompting Liu Xian's messenger to get up and check on them. The queen wept and exclaimed, "Several of my children were all here at first, and now they are all gone. Who killed them?" Thus, Liu Xian's messenger hesitated to pursue Taizu. When Taizu arrived at the Helan tribe, the locals had not completely pledged their loyalty to him. Yue, a high-ranking official in the outer court, led his whole family to follow Taizu and serve him wholeheartedly. Liu Xian was very angry and wanted to kill the queen. That night, the queen fled to Kang Ni's home, where she hid in a sacred carriage for three days. Kang Ni's entire family came forward to plead for assistance, which ultimately allowed the queen to return home safely.
Later, the queen's brother, Ran Gan, grew envious of Taizu's popularity with the people and surrounded the palace with his troops. The queen came out and said to Ran Gan, "Where do you intend to take me now? Are you still intent on killing my son?" Ran Gan, feeling ashamed, turned away.
The queen's youngest son, Prince Qin Gu, was sent as an envoy to Yan State, but Murong Chui detained him. Because Prince Qin Gu had not returned, the queen was deeply troubled and fell gravely ill. She passed away in the first year of the Huangshi era, at the age of forty-six, and was laid to rest in Shengle Jinling. Later, she was posthumously honored and permitted to partake in sacrifices alongside the emperor.
Empress Dowager of Daowu, Lady Murong Shi, was the youngest daughter of Murong Bao. After the conquest of Zhongshan, she was selected to enter the palace and received the emperor's favor. The Left Prime Minister Wei Wangyi and others submitted a petition requesting that she be made empress. The emperor accepted the ministers' suggestion, ordered the empress to have a golden statue cast, and only after the statue was completed, formally declared her empress and offered sacrifices to heaven and earth at the ancestral temples. Her mother, Lady Meng, was given the title of Lady Piaoyang. Later, the empress passed away.
Lady Liu was the daughter of Liu Juan. When Emperor Daowu of Wei had just established the country, she was married to him and gave birth to Princess Huayin, followed by Emperor Taizu of Wei. She managed the affairs of the harem, and the emperor loved her dearly. However, due to the failure of casting the golden statue, she was unable to become empress. According to the old customs of Wei, when a concubine in the harem gave birth to the crown prince or heir, her mother would face execution. In the later years of Emperor Taizu's reign, Lady Liu died as a result of this old custom. After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, he posthumously honored her with the title of empress, where they were honored together with sacrifices in the ancestral temple. Since then, all concubines who bore sons for the emperor could be honored as empresses and receive sacrifices in the ancestral temple.
Lady Yao was the daughter of Yao Xing, who was granted the title of Princess Chang of Xiping. Emperor Taizu married her following the empress's ceremonial customs, and she later became his wife. Similarly, due to the failure of casting the golden statue, she was not officially crowned empress. However, the emperor loved her dearly, and her daily life, meals, and travel protocols were equivalent to those of the empress. Later, Lady Yao expressed a desire to be formally crowned empress, but she remained humble and did not press the issue. In the fifth year of Taichang, Lady Yao passed away. The emperor deeply regretted her passing, posthumously granted her the empress's seal and ribbon, bestowed upon her a posthumous title, and laid her to rest in Jinling among the clouds.
Du Shi was a native of Ye in Wei County and the sister of Prince Yangping Chao. Initially selected into the Crown Prince's palace as a virtuous woman, she gained the favor of the Crown Prince and gave birth to the founding emperor of the Wei Dynasty. After Emperor Taizong ascended the throne, she was honored as Mi Noble Concubine. In the fifth year of Taichang, Du Shi passed away and was posthumously titled as the Noble Concubine Mi, buried in Jinling, known as the City of Clouds. After the founding emperor ascended the throne, she was posthumously honored as Empress, and together with the founding emperor, she was honored in the ancestral temple. A temple was also built for her in Ye City, where the governor would conduct annual sacrifices regularly. In memory of Du Shi, the founding emperor also exempted Wei County, her hometown, from taxes and corvée labor. Later, sweet dew fell upon Du Shi's temple. During the reign of Emperor Gaozu, Gao Lu, the governor of Xiangzhou, requested repairs to Du Shi's temple. The Emperor decreed, "After a woman passes away, it is unreasonable to build a temple solely for her and offer sacrifices. Yin and Yang must be paired to form heaven and earth. I have never heard of the state of Xin building a temple just for Tai Si. This was a temporary measure established by the late Emperor as a gesture of gratitude, not a lasting solution, so the sacrifices should be discontinued."
At the beginning, Dou, the nurse of Emperor Shizong, had her husband executed for a crime. She entered the palace along with her two daughters. She exhibited proper conduct, with appropriate manners and decorum. Later, Emperor Taizong appointed her as Shizong's nurse. Dou was kind-hearted and took great care of Shizong. Shizong was grateful to her and treated her with the same filial respect as he would his biological mother. When Shizong became emperor, he first honored her as Empress Dowager and later elevated her to the title of Empress Dowager, also granting her brother the title of King of Liaodong. The Empress Dowager managed the inner palace exceptionally well and earned an excellent reputation. She was very low-key, was quite unambitious, did not show her emotions, enjoyed praising others' strengths while downplaying their weaknesses. Once, when Shizong went to campaign against Liangzhou and the Rouran tribe led by Wu Ti invaded, the Empress Dowager commanded the soldiers to repel them. In the first year of the Zhenjun era, the Empress Dowager passed away at the age of sixty-three. The emperor declared a three-day period of national mourning and entrusted the Grand Tutor, Lu Luyuan, with overseeing the funeral arrangements, posthumously bestowing upon her the title "Hui" and laying her to rest in Guoshan, in accordance with her wishes. Previously, the Empress Dowager had ascended Guoshan and told those who were with her, "I have raised the emperor with great care, revered the divine, and cared for the people. Even in death, I shall not become a wandering spirit. However, I held no formal title during the late emperor's reign and cannot violate the rituals to be buried with him. This mountain is suitable; I can find my eternal rest here." Therefore, she was buried there. Later, a dedicated hall was constructed for her on Guoshan, and a monument was erected in her honor to celebrate her virtues.
Next, we turn to Empress Taiwu, Helian, who was the daughter of Helian Qugai. After Shizong subdued Tongwan, he took Helian and her two sisters as his concubines, and later Helian was established as Empress. Emperor Gaozong ascended the throne but passed away shortly after, and she was laid to rest beside Gaozong in Jinling.
Then there was Empress Jing'ai of Taiwu, of the Dai clan. She was initially the wife of Shizong and gave birth to Emperor Gongzong. She passed away in the first year of Shenwu and was posthumously honored with a noble consort title, buried in Jinling, in Yuzhong. Later, an additional posthumous title was conferred upon her, so she could receive sacrifices alongside her ancestors in the Grand Ancestral Temple.
Finally, there was Empress Jingmu, from the Yujiulu clan, the sister of King Pi of Hedong. She was chosen for the Eastern Palace at a young age and was greatly favored. In the first year of Zhenjun, she gave birth to Emperor Gaozong. She died in the later years of Shizong's reign. After Gaozong ascended the throne, he honored her posthumously and conferred an additional title. She was buried in Jinling and was also granted the honor of receiving sacrifices alongside her ancestors in the Grand Ancestral Temple.
Speaking of Gaozong's wet nurse, Lady Chang, she hailed from Liaoxi. For various reasons, she entered the palace during the Taiyan era and was later selected by Emperor Shizong to be Gaozong's wet nurse. She was deeply loving and devoted to Gaozong, playing a crucial role in his upbringing. After Gaozong became emperor, he honored her as Empress Dowager and later elevated her to the title of Empress Dowager, permitting her to be honored at the suburban temple. She passed away in the first year of the Peace period, and the emperor declared a national mourning period of three days, and she was posthumously titled Empress Dowager Zhao. She was buried on Móqí Mountain in Guangning, which the locals referred to as Mingji Mountain, honoring the Empress Dowager's wishes in life. In accordance with Empress Dowager Hui's regulations, a separate mausoleum was constructed for her, with two hundred households designated to guard her tomb, and a stele was erected in her honor to celebrate her contributions.
Next is the story of Empress Feng of Wen Cheng Wen Ming. She was from Chang'an, and her father, Feng Lang, served as the governor of Qinzhou and Yongzhou, as well as the Duke of Xicheng County. Her mother belonged to the Wang family of Lelang. Empress Feng was born in Chang'an, and it was said that there were auspicious signs at the time. Later, Feng Lang was killed for political reasons, and Feng entered the palace. The Empress Dowager, the emperor’s paternal aunt, was nurturing and played a significant role in raising and educating the Empress. When the Empress was fourteen, Emperor Gaozong ascended the throne, and she was selected as a concubine and later elevated to Empress. Following the death of Emperor Gaozong, according to the customs of the period, three days into the mourning period, the emperor's clothes and belongings were required to be burned, and the officials and the Empress were required to bid farewell in tears. The Empress was so overwhelmed with grief that she contemplated jumping into the fire, but fortunately, those around her saved her in time, and it took her a long time to regain her composure.
After Emperor Xianzong ascended the throne, Feng was bestowed the title of Empress Dowager. Later, Prime Minister Yihun staged a rebellion, and at that time, Emperor Xianzong was only twelve years old and in a very dangerous situation. It was the Empress Dowager who secretly formulated a strategy to quell Yihun's rebellion, and then she assumed control over state affairs. When Emperor Gaozu was born, the Empress Dowager personally raised him. Afterwards, the Empress Dowager stepped back from political power and ceased to interfere in court matters. However, later on, the Empress Dowager's conduct became questionable, and she had an ambiguous relationship with the favored courtier Li Yi. Emperor Xianzong killed Li Yi because of this, which greatly displeased the Empress Dowager. Later, Emperor Xianzong died suddenly, and many people speculated that the Empress Dowager was involved.
In the first year of Chengming, the Empress Dowager was elevated to the rank of Grand Empress Dowager and resumed her role in managing state affairs. The Grand Empress Dowager was intelligent, and she began to learn writing and basic accounting soon after entering the palace. Once she ascended to her supreme position, she was capable of managing state affairs.
Emperor Gaozu issued a decree saying, "I am of mediocre talent and inherited the throne at a young age, relying entirely on the wisdom and grace of the Empress Dowager to stabilize the world. To repay her grace, I have come up with a solution: those fierce birds that harm the heavens and the earth should be released back into the mountains and forests. Let us use this piece of land to build a stupa for the Empress Dowager!" Thus, the institution for raising eagles was abolished, and the land was transformed into the Bao De Temple.
The Empress Dowager and Emperor Gaozu toured Fangshan together, taking in the mountains and rivers, and had the idea of being buried there. So she said to her courtiers, "Emperor Shun is buried in Cangwu, but his two consorts were not interred alongside him. Does one have to be buried in a distant tomb to be deemed honorable? I hope that a hundred years later, my spirit can rest here." Emperor Gaozu then ordered the relevant authorities to construct the Shou Ling at Fangshan, and also constructed a sturdy stone chamber, intending it to be her mausoleum in the future. Construction began in the fifth year of Taihe, was completed in the eighth year, and inscriptions were carved to honor the Empress Dowager's contributions.
Seeing that Emperor Gaozu was getting old, the Empress Dowager composed more than three hundred verses of "Admonishing Songs" and wrote eighteen "Imperial Edicts," which are too numerous to detail here. The Empress Dowager also built the Wenxuan Wang Temple in Chang'an and the Siyan Buddha Image in Longcheng, both of which were commemorated with inscribed steles. She also decreed that members of the imperial family and relatives who committed crimes could be pardoned. She lived a simple life, disliking extravagant decorations and only wearing plain-colored clothes. When ministers served meals, the plates were only a foot in size, and the quality of the dishes was diminished by eighty percent compared to before.
Once, the Empress Dowager was feeling unwell and took a medicine called 'Anluzi.' When night fell, the ministers brought porridge, and to their surprise, there was actually a gecko in it! The Empress Dowager discovered it while scooping the porridge with a spoon. Emperor Gaozu, who was nearby, became very angry and wanted to severely punish the minister who delivered the porridge. However, the Empress Dowager smiled and forgave them.
Since the Empress Dowager took charge and held all the power, the Emperor, being naturally filial and cautious, avoided political affairs, so all matters, big and small, were first reported to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was intelligent and cunning, ruthless, and quick to reward and punish, and many matters did not even go through the Emperor. Therefore, the Empress Dowager held immense power, and both inside and outside the court respected and feared her. As a result, people like Qi Daode, Wang Yu, Zhang You, and Fu Chengzu, who were originally insignificant officials, quickly rose to noble ranks; Wang Rui was even able to frequently enter the inner palace and became the prime minister in just a few years, receiving countless rewards and guarantees in the form of golden edicts and iron certificates, ensuring he would not be killed. Although Li Chong was promoted for his talents, he also received countless rewards privately due to the Empress Dowager's favor.
Although the Empress Dowager had a strict personality, even those she favored were not indulged. Anyone around her who made even a small mistake would be beaten, with at least dozens of strikes, and sometimes even over a hundred. However, she wasn't overly harsh; shortly after being beaten, she would treat them as before, and sometimes they ended up even better off because of it. Therefore, everyone only thought about gaining benefits and did not want to leave their positions until death.
Once, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor went to Lingquan Pool for leisure, hosting a banquet for ministers, envoys from vassal states, and local leaders, and asked everyone to perform local dances. The Emperor and ministers all wished the Empress Dowager longevity, and she happily sang a song, with the Emperor joining in. Then the Empress Dowager asked everyone to share their wishes, which led to over ninety people singing together to wish her well.
The Empress Dowager appeared to value the high popularity of people like Yuan Pi and You Minggen, rewarding them with wealth and horses. Every time she praised Wang Rui and others, she would also call Yuan Pi and the others to join them, putting on a show of fairness. However, the Empress Dowager was very worried about others gossiping about her. At the slightest hint of suspicion, she would quickly resort to murder to silence anyone. The Emperor remained unaware of the circumstances of her death until the Empress Dowager passed away. People like Li Fu and Li Hui, because of the Empress Dowager's suspicion, saw over ten families annihilated, with hundreds of people dead, many of whom were innocent. People everywhere felt a deep sense of injustice and sorrow.
In the fourteenth year, the Emperor passed away in the Taihe Hall at the age of forty-nine. On that day, a male pheasant perched on the Taihua Hall. Emperor Gaozu (Emperor Xiaowen) had gone five days without food or drink, mourning excessively and violating the ritual. He posthumously bestowed the title of Empress Dowager Wenming upon her and buried her in the Yonggu Tomb. He returned to the palace at noon and sat in the Jianxuan Hall, lost in sorrowful contemplation.
The emperor decreed: "I follow the last wishes of the Empress Dowager, striving for frugality without excessive displays of grief; this aligns with the rites and reflects the Empress Dowager's virtue of simplicity. After much contemplation, I have come to a deeper understanding of the pain of losing a mother. Regarding the specifications of the tomb, there were also the late emperor's instructions: the inner chamber should be approximately one square zhang in area, and the outer limits should be kept within a certain range; however, considering that a filial son's heart cannot fully express itself, the inner chamber may be expanded to two zhang, and the grave should not exceed thirty steps. Now, taking into account that the tomb is a place for future generations to pay their respects, I have expanded it to sixty steps. Not being able to fulfill my mother's wishes has only deepened my sorrow. As for the size of the tomb chamber, the materials for the coffin, and the level of simplicity, no ceremonial items will be used. Even plain curtains, bedding, and porcelain tiles will not be utilized. All of this is in accordance with the Empress Dowager's wishes, executed according to the edict, and carried out according to her last testament. However, there are some matters I have followed, and some I have not been able to meet her requirements, which may invite criticism. Within the coffin, in the inner sanctum, is the place where the sacred spirit resides, so I strictly adhere to every detail to demonstrate the Empress Dowager's frugal virtue. For other external matters, there are some things I have not fully complied with, to express my profound grief. These matters should be proclaimed to the officials and subjects far and near, and informed to officials at all levels, so that above, it can highlight the virtue of simplicity and caution against defying the holy decree."
Once the mourning period was over, Emperor Xiaowen donned coarse hemp mourning garments, and his close ministers also wore mourning attire. External ministers below the third rank who wore mourning clothes changed into plain clothing, while officials of the seventh rank and below removed their mourning garments and resumed their daily attire. A memorial service was held in the Taihe Hall, and officials below the rank of duke began to handle official business. Emperor Gaozu (Emperor Xiaowen), grief-stricken and worn, abstained from alcohol and meat, and did not enter the harem for three years.
Initially, Emperor Gaozu (Emperor Xiaowen) was very filial to the Empress Dowager, so he constructed the Shou Palace over a mile northeast of Yonggu Tomb beforehand, hoping the Empress Dowager could enjoy her later years in peace and visit whenever she liked. After moving the capital to Luoyang, he then built a mountain garden in the western part of the area as an auxiliary structure to the mausoleum, and the vacant palace on Fang Mountain is still preserved today, called "Wannian Hall."
Li, from Meng County in the Liang Kingdom, was the sister of Duke Jun of Dunqiu. From the moment she was born, she was different; her father, Shu Heng, predicted that his daughter would become very wealthy and noble in the future. As she grew up, she became strikingly beautiful. When Emperor Shizu of Northern Wei was on a southern expedition, King Ren of Yongchang set out from Shouchun, and his army camped at the rear residence, where he encountered Li. Later, while stationed in Chang'an, King Ren of Yongchang was killed in an incident, and Li and her family were sent to the palace in Pingcheng. When Emperor Gaozong saw her on the white building, he found her beautiful and asked those around him, "Is this woman beautiful?" Everyone replied affirmatively. Emperor Gaozong then went downstairs, and Li caught his favor in the storeroom, subsequently becoming pregnant. Later, Empress Dowager Chang asked Li what had happened, and Li replied, "I was favored by the emperor and am pregnant." At that time, the guard in the storeroom secretly recorded this incident on the wall, and later separate investigations were conducted, all leading to the same conclusion. After giving birth to Emperor Wen Cheng, Li was granted the title of Guiren (Noble Lady). In the second year of Tai'an, according to custom, the Empress Dowager instructed Li to entrust her southern brothers and her cousin Hongdu, who had recommended her to the palace, to others. At parting, every time she mentioned her brothers, she would beat her chest and cry uncontrollably, and eventually, she passed away. After her death, she was posthumously given the title of Empress Yuan and buried in Jinling, sharing in the honors of the ancestral temple.
Empress Xianwen, also surnamed Li, was from Anxi in Zhongshan and was the daughter of Prince Hui of Nanjun. She was beautiful and virtuous, and at the age of eighteen, she was selected to enter the Eastern Palace. After Emperor Xianzu ascended the throne, she became the empress and gave birth to Emperor Xiaowen. She died in the third year of the Huangxing era, and everyone was deeply saddened. She was buried in Jinling. In the first year of the Chengming era, she was posthumously honored and granted the right to be worshipped in the ancestral temple.
The Lin family hailed from Pingyuan. Her uncle, Jinlu, started as a eunuch and gained favor with Empress Dowager Chang, eventually becoming the Minister and Duke of Pingliang. Jinlu's brother, Jinsheng, was the governor of Pingliang. In the early years of Emperor Xianzu's reign, Jinlu served as the Inspector of Dingzhou but was soon murdered by Yihun, and both brothers died. Jinsheng had no sons; instead, he had two daughters who became palace maids. Lin was beautiful and won the favor of Emperor Xiaowen, giving birth to the prince Yuanxun. As Yuanxun was likely to become the heir apparent, in the seventh year of the Taihe era, Lin died as per custom. Emperor Xiaowen, being kind-hearted and not wanting to repeat past mistakes, heeded the advice of Empress Dowager Wen, so this matter did not go any further. She was posthumously titled Empress Zhen and was buried in Jinling. Later, Yuanxun was sentenced to death for committing a crime, and the authorities petitioned to revoke Lin's title of Empress, reducing her to commoner status.
The deposed empress of Emperor Xiaowen, Lady Feng, was the daughter of Grand Tutor Feng Xi. In the seventeenth year of the Taihe era, after the death of Emperor Gaozu (the father of Emperor Xiaowen), Grand Marshal Yuan Pi and others petitioned that an empress had not yet been appointed in the harem and that there were no heads of the six imperial palaces, requesting the appointment of an empress. Emperor Gaozu agreed and appointed Lady Feng as empress. Emperor Gaozu was very particular about rituals; the empress and concubines had to meet the emperor in order of rank. Later, when the emperor went south to fight, the empress stayed in the capital. When the emperor went south to fight again, the empress moved to Luoyang with her concubines. Later, the empress's father, Feng Xi, and her brother, Feng Dan, both passed away, and the emperor wrote her a letter of comfort, expressing his condolences. When the emperor returned from war, he treated the empress especially well.
However, the emperor later brought the empress's sister to Luoyang and began to favor her more, causing the empress's own favor to wane. Her sister believed she was older and had been in the palace longer, and that the emperor had always remembered her, so she looked down on the empress and did not adhere to the etiquette and rules for concubines. Although the empress was naturally not jealous, she still felt a bit wronged and sad. Her sister, determined to become the empress, schemed against her and spread rumors. Before long, the empress was deposed and demoted to the status of a commoner. The empress was known for her virtue and prudence, and ultimately passed away at Yaoguang Buddhist Temple.
Empress Dowager You, the daughter of Feng Xi, came from a humble background, but she won Feng Xi's favor. After Feng Xi's primary consort passed away, Lady Chang took charge of the household. She gave birth to Empress Dowager You and Feng Su, the Prince of Beiping. Empress Dowager Wenzhao wanted to ensure the Feng family’s prominence for generations, so she selected Feng Xi's two daughters to enter the palace when they were fourteen years old. One of the daughters died young. Empress Dowager You was beautiful and likable, and the Emperor especially favored her. Not long after, Empress Dowager You fell ill, and Empress Dowager Wenzhao sent her back home to become a nun. But the Emperor still missed her. Once the Emperor’s mourning period was over, he sought her out. Hearing that Empress Dowager You had recovered, he sent a eunuch with his imperial seal to visit and then brought her back to Luoyang. In Luoyang, the Emperor favored her even more than before, spending every night with her, and the other members of the harem rarely saw the Emperor. The Emperor first named her Left Consort and later elevated her to Empress.
She fell ill and went home, and as a result, unpleasant rumors began to circulate. Emperor Gaozu had been fighting in the south for years, and she later had an affair with Gao the monk. When Emperor Gaozu was in Runan and not feeling well, she became increasingly reckless, and the eunuch Shuangmeng and others became her trusted allies. The eunuch Jupeng advised her, but she did not listen, and he met his demise in frustration. At that time, Princess Pengcheng, the daughter-in-law of Prince Liu Chang of Song, became a widow at a young age. Feng Su, the Empress's full-brother, wanted to marry the princess to Emperor Gaozu, and he agreed. The princess was unwilling, so the Empress wanted to force her. The wedding date had been set, but the princess secretly gathered over ten attendants and servants, risked the torrential rain, and ran to Xuanhu to meet Emperor Gaozu in person, expressing her feelings and disclosing the affair between the Empress and Gao. Emperor Gaozu was taken aback by this revelation, but was skeptical about it, so he kept it under wraps for now; only Prince Pengcheng, who was attending to Emperor Gaozu, was aware of the entire situation.
Since then, the queen became increasingly fearful. She and her mother, Madame Chang, desperately tried every means to ensure Emperor Gaozu's illness would not improve, hoping he would serve as a regent for the young ruler like Empress Dowager Wen, and be rewarded with countless gifts. She also brought livestock from the palace for sacrifices, claiming it was for blessings, but in reality, it was to manipulate Emperor Gaozu. Her mother would sometimes go to the palace herself, and other times she sent maidservants to communicate with those inside the palace. When Emperor Gaozu traveled north from Yuzhou to Ye City, the queen worried that she would be held accountable upon his return, which made her even more afraid. She hurriedly sent eunuchs to inquire about Emperor Gaozu's daily activities, rewarding them with clothes while repeatedly instructing them to keep everything confidential. She also sent Shuangmeng to manage affairs and keep a close eye on developments. However, only a minor gatekeeper named Su Xingshou discreetly informed Emperor Gaozu of the details. Once Emperor Gaozu grasped the full situation, he instructed him to keep it a secret.
When they arrived in Luoyang, Emperor Gaozu arrested six individuals, including Gao Pusa and Shuangmeng. They implicated each other, and the truth came to light. Emperor Gaozu, who was unwell, stayed in the heated chamber and called for the empress at night, having Gao Pusa and the others placed outside. When the empress was about to enter, Emperor Gaozu ordered the eunuchs to search her clothes, threatening to have her executed if a single blade was found. The empress bowed deeply and wept in apology, and only then did Emperor Gaozu allow her to sit beside the eastern pillar, more than two zhang (about 6.6 meters) away from the throne. Emperor Gaozu had Gao Pusa and the others explain what happened and then told the empress, "Your mother is involved in sorcery; please explain this matter in detail." The empress asked to speak privately and revealed some sensitive information to Emperor Gaozu. He commanded all attendants to leave, leaving only Changqi Qing Bai Zheng beside him, with a
Emperor Gaozu then summoned the Prince of Pengcheng and the Prince of Beihai to sit down and said, "She was once your sister-in-law, but now she belongs to someone else. You should not shy away from this." The two princes vehemently declined, but Emperor Gaozu insisted they come in. Once they entered, Emperor Gaozu said, "This old hag wants to stab me in the back! Make sure to look into this thoroughly, without holding back." Emperor Gaozu deeply reflected on his own mistakes and apologized to the two princes. He continued, "The daughter of the Feng family cannot be deposed again; let her sit idly in the palace. If she wants to die, she'll do it herself. Do not think that I still have feelings for her." Emperor Gaozu was always respectful to his elders, and because of Empress Dowager Wen, he could not depose the empress at that moment. After a long time, the two princes left, and Emperor Gaozu granted the empress poison for her to take her own life. The empress bowed deeply, crying uncontrollably. Emperor Gaozu had her enter the eastern chamber. After the empress entered the palace, the emperor sent a eunuch to ask her some questions. The empress scolded, "The Son of Heaven's wife speaks directly; how dare you pass messages!" Emperor Gaozu became angry and ordered the empress's mother, Lady Chang, to come in and showed her the empress's offenses. Lady Chang gave the empress over a hundred lashes before she finally stopped. Emperor Gaozu then went on a southern campaign, leaving the empress in the capital. Although she had fallen out of favor due to her mistakes, the palace concubines still attended to her as per the rules. However, they kept the Crown Prince in the eastern palace and did not allow him to meet her. Emperor Gaozu was gravely ill and said to Prince Xie of Pengcheng, "The inner palace has not had any virtuous deeds for a long time and has cut itself off from Heaven. If we don't plan soon, we might repeat the Han dynasty's mistakes. After I die, have her executed in another palace and bury her with empress honors to cover up the scandal of the Feng family." After Emperor Gaozu passed away, when the coffin reached Luoyang, they carried out his will. Prince Xie of Beihai was ordered to read the will, and officials such as Bai Zheng entered to deliver poison to the empress. The empress dashed around, refusing to take the poison, saying, "How could the emperor do this? It is you princes who want to kill me!" Bai Zheng and others forced her to take the poison, and she died while
Empress Gao is the sister of Situ Gong Gao Zhao. Her father is Gao Yang and her mother’s surname is Gai. They had a total of four sons and three daughters, and the whole family lived in their ancestral home in the east. When Emperor Gaozu first became emperor, the whole family moved to Longcheng in the west. The town chief of Longcheng thought she was beautiful and gentle, so he recommended her to the palace as a maid. Later, when Empress Wen visited the northern Cao region, she was captivated by Empress Gao's beauty and invited her into the palace; she was just thirteen then.
When Empress Gao was a child, she had a dream where she stood in a room and sunlight poured in through the window, warm and bright. She tried to hide, but the sunlight kept finding her. This happened for several nights in a row, and she thought it was odd, so she told her father, Gao Yang. Gao Yang then asked a Liaodong fortune teller named Min Zong. Min Zong said, “This is a good omen; something remarkable is in store!” Gao Yang asked, “How do you know?” Min Zong replied, “The sun represents the virtue of a ruler, a symbol of the emperor. The sunlight shining on her indicates that she will definitely receive the emperor's favor in the future. She can't escape it, meaning the emperor is actively seeking her, and she has no way to refuse. I've heard of people dreaming of the moon falling into their arms, and they ended up giving birth to emperors; not to mention the sun shining on her, this girl will surely catch the emperor's eye and give birth to a future emperor!” Later, she indeed gave birth to Emperor Shizong. Later, she also had Prince Guangping and Princess Changle.
But later, Feng Zhaoyi became favored and secretly wanted to keep Emperor Shizong close to her. On her way back to Luoyang from Dai, Empress Dowager Gao suddenly passed away in Gongxian County, Jizhou. Some claimed that Feng Zhaoyi had her assassinated. After Shizong was made Crown Prince, he visited the Empress every three days, and she was especially fond of him. When Emperor Gaozu went on expeditions, Shizong would spend a long time in the palace, personally grooming and washing the Empress, demonstrating their deep mother-son relationship.
Later, it was proposed to posthumously confer the title "Zhaoyi" upon the Empress Dowager, followed by "Wenzhao Noble Lady," which Emperor Gaozu agreed to. After Shizong ascended the throne, he honored her as Empress Dowager and had her receive ritual sacrifices alongside Emperor Gaozu. She was originally buried in the southeast direction of Changling in the west of the city, which had a relatively modest tomb. Subsequently, a tomb was constructed there, named Zhongning Ling, and five hundred households were established near the tomb.
Emperor Suzong issued an edict stating, "Empress Dowager Wenzhao's virtues are like the earth, her moral character as good as the ancient Wenmu and Simu. She assisted Emperor Gaozu in producing wise and illustrious emperors, but unfortunately passed away early and was buried alone without a joint burial. The late Emperor was very filial and wanted to relocate her remains together, but did not have the opportunity to do so, experiencing sorrow and regret, even in the afterlife. He abolished the callous practices of Empress Lü and restored the etiquette of the Han Dynasty." He then issued another decree saying, "Empress Dowager Wenzhao is honored to be enshrined with Emperor Gaozu, her temple name has been decided, and now she must be quickly relocated. From start to finish, the Empress Dowager was in charge, so she can be given an additional title, known as Grand Empress Dowager, following the examples of the Han and Jin Dynasties and in accordance with the etiquette between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. The temple name remains the same." Thus, the spirit tablet of Empress Dowager Wenzhao was relocated sixty steps northwest of Changling Zhaoyi.
When the excavation of Zhongning Tomb just started, they dug several zhang deep and found a large black snake over one zhang long on top of the coffin. The snake had the character '王' (king) on its head, and it stayed still coiled there. After the coffin was moved away, people put the snake back in its original place.
As for Empress Shun, she was the daughter of Yu Jin, the younger brother of Grand Marshal Yu Lie. When Emperor Shizong just started his reign, Yu Lie served as the commander of the army, in charge of the emperor's most important affairs. At that time, the imperial harem was not fully formed, and those around him suggested to Emperor Shizong that Lady Yu was both virtuous and beautiful. So Emperor Shizong welcomed her into the palace and bestowed her the title of Noble Consort. She was only fourteen at the time, very favored, and later became the empress and went to the ancestral temple to pay her respects. This empress was quiet and composed, tolerant and generous, never jealous of others. She gave birth to a prince named Chang, but unfortunately, he died at the age of three. Later, she died suddenly, and the palace kept the matter a secret; no one knew the exact reason, but there was much speculation among the people, with many blaming Lady Gao. She was buried in Yongtai Tomb and posthumously named Empress Shun.
Empress Xuanwu was the daughter of Yan, the younger brother of Empress Wenzhao. She was initially taken into the palace as a Noble Consort by Emperor Shizong, gave birth to a prince, but unfortunately, the child died young, and later gave birth to Princess Jiande. She was later made empress, and the emperor held her in high regard. However, she was particularly jealous, and few concubines in the palace were granted the privilege of spending the night with the emperor. After Emperor Suzong ascended the throne, he honored her as Empress Dowager Xuanwu. Not long after, she became a nun, living in Yaoguang Temple, and she only entered the palace on major holidays. Princess Jiande was only five or six years old, and Empress Dowager Xuanwu always kept her by her side, lavishing her with affection.
In the first year of the Divine Tortoise, the Empress Dowager returned to her maternal home in Wuyi to visit her mother. During that time, there were unusual celestial phenomena, and Empress Ling was worried that this was an ominous sign. She wanted to use herself to ward off disaster, but that very night, she suddenly died, causing great sorrow across the realm. After her death, she was buried at Yaoguang Temple, according to the nun's burial rites. In fact, as early as during the reign of her father-in-law, Emperor Gaozu, she was so favored that she sought to monopolize the emperor's affection, blocking many concubines in the harem from serving him. Emperor Gaozu had even told his ministers that women are jealous and wary of others, and even the emperor isn't immune to this, much less ordinary folks. By the later years of Emperor Shizong, Empress Gao had become even more domineering and jealous, and some concubines in the harem never got the chance to serve the emperor, even until he passed away. Thus, during those twenty years in Luoyang, only Emperor Suzong among the princes survived.
Empress Hu was from Anding Linjing; her father was Situ Guozhen. When her mother, Huangfu, gave birth to her, the room was filled with a dazzling bright red light. At that time, there was a man named Zhao Hu, who lived in the northern county of Jingzhao Mountain and was particularly skilled at fortune-telling. Guozhen went to ask him about his daughter's future. Zhao Hu said, "This girl will have great wealth and status in the future, destined to be the mother of heaven and earth and bear a son of heaven! Don’t share this with too many people—just three at most!" Empress Hu's aunt was a nun who was quite skilled at reciting Buddhist scriptures. During the early years of Emperor Shizong's reign, she entered the palace to teach the emperor the scriptures.
Years later, her aunt often praised the appearance and conduct of Empress Hu to those around the emperor. When Emperor Shizong heard about this, he summoned Empress Hu to the palace and appointed her as Empress Chenghua. The concubines in the palace, following the old rules, all prayed to give birth to a prince or princess, but not the crown prince, fearing for their own safety. However, Empress Hu told the other concubines, "How can the emperor not have a son? To save my own life, and to cut off the royal bloodline, what kind of situation is this?" When she became pregnant with Emperor Suzong, others in the palace tried to intimidate her with the old rules and advised her to consider other options. But Empress Hu had made up her mind, and in the middle of the night, she vowed in secret, "As long as I give birth to a son, and he is the eldest, even if I die after giving birth, I will accept it!"
After giving birth to Emperor Suzong, she was appointed as Lady Chonghua. Prior to this, Emperor Shizong had lost several princes in succession and felt that he was getting old, so he was very cautious in protecting his sons. He chose wet nurses and nurses who were from respectable families, and raised the princes in a separate palace where the empress and Lady Chonghua were forbidden from visiting. When Emperor Suzong ascended to the throne, Empress Hu was honored as the Empress Dowager and later as the Empress Dowager again. When she held court, the ministers addressed her as "Your Highness" and carried out her orders. Later, she decreed that they should refer to her as "Your Majesty," while she referred to herself as "I."
Because Emperor Suzong was still young and unable to perform sacrifices in person, the Empress Dowager wanted to emulate the practice described in the "Rites of Zhou," where the queen would perform sacrifices on behalf of the monarch. She took it upon herself to perform the sacrifices and even specifically consulted historical rites and regulations. So the palace convened ritual officials and scholars to discuss, but they deemed it inappropriate. The Empress Dowager wished to conceal herself behind curtains to observe the sacrificial process of the three dukes and then asked the attendant Cui Guang. Cui Guang cited the examples of Empress Dowager Deng of the Han Dynasty and Empress Dowager Xian of the Xi Dynasty performing sacrifices on behalf of the emperor. The Empress Dowager was delighted to hear this and personally presided over the first sacrifice.
The Empress Dowager was exceptionally intelligent and talented. Her aunt became a nun, and the Empress Dowager had been dependent on her since childhood, so she also had some understanding of Buddhist scriptures. She personally handled government affairs, reviewed memorials, acted decisively, and made swift decisions. One time, she visited the Falu Hall in the Xilin Garden and ordered the attendants to shoot arrows, with those who missed facing punishment. The Empress Dowager also picked up an arrow and hit a pinhole, which delighted everyone. She rewarded the attendants with varying amounts of cloth and silk. Previously, she had ordered the construction of a Shen Song carriage, which she personally rode from the Yunlong Grand Marshal Gate, through the palace in the northwest direction, entering the Qianqiu Gate to specifically address the grievances of the people. She also took it upon herself to evaluate the filial piety and financial officials from various provinces in the court.
One time, the Empress Dowager and Emperor Suzong visited the Hualin Garden for leisure, hosted a banquet at the Duting Qu Water Pavilion for the officials, and requested each official below the rank of prince to compose a seven-character poem. The Empress Dowager's poem read: "Transforming light creates beings, containing the essence." Emperor Suzong's poem was: "Respect oneself, do not rely on others' kindness." After the banquet, the Empress Dowager also bestowed varying amounts of cloth and silk upon the officials below the rank of prince.
After the death of the Empress Dowager's father, all the officials submitted memorials requesting the Empress Dowager to hold a public memorial for her father, but she did not agree. Soon after, the Empress Dowager went to Yongning Temple and personally oversaw the construction of a Buddhist temple, with tens of thousands of monks, nuns, and male and female devotees participating in the construction. When it was time to reinter Empress Wen Zhao, the Empress Dowager did not want Emperor Su to handle the funeral arrangements, but instead took on the role of the chief mourner herself, accompanying the body to Zhongning Tomb, personally overseeing the memorial and burial arrangements, and later weeping and memorializing in the Tai Chi Hall. From beginning to end, everything was handled personally by the Empress Dowager.
Later, the Empress Dowager went to Songgao Mountain for leisure, accompanied by concubines, nine concubines, princesses, and several hundred others, all climbing to the mountain top together. The Empress Dowager also abolished many immoral rituals, but the worship of the Hu Tian God was one of the few that remained. After that, the Empress Dowager went to Zuo Cang, accompanied by princes, concubines, princesses, and over a hundred others. The Empress Dowager ordered everyone to help transport silk, then rewarded them with the silk, with some receiving over two hundred rolls and others at least a hundred. Only Princess Chang Le took just twenty rolls of silk and left; she did this to avoid standing out and did not want to overexert herself. As a result, people praised the Empress Dowager for her integrity. However, Yi Tong, Duke Chen Liu Li Chong, and King Zhang Wu Rong collapsed on the ground due to the heavy loads of silk they were carrying, with Li Chong injuring his waist and King Zhang Wu injuring his foot. At that time, people even composed a ballad about it: "Chen Liu and Zhang Wu, injured waist and broken leg. Greedy people are scoundrels, tarnishing my bright ruler." Soon after, the Empress Dowager went to Quekou Warm Water and climbed Chicken Head Mountain, where she shot arrows herself, hitting an ivory hairpin with one shot, and ordered this matter to be announced to the civil and military officials.
After gaining power, the Empress Dowager coerced Prince Qinghe Yuan Yi into an illicit affair, which earned her widespread disdain from the public. Ministers like Yuan Cha and Liu Teng escorted Emperor Su to Xianyang Hall, placed the Empress Dowager under house arrest in the Northern Palace, and then killed Yuan Yi in the palace.
Later, Monk Jing, the Empress Dowager's nephew, along with dozens of her trusted followers such as Zhang Chequ, conspired to kill Yuan Cha, hoping to take control of the court again. The conspiracy failed, and Monk Jing was exiled, while Zhang Chequ and others were killed, and most of the Empress Dowager's supporters were dismissed from their positions.
Later, Emperor Suzong hosted a banquet for the Empress Dowager in Xilin Garden, with all civil and military officials present, drinking into the night. Yuan Cha approached the Empress Dowager and accused her of plotting against him and Liu Teng. The Empress Dowager denied the accusation, and the drinking continued until everyone was inebriated. The Empress Dowager stood up, held Suzong's hand, and suggested they share a bed that night, with the ministers accompanying her inside. The Empress Dowager and Suzong went to a small attic in the northeast corner, where General Xi Kangsheng considered assassinating Yuan Cha but failed.
After Liu Teng's death, Yuan Cha let his guard down and grew complacent. The Empress Dowager, Suzong, and Prince Yang Yong conspired to strip Yuan Cha of his military command. The Empress Dowager resumed ruling the court, issued a general amnesty, and changed the era name. Since then, the court became lax, losing its authority, as local officials became increasingly corrupt and oppressive. Zheng Yan acted recklessly in the palace, wielding considerable power; Li Shengui and Xu He became the Emperor's confidants, quickly rising to key positions, misusing their power and leading to widespread revulsion.
Officials turned disloyal and corrupt, rebellions erupted everywhere, and the country fell apart due to these reasons. Monk Jing, gathering his relatives, tearfully implored the Empress Dowager, "Your Majesty is the mother of the nation, how can you act so recklessly!" Furious, the Empress Dowager never summoned Monk Jing again.
The Empress Dowager felt that she had acted wrongly and was afraid that the royal family and ministers would disapprove of her, so she secretly formed alliances to silence dissent and prevent others from spreading news. She found various pretexts to have those close to the Emperor killed. There was a man named Mido who spoke a foreign language, and the Emperor kept him by his side. The Empress Dowager was worried that he would leak information, so on the third day of the third lunar month, she had him killed on the main street in the south of the city. While offering a reward for the capture of the murderer, she also killed several of the Emperor's close associates, including the head of the left and the minor minister of Honglu, Gu Hui and Shao Da, respectively. Conflicts between the Empress Dowager and her son erupted repeatedly.
Zheng Yan felt that the situation was dire, so he discussed with the Empress Dowager that, taking advantage of Pan Chonghua's recent birth of a daughter, the Empress Dowager would pretend it was a son and then order a general amnesty and change the era name. The sudden death of the Emperor led many to blame Zheng Yan and Xu He. There was widespread anger and regret among the officials and the public. Following Pan Concubine's suggestion, the Empress Dowager arranged for the Crown Prince to ascend the throne. A few days later, seeing that everyone's emotions had stabilized, the Empress Dowager then revealed that Pan Concubine had actually given birth to a daughter and that a new heir should be chosen. Thus, she declared Wang Yuanzhao of Lintao as the new Emperor, who was only three years old, shocking everyone in the realm.
In the first year of Wutai, Er Zhu Rong led troops across the Yellow River. The Empress Dowager summoned all the concubines of the late Emperor and forced them to become nuns, and she herself shaved her head and took vows as a nun. Er Zhu Rong sent people to capture the Empress Dowager and the young Emperor at He Yin. The Empress Dowager spoke at length with Er Zhu Rong, who impatiently waved him off and left. Both the Empress Dowager and the young Emperor were thrown into the Yellow River. The Empress Dowager's sister, Feng Yijun, buried their bodies at the Shuangling Buddhist Temple. It wasn't until the reign of Emperor Xiaoming that the Empress Dowager was reburied with the honors due to a queen and posthumously honored.
Empress Xiaoming of the Hu clan was the cousin of Empress Dowager Ling and the daughter of Hu Sheng, the Governor of Jizhou. Empress Dowager Ling wanted to boost her family's status, so she made her the empress. Emperor Suzong preferred drinking and particularly favored Pan Chonghua, while the other consorts were left out in the cold. The Empress Dowager selected wives for Emperor Suzong, suppressing the powerful families. At that time, the daughters of prominent families such as Cui Xiaofen from Boling, Lu Daoyue from Fanyang, and Li Zan from Longxi only became ordinary wives. Those families were dissatisfied and complained, but the Empress Dowager gave them a serious dressing down. In the early Wutai period, after she took vows as a nun, she resided at Yaoguang Temple.
Gao Shi was the second daughter of Qi's King Xianwu and later became Empress Xiaojing. In 536 AD (the fourth year of Tianping), the emperor wanted to crown her empress. The King of Qi was dead set against it, but the emperor insisted on making her empress. During the Xihe era, the emperor ordered Shizhong and Situ Gongsun Teng to lead palace officials and guards to warmly welcome the empress at the Prime Minister's residence in Jinyang. In May, Gao Shi was officially made empress, and a nationwide amnesty was announced. Later, the King of Qi abdicated to the emperor, and Gao Shi was downgraded to Princess of Zhongshan. Eventually, she was further demoted to serve under Yang Zunyan as Left Minister of Personnel.
Speaking of which, the historical records say that our ancestors were indeed heavenly maidens who descended to Earth, and their descendants have always thrived. However, the Empress Ling (referring to Empress Zhao Feiyan of Emperor Cheng of Han) was too indulgent, which ultimately resulted in the downfall of the state. This serves as a stark warning! Moreover, there was Lady Gouyi, the wife of Emperor Wu of Han, who gave birth at a young age. To consolidate his power, Emperor Wu had her executed. After the Wei Dynasty, such practices became the norm. While the child became valued, the mother paid with her life—wasn't this corrective measure a bit extreme? Emperor Gaozu (referring to Emperor Wen of Qi) ultimately changed this practice; his wisdom was truly remarkable!
