HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Empress Zhangxian Mingsu (, translated as "The orderly, worthy, wise and solemn empress"), more commonly known as Empress Liu (劉皇后), was an empress of the
Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...
, married to the
Emperor Zhenzong Emperor Zhenzong of Song (23 December 968 – 23 March 1022), personal name Zhao Heng, was the third emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned from 997 to his death in 1022. His personal name was originally Zhao Dechang, but was change ...
in 1012 and quickly gained the emperor's trust to discuss government matters. She ruled '' unofficially'' as the regent of China during the illness of Emperor Zhenzong from 1020 until 1022, and then '' officially'' as regent during the minority of Emperor Renzong from 1022 until her own death on 30 April 1033. As a regent, she commanded in her own name, not the name of the young emperor; she became the second woman in Chinese history to wear the imperial robe, after 
Wu Zetian Wu Zetian (624 – 16 December 705), personal name Wu Zhao, was List of rulers of China#Tang dynasty, Empress of China from 660 to 705, ruling first through others and later in her own right. She ruled as queen consort , empress consort th ...
, the only empress regnant in Chinese history. In a 2001 study, John Chaffee argued that Empress Liu's rise from an humble entertainer to a de facto ruler was a great success story in China's history, and that she made regency a "safe option" at times when "normal imperial rule was impossible."


Early life

Orphaned in infancy, Lady Liu was raised by maternal relatives, and by adolescence she became a
courtesan A courtesan is a prostitute with a courtly, wealthy, or upper-class clientele. Historically, the term referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other powerful person. History In European feudal society, the co ...
skilled at hand-drums. She married Gong Mei (龔美), a silversmith who took her to the capital
Kaifeng Kaifeng ( zh, s=开封, p=Kāifēng) is a prefecture-level city in east-Zhongyuan, central Henan province, China. It is one of the Historical capitals of China, Eight Ancient Capitals of China, having been the capital eight times in history, and ...
, where in 983, she entered the palace of Prince Xiang(襄王) Zhao Yuanxiu, the future
Emperor Zhenzong Emperor Zhenzong of Song (23 December 968 – 23 March 1022), personal name Zhao Heng, was the third emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned from 997 to his death in 1022. His personal name was originally Zhao Dechang, but was change ...
. According to anecdotes in historian
Sima Guang Sima Guang (17 November 1019 – 11 October 1086), courtesy name Junshi, was a Chinese historian, politician, and writer. He was a high-ranking Song dynasty scholar-official who authored the ''Zizhi Tongjian'', a monumental work of history. B ...
's '' Sushui Jiwen'', Gong Mei sold Lady Liu out of poverty, probably first to Zhang Qi (張耆), an official in the prince's palace. The 15-year-old Zhao Yuanxiu was greatly enamored of the 14-year-old entertainer. Once, the emperor remarked that his son was getting "listless and thinner", and Zhao Yuanxiu's strict wet nurse, apparently out of disapproval of Lady Liu, promptly blamed her in front of the emperor. Lady Liu was forced to leave the palace, but the prince kept her at the house of Zhang Qi, who begrudgingly accepted her only after receiving 500 ounces of silver for the construction of a separate residence, so as to circumvent the emperor's order.


As imperial consort and empress

Zhao Yuanxiu, who later changed his name to Zhao Heng, became emperor after his father's death in 997. Returning to his side, Lady Liu was given the title of a minor consort, "Beautiful Lady" (美人, Meiren) in 1004 and further promoted to "Cultivated Deportment" (修儀, Xiuyi) in 1009. As Empress Guo had died in 1007, the emperor wanted to make Lady Liu the empress, but gave in after strong ministerial opposition. In 1010, one of Lady Liu's servants, Lady Li, gave birth to
a son ''A Son'', also known as ''Bik Eneich: Un fils'' (a combination of the original Arabic and French titles: ; ) is a 2019 film directed by Mehdi Barsaoui in his feature film debut and co-produced between France, Lebanon, Tunisia and Qatar. Starring ...
, fathered by the emperor. Already in her 40s and childless, Lady Liu adopted the infant and cared for him like her own. In 1012 she was promoted "Virtuous Consort Liu" (劉德妃, Liu Defei), and several months later, she became the empress. Liu was described as naturally alert and perceptive, with a good judgement and an ability to make quick decisions. She demonstrated these qualities in handling the palace affairs as empress, and she also learned enough to be able to understand and discuss the state affairs with the emperor. This made him trust her with political tasks during his illness.Lily Xiao Hong Lee, Sue Wiles: Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women, Volume II: Tang Through Ming 618 - 1644


Empress regent


Regent for

Emperor Zhenzong Emperor Zhenzong of Song (23 December 968 – 23 March 1022), personal name Zhao Heng, was the third emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned from 997 to his death in 1022. His personal name was originally Zhao Dechang, but was change ...

In 1020, Emperor Zhenzong became affected by an illness, which was to cause his death two years later, and unable to handle the affairs of state. By this time, the empress was already established as power behind the throne and handled all affairs of state. She was to rule officially as powerful empress and unofficially as regent of China for the two remaining years of his life.


Regent for Emperor Renzong

In 1022, Emperor Zhenzong was succeeded by Emperor Renzong, who was twelve years old and therefore not of legal majority for another five years. In the will of Emperor Zhenzong it was stated: Empress Dowager Liu now openly and officially assumed all power as regent of China during Renzong's minority, fully unrestricted. She enjoyed all the imperial prerogatives and honors: she held court (with the child emperor by her side or often just herself); she addressed herself as ''zhen'' (), a first-person pronoun reserved for the use of the emperor after the
Qin dynasty The Qin dynasty ( ) was the first Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China. It is named for its progenitor state of Qin, a fief of the confederal Zhou dynasty (256 BC). Beginning in 230 BC, the Qin under King Ying Zheng enga ...
; officials addressed her as ''Imperial Majesty'' (), an
honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an Honorary title (academic), h ...
used when addressing the emperor, not ''Imperial Highness'' (), an honorific used when addressing the empress or empress dowager; the edicts (敕; ''chi'') she issued were referred to as ''zhe'' (制), meaning the personal orders of the emperor; she had her birthday celebrated with special names; she had envoys sent in her own name; and she even attended to the holy plowing ceremony and the imperial ancestral worship, all of which was normally only done by a ruling emperor. As regent she became the second woman in Chinese history to wear the imperial robe, after
Wu Zetian Wu Zetian (624 – 16 December 705), personal name Wu Zhao, was List of rulers of China#Tang dynasty, Empress of China from 660 to 705, ruling first through others and later in her own right. She ruled as queen consort , empress consort th ...
. According to the tradition of the emperors, but not of empresses or empresses dowager, in order to build seven temples for her seven generations of ancestors and to worship them with imperial titles, Empress Dowager Liu promoted them to equals of the imperial ancestors. This act was similar to that of
Empress Lü Lü Zhi (241 BC – 18 August 180 BC), courtesy name E'xu (娥姁) and commonly known as Empress Lü () and formally Empress Gao of Han (), was the empress consort of Emperor Gaozu of Han, Gaozu, the founding emperor of the Han dynasty. They h ...
of Han and Empress Wu of Tang, both of whom were known for their absolutist and ruthless reigns. As a politician, Empress Liu has been described as a competent regent. Reportedly, she had the ability to appoint able officials and discharge unable ones; to listen, accept and sometime adhere to criticism despite being of a fierce temperament. She was however, criticized for having usurped the imperial ceremonies and had herself worshiped as if she were an emperor, and because she appointed her relatives, who were of a poor background and considered vulgar, to high offices. As the emperor was twelve years old at the time of his succession, and was legally due to be declared of legal majority at seventeen, she would normally had been expected to step down as regent after five years: however, she refused to do so, and continued to rule until her death. When she died, she left instructions that Consort Yang was to succeed her as the regent of the emperor, but the emperor refused to honor her will. During her lifetime, Emperor Renzong had falsely believed that she was his biological mother, and did not find out otherwise until after her death, which caused him to react with rage. He demoted Liu's relatives and followers and posthumously elevated Lady Li to the rank of empress.


Titles

*During the reign of
Emperor Taizu of Song Emperor Taizu of Song (21 March 927 – 14 November 976), personal name Zhao Kuangyin, courtesy name Yuanlang, was the founding emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned from 960 until his death in 976. Formerly a distinguished milita ...
(4 February 960 – 14 November 976): **Liu E (刘娥; from 968) **Lady Liu (劉氏; from 968) *During the reign of
Emperor Zhenzong of Song Emperor Zhenzong of Song (23 December 968 – 23 March 1022), personal name Zhao Heng, was the third emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned from 997 to his death in 1022. His personal name was originally Zhao Dechang, but was change ...
(8 May 997 – 23 March 1022): **Beauty (美人; from 1004) **Lady of Cultivated Deportment (修儀; from 1009) **Virtuous Consort Liu (劉德妃; from 1012) **Empress (皇后; from December 1012) *During the reign of
Emperor Renzong of Song Emperor Renzong of Song (30 May 1010 – 30 April 1063), personal name Zhao Zhen, was the fourth emperor of the Northern Song dynasty of China. He reigned for about 41 years from 1022 to his death in 1063, making him the longest reigning Song ...
(24 March 1022 – 30 April 1063) **Empress Dowager (皇太后: from 1022) **Empress Zhangxian Mingsu (章獻明肅皇后; from 1033)


Ancestry

According to
official history An official history is a work of history which is sponsored, authorised or endorsed by its subject. The term is most commonly used for histories which are produced for a government. The term also applies to commissions from non-state bodies includi ...
, Lady Liu's grandfather Liu Yanqing was a general during the Later Jin and Later Han dynasties. The family later moved from
Taiyuan Taiyuan; Mandarin pronunciation: (Jin Chinese, Taiyuan Jin: /tʰai˦˥ ye˩˩/) is the capital of Shanxi, China. Taiyuan is the political, economic, cultural and international exchange center of Shanxi Province. It is an industrial base foc ...
in the north to Jiaozhou in the southwest, where her father Liu Tong assumed office of prefectship, Her family's social status may have been far less respectable than claimed, see p. 5. likely during the first years of the newly established
Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...
which conquered the region in 965.


Notes and references


Bibliography

* *


External links


Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liu, Empress 969 births 1033 deaths 11th-century women regents 11th-century regents Song dynasty empresses The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants characters 10th-century Chinese women 10th-century Chinese people 11th-century Chinese women 11th-century Chinese people 10th-century Chinese musicians People from Qingdao People from Jiaozhou City Song dynasty regents Chinese Gējìs Chinese female regents