Xiao Sagezhi (; died 8 October 951''

History of Liao History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

'', vol. 5.

Academia Sinica Academia Sinica (AS, ; zh, t=中央研究院) is the national academy of the Taiwan, Republic of China. It is headquartered in Nangang District, Taipei, Nangang, Taipei. Founded in Nanjing, the academy supports research activities in mathemat ...

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),

posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary Personal name, name given mainly to revered dead people in East Asian cultural sphere, East Asian culture. It is predominantly used in Asian countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand. ...

Empress Huaijie (懷節皇后), was an

empress consort A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but historically she does not formally ...

of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty of China. She was one of the two empresses of Emperor Shizong (Yelü Ruan) and was the mother of Emperor Jingzong (Yelü Xian).

Background

It is not known when Xiao Sagezhi was born. Her father, whose personal name was Aguzhi (阿古只) and who was probably still using the surname Shulü (述律) at the time that she was born, was a younger brother of

Empress Shulü Ping The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

, the wife of Liao's founder Emperor Taizu. (Xiao Sagezhi's cousin Xiao Han was described by 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 ...

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 ...

, in his ''

Zizhi Tongjian The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...

'', as the first member of the Shulü household to use the name of Xiao, although it is not clear whether Sima's assertion was actually correct;''

'', vol. 286. the ''

'' explained that because Emperor Taizu admired the

Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

founder Emperor Gao, he had his own Yelü clan take on the

Han Chinese The Han Chinese, alternatively the Han people, are an East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to Greater China. With a global population of over 1.4 billion, the Han Chinese are the list of contemporary ethnic groups, world's la ...

surname of

Liu Liu (; or ) is an East Asian surname. pinyin: in Mandarin Chinese, in Cantonese. It is the family name of the Han dynasty emperors. The character originally meant 'battle axe', but is now used only as a surname. It is listed 252nd in the clas ...

, while having the clans of past and present consorts of Yelü chieftains take on the surname of Xiao, after Emperor Gao's prime minister

Xiao He Xiao He (257 BC – 16 August 193 BC''xinwei'' day of the 7th month of the 2nd year of Emperor Hui's reign, per vol. 12 of ''Zizhi Tongjian'') was a Chinese calligrapher and politician of the early Western Han dynasty. He served Emperor Gaozu of ...

; based on Liao tradition, nearly all of the subsequent empresses of Liao carried the name of Xiao.)''History of Liao'', vol. 71. During the time that Yelü Ruan was carrying the title of Prince of Yongkang under his uncle Emperor Taizong—part of the year of 947—he took Xiao Sagezhi as a consort. (As Yelü Ruan was a grandson of Emperor Taizu's, they were first cousins, once removed.)

During Emperor Shizong's reign

Emperor Taizong died in 947, and the Liao chieftains supported Yelü Ruan to succeed him (as Emperor Shizong).''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 287. In 948, she gave birth to his second son, Yelü Xian,''History of Liao'', vol. 8. and later gave birth to three daughters, Yelü Hegudian (耶律和古典), Yelü Guanyin (耶律觀音), and Yelü Sala (耶律撒剌).''History of Liao'', vol. 65. In 950, for reasons unclear in history, Emperor Shizong created Xiao Sagezhi empress, even though he had already earlier created

Lady Zhen Lady Zhen (26 January 183 – 4 August 221), personal name unknown, was the first wife of Cao Pi, the first ruler of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period. In 226, she was posthumously honoured as Empress Wenzhao when her son Cao R ...

(the mother of his third son, Yelü Zhimo (耶律只沒)), as empress. In 951, Emperor Taizong's cousin Yelü Chage (耶律察割) mutinied and killed Emperor Shizong in a coup. Emperor Shizong's mother Empress Dowager Xiao and Empress Zhen were also killed. Empress Xiao, who had just recently given birth to Yelü Sala, rode a human-pulled cart to see Yelü Chage, asking to be allowed to prepare Emperor Shizong for burial. The next day, Yelü Chage also killed her. After Yelü Chage's coup was put down by Emperor Shizong's cousin (Emperor Taizong's son) Emperor Muzong, he gave Empress Xiao the posthumous name of ''Xiaolie'' (孝烈, "filial and achieving"). After Yelü Xian became emperor in 969 (as Emperor Jingzong), he buried both Empresses Zhen and Xiao at

Yiwulü Mountain Yiwulü Mountain () or simply Lü Mountain () is located in the western part of Beizhen City, in Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province. It is one of the Three Greatest Mountains of Northeast China, together with Qianshan and Mount Changbai. Its h ...

, and built a temple dedicated to them. In 1052, Emperor Jingzong's grandson Emperor Xingzong changed her posthumous name to ''Huaijie'' (懷節, "missed and careful").''History of Liao'', vol. 20.

Notes and references

, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Xiao, Sagezhi 951 deaths Liao dynasty empresses Xiao clan 10th-century Khitan women 10th-century Khitan people Mothers of Chinese emperors