Liu E (; died 314),

courtesy name A courtesy name ( zh, s=字, p=zì, l=character), also known as a style name, is an additional name bestowed upon individuals at adulthood, complementing their given name. This tradition is prevalent in the East Asian cultural sphere, particula ...

Lihua (麗華), formally Empress Wuxuan (武宣皇后, literally "the martial and responsible empress") was an empress of the

Xiongnu The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of Nomad, nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese historiography, Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, t ...

-led Chinese

Han-Zhao The Han-Zhao ( zh, s=汉赵, t=漢趙, p=Hàn Zhào; 304–329 AD), or Former Zhao ( zh, s=前赵, t=前趙, p=Qián Zhào), was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Liu ( Luandi) clan of Chuge-Xiongnu ethnicity during the Sixteen Kingdoms per ...

dynasty. She was the third wife of Liu Cong (Emperor Zhaowu).

Life

Liu E was the daughter of one of Liu Cong's honored officials, Liu Yin, who was described as someone who was willing to point out Liu Cong's faults, but only doing so in private, thus earning the temperamental and impulsive emperor's respect. She was initially taken as a

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...

by him in 312, along with her sister Liu Ying and four of her nieces. This move was opposed by Liu Cong's brother and crown prince Liu Ai, who argued it would be a violation of the prohibition against

endogamy Endogamy is the cultural practice of marrying within a specific social group, religious denomination, caste, or ethnic group, rejecting any from outside of the group or belief structure as unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relatio ...

. Liu Cong, however, rationalized the move in that Liu Yin was ethnically Han, while he himself was ethnically Xiongnu, and therefore had different ancestor. Liu E and her sister Liu Ying were both favored by Liu Cong. Initially, in 312, Liu Cong wanted to appoint Liu Ying empress to replace Empress Huyan, who had died earlier that year, but at his mother Empress Dowager Zhang's insistence, he appointed another concubine, Zhang Huiguang empress instead. Liu Ying died soon thereafter. In 313, Empress Zhang died. Liu Cong appointed Liu E empress and wanted to build a palace for her. His minister

Chen Yuanda Chen Yuanda (died April 316), courtesy name Changhong, was a Xiongnu minister of Han-Zhao during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. He was an influential figure within the Han court, most known for his fierce remonstrations against the emperor, Liu ...

tried to persuade him that it was overly wasteful, and Liu Cong, in anger, ordered Chen's execution. However, the new empress interceded, and Chen was spared and further promoted. For the next year, under Empress Liu's and Chen's advice, Liu Cong was said to have corrected his behavior to some extent. Empress Liu herself was described as intelligent and kind. She died in 314. It was said that from that point on, Liu Cong's palace would be thoroughly in a confused state, and Liu Cong's own personal behavior appeared to degenerate after this, without her counsel.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liu E, Empress 314 deaths Former Zhao empresses 4th-century Chinese women 4th-century Chinese people Year of birth unknown