Five Dynasties · Empress and Empress Dowager

Empress Li 李氏

Lǐ shì

First attested AD 947; died AD 954

Passages: 38
Chapters: 2
Histories: 2

Overview

Empress Li was an empress and Empress Dowager.

Life and dates

Death

Date Source Date: Text: 顯德元年春 · Western Year: AD 954
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 21
AD 954 周顯德元年春
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 29

Attested activity

AD 951 是歲；後漢隱帝乾祐三年冬十一月，赟未至，請太后權臨朝聽政
Event Li issues governing orders after Guo Wei enters the capital and accepts temporary regency pending Liu Yun. Jiuwudaishi 103 s0177-s0185 associates the request with the eleventh-month jichou sequence (day 26); 110 s0184 and Tongjian 289 give day 27. Both are January AD 951 in Julian and proleptic Gregorian calendars; no exact regency day is asserted.
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passages 21-22
高祖微時；及高祖領藩鎮；高祖建義於太原
Western Bounds On Or Before: AD 947 · Event Li was taken as wife during Gaozu's obscure early life, before his provincial commands and his AD 947 imperial founding. This is only a conservative upper bound on that early episode, not a marriage in AD 947.
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passages 2-4
AD 954 周顯德元年春
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 29
AD 947 天福十二年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 10
AD 947 開運四年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passages 71, 75
AD 948 隱帝即位
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 11

Show 1 more source-backed claim

AD 954 顯德元年春
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 21

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Emperor Yin (隱帝)
bore 生
empress dowager 皇太后
Sources vary in certainty · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 70; Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 11
Spouse of Later Han Gaozu (漢高祖)
empress 皇后 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passages 1, 75; Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passages 1, 10
Child of Father of Empress Li
father 父
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 68

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Empress Dowager 皇太后
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 76
Empress 皇后
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 75
temporary attendance at court to hear government 權臨朝聽政
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 22
Empress Dowager Zhaosheng 昭聖皇太后
Bestowed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 20
Virtuous and Sagely Empress Dowager 德聖皇太后
Received
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 28
Lady of Wei 魏國夫人
Enfeoffed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 70

Show 8 more source-backed claims

Empress 皇后
AD 947 天福十二年 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 10
Empress Dowager 皇太后
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 11
Lady of Wei 魏國夫人
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 3
Virtuous and Sagely Empress Dowager 德聖皇太后
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 28
Entered
AD 947 天福十二年 · Empress
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 10
Entered
Empress dowager
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 11
Entered
Holding court
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 15
Entered
Regent
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 22

Places and affiliations

Later Han 漢
Relation Consort of ruler
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passages 1, 75
Polity Later Han 漢 · Relation Consort of ruling house
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passages 1, 10
Polity Later Zhou 周 · Relation Honored by
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 28
At Jinyang 晉陽
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 1; New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 68
At Palace of Great Peace 太平宮 · Relation Resided at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 28
At Taiping Palace 太平宮 · Relation Resided at
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 20

Works and attributed material

Edict · Author · With Liu Yun (劉赟)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passages 50-52
Edict · Author · With Guo Wei (郭威)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passages 17-19
Edict · Author · Quote true
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passages 24-26
Edict · Author
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 32
Speech · Speaker · With Emperor Yin (隱帝)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passages 8, 11-12
Speech · Speaker · With Later Han Gaozu (漢高祖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passages 72-73

Show 2 more source-backed claims

Speech · Speaker · Quote true · Mode named-source-report Source Work Zizhi tongjian 通鑒
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passages 14, 16, 18-19
Speech · Speaker · Quote true
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passages 5-6

Events and relationships

Admonished
AD 947 開運四年 · Political · Advisor · With Later Han Gaozu (漢高祖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passages 72, 74
Advised against levy
Political · Remonstrant · With Later Han Gaozu (漢高祖)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passages 5-6, 8
Issued instructional orders
Political · Issuer of orders · With Guo Wei (郭威)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 21
Opened inner treasury for troop largess
Political · Donor
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 9
Rejected Chengxun as too ill
Political · Decision maker · With Chengxun (承勳)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 34
Relation Honorary mother of · Person Guo Wei (郭威)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passages 23, 26

Assessments and attributes

Item campaign robe 戎衣 · Relation Bestowed · With Guo Wei (郭威)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 27
Item inner treasury stores 內府 · Relation Disbursed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 9
Item jade belt 玉帶 · Relation Bestowed · With Guo Wei (郭威)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 104, passage 27

References in the histories

Search passages

History

38 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 104Volume 104 Book of Later Jin 6: Biographies 1: Empresses and Consorts · 14 passages

高祖皇后李氏，晉陽人也。 Empress Li, consort of Later Han Gaozu, came from Jinyang.

及高祖領藩鎮，累封魏國夫人。 Once he held a frontier command she rose step by step to Lady of Wei.

後聞而諫曰：「自晉高祖建義，及國家興運，雖出於天意，亦土地人民福力同致耳，未能惠其眾而欲奪其財，非新天子恤隱之理也。 The empress heard of it and remonstrated, saying, "From the time Jin Gaozu raised the righteous cause down to our dynasty's rise to fortune, although it came from Heaven's will, it was also because the blessing-power of the land and the people arrived together; to fail to show kindness to the multitude yet wish to strip their wealth is not the way a new Son of Heaven should pity the distressed.

後傾內府以助之，中外聞者，無不感悅。 She then opened the privy purse to make up the sum, and word of it gladdened the whole court and camp.

天福十二年，冊為皇后。 In Tianfu 12 she received the empress's seals.

隱帝即位，尊為皇太后。 When Emperor Yin succeeded she became empress dowager.

據《通鑒》云：隱帝與李業等謀誅楊邠等，議既定，入白太后，太后曰：「茲事何可輕發，更宜與宰相議之。」 The 《Zizhi tongjian》 records that Emperor Yin and Li Ye resolved to kill Yang Bin; when they told the dowager she said, "Do not rush this; take it to the chief ministers first."

太后復以為言，帝忿曰：「國家之事，非閨門所知。」 She pressed again; the emperor snapped, "State business is no concern of women's quarters."

又云：南北軍遇於劉子陂，帝欲自出勞軍，太后曰：「郭威吾家故舊，非死亡切身，何以至此！ The same work adds: at Liuzipo the young ruler meant to ride out to hearten the lines; the dowager cried, "Guo Wei is family to us—would he rebel without mortal cause!

周太祖入京，凡軍國大事，皆請後發教令以行之。 After Guo Wei took the capital he still had her issue the orders that ran the realm.

是歲，議立徐州節度使赟為帝，以迎奉未至，周太祖乃率群臣拜章，請後權臨朝聽政，後於是稱誥焉。 That year they planned to enthrone Liu Yun, the Xuzhou military commissioner; because the welcoming escort had not yet arrived, Guo Wei led the ministers to memorialize the dowager to hold court temporarily as regent, and she thereupon spoke in edict form.

及周太祖為六軍推戴，上章具述其事，且言願事後為慈母。 When the Six Armies raised Guo Wei, his memorial laid out every step and vowed to honor her as a mother.

後下誥答曰：「侍中功烈崇高，德聲昭著，翦除禍亂，安定乾坤，謳歌有歸，歷數攸屬，所以軍民推戴，億兆同歡。 "Your merit towers high and your virtuous name shines bright; you have cut away turmoil and steadied heaven and earth. Song and acclaim have found their lord, the mandate is rightly yours, and army and people together rejoice.

周太祖即位，上尊號曰德聖皇太后，居於太平宮。 Once Guo Wei took the throne he styled her the Virtuous and Sagely Empress Dowager and housed her at Taiping Palace.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 18Volume 18: The Later Han Imperial Family · 24 passages

高祖皇后李氏 Empress Li, wife of Gaozu of Later Han

高祖皇后李氏，晉陽人也，其父為農。 Empress Li of Gaozu was a native of Jinyang; her father was a farmer.

高祖已貴，封魏國夫人，生隱帝。 When Gaozu rose to power, she was made Lady of Wei and bore the Hidden Emperor.

后諫曰：「方今起事，號為義兵，民未知惠而先奪其財，殆非新天子所以救民之意也。 She admonished him: "We call this a righteous rising, yet we seize people's goods before they know our kindness—is that how a new emperor saves his people?

高祖即位，立為皇后。 When Gaozu ascended, she was made empress.

高祖崩，隱帝冊尊為皇太后。 After Gaozu's death, the Hidden Emperor made her empress dowager.

帝年少，數與小人郭允明、後贊、李業等遊戲宮中，後數切責之。 As a youth the emperor often caroused in the palace with Guo Yunming, Hou Zan, Li Ye, and other low companions; the empress scolded him again and again.

帝曰：「國家之事，外有朝廷，非太后所宜言也。」 He said: “Government belongs to the court outside—the empress dowager should not meddle.”

初，帝與允明等謀誅楊邠、史弘肇等，議已定，入白太后。 When he and Yunming had settled on killing Yang Bin, Shi Hongzhao, and the others, he told the empress dowager.

太后曰：「此大事也，當與宰相議之。」 She said: “This is grave—it must go to the chief ministers.”

太后深以為不可，帝拂衣而去，曰：「何必謀於閨門！」 She strongly objected; he flung off and left, saying: “Must we take counsel only from the inner quarters!”

邠等死，周太祖起兵向京師，慕容彥超敗於劉子陂，帝欲出自臨兵，太后止之曰：「郭威本吾家人，非其危疑，何肯至此！ After their deaths, Taizu of Zhou marched on the capital; Murong Yanchao was defeated at Liuzipo; the emperor meant to take the field himself; the dowager stopped him: “Guo Wei was originally one of our household—had he not been driven to doubt, how would he have come to this!

周太祖入京師，舉事皆稱太后誥。 When Guo Wei entered the capital, he acted in the dowager’s name.

已而議立湘陰公赟為天子，赟未至，太祖乃請太后臨朝。 They meant to make the Duke of Xiangyin, Yun, emperor; before he arrived, Guo Wei had the dowager hold court.

太祖請事太后為母，太后誥曰：「侍中功烈崇高，德聲昭著，剪除禍亂，安定邦家，謳歌有歸，歷數攸屬，所以軍民推戴，億兆同歡。 He asked to honor her as mother; her edict read: “The attendant-in-chief’s merit towers, his virtue shines; he has ended chaos and steadied the realm—the army and people have chosen him, and all rejoice.

於是遷后於太平宮，上尊號曰昭聖皇太后。 She was moved to Taiping Palace and titled Empress Dowager Zhaosheng.

太祖意色皆沮，以謂漢大臣未有推立己意，又難於自立，因白漢太后擇立漢嗣。 Guo Wei’s face fell; no Han minister meant to make him emperor; he asked the dowager to choose a Han heir.

而宗室河東節度使崇等在者四人，乃為太后誥曰：「河東節度使崇，許州節度使信，皆高祖之弟，徐州節度使赟，開封尹承勳，皆高祖之子，文武百辟，其擇嗣君以承天統。」 Four of the Liu clan remained; the dowager's edict read: "Chong of Hedong, Xin of Xu, Yun of Xuzhou, and Chengxun of Kaifeng—brothers and sons of Gaozu—and bade the court choose an heir."

於是周太祖與王峻入見太后，言：「開封尹承勳，高祖皇帝之子，宜立。」 Guo Wei and Wang Jun told the dowager: “Chengxun, Gaozu’s son, should reign.”

太后以承勳久病，不任為嗣。 She said Chengxun was too ill.

太祖與群臣請見承勳視起居，太后命以臥榻舁承勳出見群臣，群臣視之信然，乃共奏曰：「徐州節度使赟，高祖愛之，以為子，宜立為嗣。」 They asked to see Chengxun; he was borne out on a couch; seeing him truly ill, they memorialized: "Yun, whom Gaozu had adopted, should be enthroned as heir."

道見赟，傳太后意召之。 He told Yun the dowager summoned him.

太祖以書召道先歸，留其副趙上交、王度奉赟入朝太后。 Guo Wei recalled Dao first and left Zhao Shangjiao and Wang Du to bring Yun to court.

太祖已監國，太后乃下誥曰：「此者樞密使郭威，誌安宗社，議立長君，以徐州節度使赟高祖近親，立為漢嗣，乃自藩鎮召赴京師。 As regent, the dowager issued an edict: "Guo Wei had meant to enthrone an elder lord; Yun, Gaozu's kin, was chosen and summoned from Xuzhou.