Song, Liao, and Jin · Empress Dowager Zhangxian; ceremonial precedent

Empress Liu 劉氏

Liu Shi

Attested AD 1022 - AD 1064

Passages: 15
Chapters: 3
Histories: 1

Overview

Empress Liu was an empress Dowager Zhangxian; ceremonial precedent.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Posthumous name	Empress Dowager Zhangxian Mingsu	章獻明肅皇后	Zhangxian Mingsu Huanghou
Temple name	Empress Dowager Zhangxian	章獻太后

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 1022 乾興元年
Directly stated · History of Song 110, passage 106
AD 1022 乾興元年
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 144, passage 150
AD 1024 天聖二年
Directly stated · History of Song 110, passage 107
AD 1023 天聖元年
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 144, passage 152
AD 1064 治平元年
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 13, passage 75

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Song Renzong (宋仁宗)
empress dowager 太后 · Uncertain parentage
Strongly inferred · History of Song 144, passage 150
Spouse of Emperor Zhenzong (宋真宗)
empress 皇后 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · History of Song 110, passage 106

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Empress Dowager 皇太后
Received · From Source Date: Text: 乾興元年 · Western Year: AD 1022
Directly stated · History of Song 110, passage 106
Held
AD 1022 乾興元年 · Regent
Directly stated · History of Song 144, passage 150

Places and affiliations

Polity Song 宋 · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Song 144, passage 150

Events and relationships

Received honorific patent
AD 1024 天聖二年十一月 · Ritual · Recipient
Directly stated · History of Song 110, passages 108, 114, 117
Shared governance
AD 1022 乾興元年 · Political · Regent
Directly stated · History of Song 144, passage 150

Assessments and attributes

Item Grand Peace Palanquin 大安輦 · Relation Used
Directly stated · History of Song 144, passage 151

References in the histories

Search passages

History

15 passages

History of Song, Chapter 13Volume 13 Annals 13: Yingzong · 1 passage

壬子，詔：「皇太后稱聖旨，出入儀衛如章獻太后故事。 On renzi: the dowager was to be styled by "sacred decree," with Zhangxian-era escort.

History of Song, Chapter 110Volume 110 Treatises 63: Rites 13 · 9 passages

乾興元年，真宗遺製尊皇后劉氏為皇太后，淑妃楊氏為皇太妃，亦不果行冊禮。 In Qianxing 1, 1022, by Zhenzong's testamentary instructions Empress Liu was honored as empress dowager and Pure Consort Yang as imperial consort dowager, but the patent ceremony was likewise not performed.

天聖二年，宰臣王欽若等五表請上皇太後尊號。 In Tiansheng 2, 1024, Chief Minister Wang Qinruo and others submitted five memorials requesting an honorific title for the empress dowager.

侍中奏中嚴外辦，太后服儀天冠、袞衣以出，奏《隆安之樂》，行障、步障、方團扇，侍衛垂簾，即御坐，南向，樂止。 The Palace Attendant announced that inner strictness and outer preparation were complete. The empress dowager, wearing the Yitian cap and ceremonial robe, came forth to the music 《Long'an》. Processional screens, walking screens, and square round fans were deployed, attendants lowered the curtain, and she took the imperial seat facing south. The music then ceased.

尚宮讚引皇帝詣皇太后坐前，帝服靴袍，簾內行稱賀禮，跪曰：“嗣皇帝臣某言：皇太后陛下顯崇徽號，昭煥寰瀛，伏惟與天同壽，率土不勝欣抃。” The Senior Lady of the Palace announced and led the emperor to the empress dowager's seat. Wearing boots and robe, the emperor performed the congratulatory rite within the curtain, knelt, and said: "The succeeding emperor, your subject, reports: Your Majesty the Empress Dowager has been granted this elevated honorific title, brilliantly illuminating all within the seas. May you share Heaven's longevity; throughout the land none can contain their joy."

俯伏，興，又再拜，尚宮詣御坐承旨，退，西向稱：“皇太后答曰：皇帝孝思至誠，貫於天地，受茲徽號，感慰良深。” He prostrated himself, rose, and bowed twice again. The Senior Lady of the Palace went to the imperial seat to receive instructions, withdrew, and facing west announced: "The empress dowager replies: The emperor's filial devotion is utterly sincere and reaches through Heaven and Earth. In receiving this honorific title, my gratitude and consolation are profound."

帝再拜，尚宮引歸禦幄，太尉率百官稱賀，奏《隆安之樂》，太后降坐還幄，樂止。 The emperor bowed twice. The Senior Lady of the Palace led him back to the imperial curtain. The Grand Commandant led all officials in offering congratulations to the music 《Long'an》. The empress dowager left the seat and returned to the curtain, and the music ceased.

太后還內，內外命婦稱賀太后、皇帝於內殿，在外命婦及兩京留司官並奉表稱賀。 The empress dowager returned to the inner palace. Titled ladies within and without the palace offered congratulations to the empress dowager and emperor in the inner hall, and titled ladies outside the palace and officials remaining on duty in the two capitals all submitted congratulatory memorials.

自是，上皇太后尊號禮皆如之。 Thereafter, ceremonies for conferring honorific titles on the empress dowager all followed this model.

元祐二年，詔太皇太后受冊依章獻明肅皇后故事，皇太后受冊依熙寧二年故事，皇太妃與皇太后同日受冊，令太常禮官詳定儀注。 In Yuanyou 2, 1087, an edict ordered that the grand empress dowager receive the patent according to the precedent of Empress Dowager Zhangxian Mingsu, that the empress dowager receive it according to the Xining 2 precedent, and that the imperial consort dowager receive it on the same day as the empress dowager. Officials of the Temple of Rites were ordered to determine the ceremonial regulations in detail.

History of Song, Chapter 144Volume 144 Treatises 97: Ceremonial Guards 2 · 5 passages

自乾興元年仁宗即位，章獻太后預政，侍衛始盛。 From Qianxing 1, when Emperor Renzong ascended the throne and Empress Dowager Zhangxian shared in governance, empress dowager escorts first reached full scale.

用禮儀院奏，製皇太后所乘輿，名之曰“大安輦”。 On the Ceremonial Institute's recommendation, the empress dowager's palanquin was created and named the Grand Peace Palanquin.

天聖元年，有司言：“皇太后車駕出，合設護衛：禦龍直都虞候一人，都頭二人，副都頭一人，十將、長行五十人十將已下； In Tiansheng 1, officials reported: "When the empress dowager's carriage departed, the following escort should be provided: one Imperial Dragon Direct chief commander, two company heads, one deputy company head, and fifty men including squad leaders and rank-and-file;

治平元年，詔皇太后出入唯不鳴鞭，他儀衛如章獻明肅故事。 In Zhiping 1, an edict held that the empress dowager's processions omitted only the ceremonial whip; all other guards followed Empress Dowager Zhangxian Mingsu's precedents.

哲宗即位，元祐元年，詔太皇太后出入儀衛，並依章獻明肅皇后故事。 When Emperor Zhezong ascended the throne, in Yuanyou 1 an edict held that the grand empress dowager's processions should follow Empress Dowager Zhangxian Mingsu's precedents.