Song, Liao, and Jin · Empress Dowager and Consort

Great Empress Dowager 太皇太后

Taihuang Taihou

Attested AD 1067 - AD 1086

Passages: 7
Chapters: 2
Histories: 1

Overview

Great Empress Dowager was an empress Dowager and Consort.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 1086 元祐元年
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 144, passage 210
AD 1067 四年
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 144, passage 162
AD 1067 治平四年正月己未
Directly stated · History of Song 14, passage 20
AD 1068 熙寧元年三月
Directly stated · History of Song 14, passage 115

Family

Kin of Emperor Shenzong of Song (神宗)
empress dowager 皇太后
Strongly inferred · History of Song 144, passage 162
Kin of Emperor Zhezong (哲宗)
grand empress dowager 太皇太后
Strongly inferred · History of Song 144, passage 210

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Great Empress Dowager 太皇太后
Honored
Directly stated · History of Song 14, passage 20
Held
AD 1086 元祐元年 · Regent
Strongly inferred · History of Song 144, passages 168, 210

Places and affiliations

Polity Song 宋 · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Song 144, passage 210

Assessments and attributes

Item Palace of Longevity 慶壽宮 · Relation Associated with
Directly stated · History of Song 14, passage 115

References in the histories

History of Song, Chapter 14Volume 14 Annals 14: Shenzong 1 · 2 passages

己未，尊皇太后曰太皇太后，皇后曰皇太后。 On jiwei, the empress became Great Dowager and the consort Dowager.

戊子，作太皇太后慶壽宮、皇太后寶慈宮。 On wuzi, new palaces rose for both empresses dowager.

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

四年，神宗嗣位，詔太皇太后儀範已定，皇太后合設儀衛：禦龍直、骨朵子直差都虞候、都頭、副都頭各一人，十將、長行各共三十人； In year 4, when Emperor Shenzong succeeded, an edict noted that the grand empress dowager's protocol was already fixed and ordered ceremonial guards for the empress dowager: Imperial Dragon Direct and geku Direct each with one chief commander, one company head, one deputy company head, and 30 squad leaders and rank-and-file;

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.

既而又詔：太皇太后出入儀衛，添御龍骨朵子直三十六人，御龍弓箭直四十五人，御龍弩直四十五人，皇城司禁衛五十人，馬隊三百五十人，東西班、茶酒班殿侍共一百人，快行增至二十人。 A further edict added to the grand empress dowager's guards: 36 Imperial Dragon geku Direct, 45 Imperial Dragon bow Direct, 45 Imperial Dragon crossbow Direct, 50 Imperial City inner guards, 350 cavalry, 100 East and West Shift and Tea-Wine Shift palace attendants, and fast-march attendants increased to 20.

參議得皇太后出入兼用紅黃，今皇太妃若亦用黃，則非差降之意。 Review found that the empress dowager used both red and yellow on processions; if the imperial consort dowager also used yellow, that would violate the intended gradation.

伏請紅黃兼用，從皇太后出入，則止用紅。” We request use of both red and yellow, but when following the empress dowager only red."