Lu Taiji (陸太姬) | 24 Histories

Overview

Lu Taiji was an empress Dowager Lu; influential court matron under the Later Lord.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Alternate name	Lu Aun	陸媼

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 565 to AD 576 Houzhu era
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 9, passages 101, 146
AD 570 to AD 576 武平中
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 90

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Mu Yeli (穆邪利)
adopted as daughter 養以為女 · Adoptive parentage
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 146
Parent of Mu Tipo (穆提婆)
Lu's offspring 陸息
Lu's child 陸息
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 158
Kin of Yuanhai’s later wife
niece 甥
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 90

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Grew angry at Yuanhai and had him sent out as governor of Zheng Province
Angered · With Gao Yuanhai (高元海)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passages 93-94

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passages 133-135

Events and relationships

Helped depose Lady Hu
Political · Helper · With Empress Hu of Houzhu (胡氏)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 150
Plotted against Prince Rui
Political · Conspirator · With Gao Rui (高叡)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 101
Sought to install Lady Mu as empress
Political · Advocate · With Mu Yeli (穆邪利)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 131

Source notes

Yuanhai often reported her confidential words to Zu Ting
With Zu Ting (祖珪)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 92

References in the histories

Search passages

History

17 passages

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 9Volume 9 Biographies 1: Empresses and Consorts · 13 passages

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武成崩，尊為皇太后，陸媼及和士開密謀殺趙郡王叡，出婁定遠、高文遙為刺史。 When Wucheng died she was honored as Empress Dowager; Nurse Lu and He Shikai secretly plotted to kill Prince Rui of Zhao Commandery and sent out Lou Dingyuan and Gao Wenyao as governors.

和、陸諂事太后，無所不至。 He and Lu fawned upon the empress dowager to every extreme.

斛律后廢，陸媼欲以穆夫人代之，太后不許。 When Empress Hulu was deposed, Lu Aun wished to install Lady Mu in her place, but the Empress Dowager refused.

陸媼既非勸立，又意在穆夫人，其後於太后前作色而言曰：「何物親侄女，作如此語言！」 Lu Aun, who had not supported the elevation and still favored Lady Mu, later appeared before the Empress Dowager with a dark look and said, "What sort of niece is this, to speak such words!"

太后問有何言，曰：「不可道。」 The Empress Dowager asked what had been said. Lu replied, "It cannot be spoken."

女侍中陸太姬知其寵，養以為女，薦為弘德夫人。 Lady Attendant Lu Taiji, knowing of her favor, adopted her as a daughter and recommended her as Lady of Hongde.

於時後主未有儲嗣，陸陰結待，以監撫之任不可無主，時皇后斛律氏，丞相光之女也，慮其懷恨，先令母養之，立為皇太子。 The emperor still had no heir; Lu maneuvered in secret, arguing that the regency could not stand empty—the reigning empress, Guang's daughter, might resent it—so she had the child raised by the empress and established as crown prince.

陸以國姓之重，穆、陸相對，又奏賜姓穆氏。 Lu cited the weight of the dynastic surname—Mu paired with Lu—and petitioned that she be granted the surname Mu.

胡庶人之廢也，陸有助焉，胡遂立為皇后，大赦。 When Lady Hu was deposed, Lu had helped; Hu was then raised to empress and a general amnesty was proclaimed.

陸息駱提婆詔改姓為穆，陸。 Lu ordered Mu Tipo by edict to take the surnames Mu and Lu.

太姬，皆以皇后故也。 Taiji too—all on account of the empress.

后既以陸為母，提婆為家，更不采輕霄。 Having taken Lu as her mother and Tipo as her kin, the empress no longer acknowledged Qingxiao.

輕霄後自療面，欲求見，太后、陸媼使禁掌之，竟不得見。 Qingxiao later healed her face and sought to see her daughter; the Empress Dowager and Lu Aun had her imprisoned, and she never gained an audience.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 14Volume 14 Biographies 6: Guangping Gongcheng; Yangzhou Gong Yongle; Di Zhangbi; Prince of Xiangle, Xiang Guo; Prince of Shangluo, Si Zong; Zi Yuanhai; Di Sihao; Prince of Pingqin, Guiyan; Prince Pu of Wuxing; Changle, Governor of Lingshan; Sizi Fuhu · 4 passages

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元海後妻，陸太姬甥也，故尋被追任使。 Yuanhai's later wife was a niece of Empress Dowager Lu; for this reason he was soon recalled and given employment again.

元海多以太姬密語告珽。 Yuanhai often reported the Empress Dowager's confidential words to Ting.

珽求領軍，元海不可，珽乃以其所告報太姬。 Ting sought the post of commander of the army; Yuanhai would not agree — Ting thereupon reported what Yuanhai had told him to the Empress Dowager.

姬怒，出元海為鄭州刺史。 The Empress Dowager was angry and sent Yuanhai out as governor of Zheng Province.