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○肅祖昭烈皇后蕭氏懿祖莊敬皇后蕭氏玄祖簡獻皇后蕭氏德祖宣簡皇后蕭氏太祖淳欽皇后述律氏太宗靖安皇后蕭氏世宗懷節皇后蕭氏世宗妃甄氏穆宗皇后蕭氏景宗睿知皇后蕭氏聖宗仁德皇后蕭氏聖宗欽哀皇后蕭氏興宗仁懿皇后蕭氏興宗貴妃蕭氏道宗宣懿皇后蕭氏道宗惠妃蕭氏天祚皇后蕭氏天祚德妃蕭氏天祚文妃蕭氏天祚元妃蕭氏
○ This chapter treats: Empress Zhaolie (Xiao), wife of Ancestor Su; Empress Zhuangjing (Xiao), wife of Ancestor Yi; Empress Jianxian (Xiao), wife of Ancestor Xuan; Empress Xuanjian (Xiao), wife of Ancestor De; Empress Chunqin (Shulü), wife of Taizu; Empress Jing'an (Xiao), wife of Taizong; Empress Huaijie (Xiao), wife of Shizong; Consort Zhen of Shizong; the Muzong empress (Xiao); Empress Ruizhi (Xiao), wife of Jingzong; Empress Rendé (Xiao), wife of Shengzong; Empress Qin'ai (Xiao), wife of Shengzong; Empress Renyi (Xiao), wife of Xingzong; Xingzong's imperial consort (Xiao); Empress Xuanyi (Xiao), wife of Daozong; Daozong's Consort Hui (Xiao); the Tianzuo empress (Xiao); Tianzuo's Virtuous Consort, Literary Consort, and Primary Consort (all Xiao).
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《書》始嬪虞，《詩》興《關雎》。 國史記載，往往自家而國，以立天下之本。 然尊卑之分，不可易也。 司馬遷列呂后於《紀》； 班固因之，而傳元后於外戚之後； 范曄登后妃於《帝紀》。 天子紀年以敘事謂之《紀》，後曷為而紀之？ 自晉史列諸后以首《傳》，隋、唐以來，莫之能易也。 遼因突厥，稱皇后曰「可敦」，國語謂之「脦俚寋」，尊稱曰「耨斡{麻女}」，蓋以配后土而母之雲。 太祖稱帝，尊祖母曰太皇太后，母曰皇太后，嬪曰皇后。 等以徽稱，加以美號，質於隋、唐，文於故俗。 后族唯乙室、拔裏氏，而世任其國事。 太祖慕漢高皇帝，故耶律兼稱劉氏； 以乙室、拔裏比蕭相國，遂為蕭氏。 耶律儼、陳大任《遼史·后妃傳》，大同小異，酌取其當，著於篇。
The Documents open with Shun's marriage alliance at Yu; the Odes begin with the "Ospreys," the classic prelude to wedded union. Dynastic annals typically trace the realm from the imperial household outward, laying the foundation on which rule under Heaven rests. Yet the hierarchy of rank must never be confused. Sima Qian entered Empress Lü in the Basic Annals; Ban Gu followed his lead but relegated Empress Yuan to a biography after the consort-kin section; Fan Ye elevated empresses and consorts into the Imperial Annals. Annals chronicle the ruler year by year—why place an empress among them? From the Jin histories onward, empresses lead the biographical chapters—a convention unchanged since Sui and Tang. Following Turkic usage, the Liao called the empress kedun; in Khitan it was xielijian, and the grand title nouwo muanü—pairing her with the earth goddess as mother of the people. When Taizu took the imperial title, he styled his grandmother Grand Empress Dowager, his mother Empress Dowager, and his principal consort Empress. Ranks were aligned with Chinese practice and graced with honorific epithets—substance from Sui and Tang, phrasing from older Khitan ways. Only the Yishi and Bali clans supplied empresses, and for generations they directed the affairs of state. Taizu revered Han Gaozu, and the Yelü house therefore also bore the surname Liu; likening the Yishi and Bali to Chancellor Xiao of Han, they adopted the surname Xiao. The empress-and-consort biographies by Yelü Yan and Chen Daren in the earlier Liao History agree in the main but differ in detail; here we have chosen what fits and recorded it in full.
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肅祖昭烈皇后蕭氏，小字卓真。 歸肅祖，生四子，見《皇子表》。 乾統三年，追尊昭烈皇后。
Empress Zhaolie (Xiao), wife of Ancestor Su, childhood name Zhuozhen. She wedded Ancestor Su and bore four sons, listed in the Table of Imperial Sons. In Qiantong 3 she was posthumously ennobled as Empress Zhaolie.
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懿祖莊敬皇后蕭氏，小字牙裏辛。 肅祖嘗過其家曰：「同姓可結交，異姓可結婚。」 知為蕭氏，為懿祖聘焉。 生男女七人。 乾統三年，追尊莊敬皇后。
Empress Zhuangjing (Xiao), wife of Ancestor Yi, childhood name Yalixin. Ancestor Su once passed her house and remarked, "Kin of the same surname may ally; those of different surnames may wed." Learning she was a Xiao, he arranged her betrothal to Ancestor Yi. She bore seven children in all. In Qiantong 3 she was posthumously ennobled as Empress Zhuangjing.
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玄祖簡獻皇后蕭氏，小字月裏朵。 玄祖為狠德所害，后嫠居，恐不免，命四子往依鄰家耶律臺押，乃獲安。 太祖生，后以骨相異常，懼有陰圖害者，鞠之別帳。 重熙二十一年，追尊簡獻皇后。
Empress Jianxian (Xiao), wife of Ancestor Xuan, childhood name Yueliduo. After Ancestor Xuan was murdered by Hende, the empress lived in widowhood and feared for her life; she sent her four sons to their neighbor Yelü Taiya, and only then were they safe. At Taizu's birth she saw his features were exceptional and, fearing secret plots against him, reared him in a separate camp. In Chongxi 21 she was posthumously ennobled as Empress Jianxian.
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德祖宣簡皇后蕭氏，小字巖母斤。 遙輦氏宰相剔剌之女。 男、女六人，太祖長子也。 天顯八年崩，祔德陵。 重熙二十一年，追尊宣簡皇后。
Empress Xuanjian (Xiao), wife of Ancestor De, childhood name Yanmujin. She was the daughter of Tila, chancellor of the Yaonian clan. She bore six children; Taizu was her eldest son. She died in Tianxian 8 and was interred at De Mausoleum. In Chongxi 21 she was posthumously ennobled as Empress Xuanjian.
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太祖淳欽皇后述律氏，諱平，小字月理朵。 其先回鶻人糯思，生魏寧舍利，魏寧生慎思梅裏，慎思生婆姑梅裏，婆姑娶勻德恝王女，生后於契丹右大部。 婆姑名月碗，仕遙輦氏為阿紥割只。 后簡重果斷，有雄略。 嘗至遼、土二河之會，有女子乘青牛車，倉卒避路，忽不見。 未幾，童謠曰：「青牛嫗，曾避路。」 蓋諺謂地祇為青牛嫗雲。 太祖即位，群臣上尊號曰地皇后。 神冊元年，大冊，加號應天大明地皇后。 行兵禦眾，后嘗與謀。 太祖嘗渡磧擊党項，黃頭、臭泊二室韋乘虛襲之； 后知，勒兵以待，奮擊，大破之，名震諸夷。 時晉王李存勖欲結援，以叔母事后。 幽州劉守光遣韓延徽求援，不拜，太祖怒，留之，使牧馬。 后曰：「守節不屈，賢者也，宜禮用之。」 太祖乃召延徽與語，大悅，以為謀主。 吳主李掞獻猛火油，以水沃之愈熾。 太祖選三萬騎以攻幽州，后曰：「豈有試油而攻人國者？」 指帳前樹曰：「無皮可以生乎？」 太祖曰：「不可。」 后曰：「幽州之有土有民，亦猶是耳。 吾以三千騎掠其四野，不過數年，困而歸我矣，何必為此？ 萬一不勝，為中國笑，吾部落不亦解體乎！」 其平渤海，后與有謀。
Empress Chunqin (Shulü), wife of Taizu, personal name Ping, childhood name Yueliduo. Her line traced to the Uighur Nuosi, then Wei Ning Shelila, Shensi Meli, and Pogu Meli; Pogu wed a daughter of King Yundeji, and the future empress was born in the Khitan Right Great Division. Pogu, called Yuewan, held the Yaonian office of azha gazi. The empress was austere and resolute, with a statesman's boldness. Once at the meeting of the Liao and Tu rivers she saw a woman in a green-ox cart who hurried from the path and vanished. Soon a children's rhyme ran, "The Green Ox Dame—she once gave way on the road." The saying names the earth goddess the Green Ox Dame. At Taizu's accession the court hailed her Earth Empress. In Shence 1, at the grand enthronement rites, she received the added title Responsive-to-Heaven, Greatly Illumined Earth Empress. On campaign and in commanding the host, she often shared in planning. While Taizu crossed the sands to strike the Tangut, the Huangtou and Choubo Shiwei bands struck at an opening; she learned of it, mustered troops to meet them, attacked fiercely, and routed them; her name shook every tribe. Prince of Jin Li Cunxu then sought alliance and addressed her as aunt-by-marriage. Liu Shouguang of Youzhou sent Han Yanhui to plead for help; Yanhui would not bow, and Taizu in anger kept him and set him to tend horses. The empress said, "A man who holds to his integrity and will not bow is worthy; receive him with ceremony and put him to use." Taizu then summoned Yanhui, took great delight in their talk, and made him chief strategist. Wu ruler Li Yan offered Greek fire; water only made it burn hotter. Taizu chose thirty thousand horsemen to assault Youzhou; the empress said, "Who tests oil and then storms a whole kingdom?" She pointed to a tree by the tent: "Can it live stripped of its bark?" Taizu answered, "It cannot." She said, "Youzhou has soil and people—just the same. Send three thousand riders to harry their fields; in a few years they will be spent and come to us—why take this risk? If we fail, the Chinese states will mock us and our tribes may scatter!" In the conquest of Bohai she again shared in the planning.
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太祖崩，后稱制，攝軍國事。 及葬，欲以身殉，親戚百官力諫，因斷右腕納於柩。 太宗即位，尊為皇太后。 會同初，上尊號曰廣德至仁昭烈崇簡應天皇太后。 初，太祖嘗謂太宗必興我家，后欲令皇太子倍避之，太祖冊倍為東丹王。 太祖崩，太宗立，東丹王避之唐。 太后常屬意於少子李胡。 太宗崩，世宗即位於鎮陽，太后怒，遣李胡以兵逆擊。 李胡敗，太后親率師遇於潢河之橫渡。 賴耶律屋質諫，罷兵。 遷太后於祖州。 應歷三年崩，年七十五，祔祖陵，謚曰貞烈。 重熙二十一年，更今謚。
After Taizu's death she ruled in her own name and directed military and civil affairs. At the funeral she meant to follow him in death; kin and officials pleaded until she severed her right wrist and laid it in the coffin. When Taizong succeeded, she was styled Empress Dowager. Early in Huitong she received the grand title Broad Virtue, Utmost Benevolence, Illustrious Martyr, Honored and Simple, Responsive-to-Heaven Imperial Empress Dowager. Taizu had once said Taizong would raise their line; the empress wanted Crown Prince Bei to step aside, and Taizu made Bei king of Eastern Dan. After Taizu's death Taizong took the throne, and the Eastern Dan king fled to Tang. The dowager empress favored her younger son Lihu. When Taizong died Shizong was enthroned at Zhenyang; the dowager, enraged, sent Lihu with an army against him. Lihu was beaten; the dowager herself led forces and met the enemy at Hengdu ford on the Huang River. Only Yelü Wuzhi's counsel stopped the fighting. The dowager was relocated to Zuzhou. She died in Yingli 3, aged seventy-five, was buried at Zu Mausoleum, and received the posthumous name Steadfast Martyr. In Chongxi 21 her current posthumous title was adopted.
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世宗懷節皇后蕭氏，小字撒葛只，淳欽皇后弟阿古只之女。 帝為永康王，納之，生景宗。 天祿末，立為皇后。 明年秋，生萌古公主。 在蓐，察割作亂，弒太后及帝。 后乘步輦，直詣察割，請畢收殮。 明日遇害。 謚曰孝烈皇后。 重熙二十一年，更今謚。
Empress Huaijie (Xiao), wife of Shizong, childhood name Sagezhi, daughter of Aguzhi, younger brother of Empress Chunqin. While he was Prince of Yongkang he wed her; she bore Jingzong. Late in Tianlu she was made empress. The following autumn she bore Princess Menggu. Still in her lying-in, Chage rose in revolt and murdered the dowager and the emperor. The empress took a litter straight to Chage and begged leave to finish the funeral rites. The next day she too was slain. Her posthumous title was Filial and Martyr Empress. In Chongxi 21 her current posthumous title was adopted.
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世宗妃甄氏，後唐宮人，有姿色。 帝從太宗南征得之，寵遇甚厚，生寧王只沒。 及即位，立為皇后。 嚴明端重，風神閑雅。 內治有法，莫幹以私。 劉知遠、郭威稱帝，世宗承強盛之資，奄奄歲時。 后與參帷幄，密贊大謀，不果用。 察割作亂，遇害。 景宗立，葬二后於醫巫閭山，建廟陵寢側。
Shizong's consort Zhen, a Later Tang palace woman, was strikingly beautiful. The emperor took her on Taizong's southern campaign and favored her deeply; she bore Prince of Ning Zhimie. At his accession she was made empress. She was strict yet dignified, her manner calm and elegant. She ran the inner court by rule, and no one could bend her with private pleas. When Liu Zhiyuan and Guo Wei took imperial titles, Shizong, though he held a mighty inheritance, let year after year pass without action. The empress joined council in the command tent and secretly urged bold plans, but none were adopted. When Chage rebelled, she was killed. When Jingzong succeeded, he buried both empresses on Mount Yiwulü and raised shrines beside the royal tombs.
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穆宗皇后蕭氏，父知璠，內供奉翰林承旨。 后生，有雲氣馥郁久之。 幼有儀則。 帝居藩，納為妃。 及正位中宮，性柔婉，不能規正。 無子。
Muzong's empress (Xiao); her father Zhifan served as Hanlin Academician-in-Attendance of the Inner Service. At her birth fragrant clouds hung in the air for a long while. Even as a child she showed decorum. While he was still a prince he took her as consort. Once she entered the central palace she was gentle and mild and could not restrain him. She bore no sons.
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聖宗仁德皇后蕭氏，小字菩薩哥，睿知皇后弟隗因之女。 年十二，美而才，選入掖庭。 統和十九年，冊為齊天皇后。 嘗以草莛為殿式，密付有司，令造清風、天祥、八方三殿。 既成，益寵異。 所乘車置龍首鴟尾，飾以黃金。 又造九龍輅、諸子車，以白金為浮圖，各有巧思。 夏秋從行山谷間，花木如繡，車服相錯，人望之以為神仙。 生皇子二，皆早卒。 開泰五年，宮人耨斤生興宗，后養為子。 帝大漸，耨斤詈后曰：「老物寵亦有既耶！」 左右扶后出。 帝崩，耨斤自立為皇太后，是為欽哀皇后。 護衛馮家奴、喜孫等希旨，誣告北府宰相蕭浞卜、國舅蕭匹敵謀逆。 詔令鞫治，連及后。 興宗聞之曰：「皇后侍先帝四十年，撫育眇躬，當為太后； 今不果，反罪之，可乎？」 欽哀曰：「此人若在，恐為後患。」 帝曰：「皇后無子而老，雖在，無能為也。」 欽哀不從，遷后於上京。 車駕春蒐，欽哀慮帝懷鞠育恩，馳遣人加害。 使至，后曰：「我實無辜，天下共知。 卿待我浴而後就死，可乎？」 使者退。 比反，后已崩，年五十。 是日，若有見后於木葉山陰者，乘青蓋車，衛從甚嚴。 追尊仁德皇后。 與欽哀並祔慶陵。
Empress Rendé (Xiao), wife of Shengzong, childhood name Pusage, daughter of Weiyin, younger brother of Empress Ruizhi. At twelve she was lovely and gifted and was chosen for the inner palace. In Tonghe 19 she was enthroned as Empress Equal-to-Heaven. She once fashioned a straw model of a palace hall, handed it secretly to the works office, and ordered the building of Clear Wind, Heavenly Auspice, and Eight Directions halls. When they were finished, his favor for her deepened. Her carriage bore dragon heads and owl-tail finials, all gilt in gold. She also commissioned a Nine Dragons imperial carriage and princes' coaches, setting white-gold pagodas on them—every piece bespoke clever invention. In summer and autumn, as the court moved through mountain valleys where flowers bloomed like brocade and carriages and regalia flashed together, onlookers took them for immortals. She bore two imperial sons, but both died in childhood. In Kaitai 5 the palace woman Noujin gave birth to Xingzong, whom the empress adopted as her own son. As the emperor lay dying, Noujin cursed the empress: "You old thing—does favor never end?" Attendants led the empress away. After the emperor's death Noujin made herself empress dowager—she who became Empress Qin'ai. Guards Feng Jianu and Xisun, eager to please, falsely charged Northern Chancellor Xiao Tubu and the empress's uncle Xiao Pidi with treason. An edict ordered an inquiry that implicated the empress as well. Xingzong heard this and said, "The empress served my late father forty years and raised me—she ought to be empress dowager; yet this is denied and she is punished instead—is that fitting?" Qin'ai replied, "If she remains, she may become a future threat." The emperor said, "She is childless and old; even alive, she can do nothing." Qin'ai refused and had the empress transferred to Shangjing. On the emperor's spring hunt, Qin'ai feared he still felt the debt of her upbringing and hurriedly sent assassins. When the envoy came, the empress said, "I am truly innocent, as all the realm knows. Will you let me bathe before I die?" The envoy withdrew. When he returned, the empress was already dead, aged fifty. That same day some claimed to see the empress on the north slope of Mount Muye, riding a green-canopied carriage with a stately guard. She was posthumously ennobled as Empress Rendé. She was buried with Qin'ai at Qing Mausoleum.
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聖宗欽哀皇后蕭氏，小字耨斤，淳欽皇后弟阿古只五世孫。 黝面狠視。 母嘗夢金柱擎天，諸子欲上不能； 後后至，與僕從皆升，異之。 久之，入宮。 嘗拂承天太后榻，獲金雞，吞之，膚色光澤勝常。 太后曰：「是必有奇子！」 已而生興宗。 仁德皇后無子，取而養之如己出。 后以興宗侍仁德皇后謹，不悅。 聖宗崩，令馮家奴等誣仁德皇后與蕭浞卜、蕭匹敵等謀亂，徙上京，害之。 自立為皇太后，攝政，以生辰為應聖節。 重熙元年，尊為仁慈聖善欽孝廣德安靖貞純寬厚崇覺儀天皇太后。 三年，后陰召諸弟議，欲立少子重元。 重元以所謀白帝，帝收太后符璽，遷於慶州七括宮。 六年秋，帝悔之，親馭奉迎，侍養益孝謹。 后常不懌。 帝崩，殊無戚容。 見崇聖皇后悲泣如禮，謂曰：「汝年尚幼，何哀痛如是！」 清寧初，尊為太皇太后。 崩，謚曰欽哀皇后。 后初攝政，追封曾祖為蘭陵郡王，父為齊國王，諸弟皆王之，雖漢五侯無以過。
Empress Qin'ai (Xiao), wife of Shengzong, childhood name Noujin, fifth-generation descendant of Aguzhi, younger brother of Empress Chunqin. Her face was swarthy and her stare fierce. Her mother once dreamed of a golden pillar holding up the sky; her sons tried to climb it but could not; when the future empress arrived, she and her attendants all climbed it—the mother was astonished. In time she entered the palace. Once while dusting Empress Dowager Chengtian's couch she found a golden rooster, swallowed it, and her complexion grew unusually radiant. The dowager said, "She will surely bear an extraordinary son!" Soon after she bore Xingzong. Empress Rendé, who had no son, took the boy and raised him as her own. Noujin was displeased that Xingzong waited on Empress Rendé with filial care. When Shengzong died she had Feng Jianu and others frame Empress Rendé and Xiao Tubu and Xiao Pidi for rebellion, exiled her to Shangjing, and had her killed. She made herself empress dowager and regent and declared her birthday the Yingsheng Festival. In Chongxi 1 she received the grand title Benevolent, Sagely, Good, Filial, Broadly Virtuous, Peaceful, Tranquil, Chaste, Pure, Generous, Honored, Awakened, Ceremonial, Heavenly Imperial Empress Dowager. In year 3 the dowager secretly called her younger brothers to plot enthroning her younger son Chongyuan. Chongyuan disclosed the plot to the emperor, who seized the dowager's seals and confined her at Qikuo Palace in Qingzhou. That autumn in year 6 the emperor repented, went in person to fetch her, and served her with ever stricter filial devotion. The dowager remained often discontented. When the emperor died she showed no sign of mourning. Seeing Empress Chongsheng weep in proper grief, she said, "You are still young—why such anguish!" Early in Qingning she was styled Grand Empress Dowager. She died and received the posthumous name Empress Qin'ai. At the start of her regency she posthumously made her great-grandfather Prince of Lanling and her father King of Qi; every younger brother became a king—a favor even the Han Five Marquesses never matched.
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興宗貴妃蕭氏，小字三蒨，駙馬都尉匹裏之女。 選入東宮。 帝即位，立為皇后。 重熙初，以罪降貴妃。
Xingzong's imperial consort (Xiao), childhood name Sanqian, daughter of Commander of the Horse Guards Pili. She was chosen for the Eastern Palace. At his accession she was made empress. Early in Chongxi she was demoted to imperial consort for an offense.
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道宗宣懿皇后蕭氏，小字觀音，欽哀皇后弟樞密使惠之女。 姿容冠絕，工詩，善談論。 自制歌詞，尤善琵琶。 重熙中，帝王燕趙，納為妃。 清寧初，立為懿德皇后。 皇太叔重元妻，以艷冶自矜，后見之，戒曰：「為貴家婦，何必如此！」 后生太子浚，有專房寵。 好音樂，伶官趙惟一得侍左右。 大康初，宮婢單登、教坊朱頂鶴誣后與惟一私，樞密使耶律乙辛以聞。 詔乙辛與張孝傑劾狀，因而實之。 族誅惟一，賜后自盡，歸其屍於家。 乾統初，追謚宣懿皇后，合葬慶陵。
Empress Xuanyi (Xiao), wife of Daozong, childhood name Guanyin, daughter of Commissioner of Military Affairs Hui, younger brother of Empress Qin'ai. None matched her beauty; she wrote poetry well and spoke with grace. She wrote her own song texts and excelled above all on the pipa. During Chongxi, while the emperor sojourned in Zhao, he took her as consort. Early in Qingning she was made Empress Yide. Imperial Uncle Chongyuan's wife flaunted her allure; the empress saw her and admonished, "As a lady of a great house, why parade yourself so!" Later she bore Crown Prince Jun and enjoyed his father's exclusive favor. She loved music, and the performer Zhao Weiyi alone waited on her. Early in Dakang the palace maid Shan Deng and entertainer Zhu Dinghe accused the empress and Weiyi of adultery; Commissioner Yelü Yixin reported it to the throne. An edict charged Yixin and Zhang Xiaojie to examine the case—and they made the charge stick. Weiyi's entire clan was executed; the empress was ordered to kill herself, and her body was sent home. Early in Qiantong she was posthumously named Empress Xuanyi and buried with the emperor at Qing Mausoleum.
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道宗惠妃蕭氏，小字坦思，駙馬都尉霞抹之妹。 大康二年，乙辛譽之，選入掖庭，立為皇后。 居數歲，未見皇嗣。 后妹斡特懶先嫁乙辛子綏也，后以宜子言於帝，離婚，納宮中。 八年，皇孫延禧封梁王，降為惠妃，徙乾陵； 斡特懶還其家。 頃之，其母燕國夫人厭魅梁王，伏誅。 貶妃為庶人，幽於宜州，諸弟沒入興聖宮。 天慶六年，召還，封太皇太妃。 後二年，奔黑頂山，卒，葬太子山。
Daozong's Consort Hui (Xiao), childhood name Tansi, younger sister of Commander of the Horse Guards Xiamo. In Dakang 2 Yixin commended her; she entered the inner palace and was made empress. After several years she had still borne no imperial heir. Her younger sister Wotelany had wed Yixin's son Suiye; the empress told the emperor she would bear sons—they divorced, and Wotelany was brought into the palace. In year 8 imperial grandson Yanxi was made Prince of Liang; she was demoted to Consort Hui and sent to Qian Mausoleum; Wotelany was sent back to her family. Soon her mother, Lady of Yan, was found to have cursed the Prince of Liang and was put to death. The consort was reduced to commoner rank and imprisoned at Yizhou; her brothers were sent to Xingsheng Palace. In Tianqing 6 she was recalled and titled Grand Imperial Consort. Two years later she fled to Black Crest Mountain, died there, and was buried at Prince Mountain.
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天祚皇后蕭氏，小字奪裏懶，宰相繼先五世孫。 大安三年入宮。 明年，封燕國王妃。 乾統初，冊為皇后。 性閑淑，有儀則。 兄弟奉先、保先等緣后寵柄任。 女直亂，從天祚西狩，以疾崩。
Tianzuo's empress (Xiao), childhood name Duolilan, fifth-generation descendant of Chancellor Jixian. She entered the palace in Da'an 3. The following year she was made Princess of Yan. Early in Qiantong she was enthroned as empress. She was gentle and modest, with dignified bearing. Her brothers Fengxian, Baoxian, and others rose to power through her favor. During the Jurchen uprising she followed Tianzuo west on campaign and died of illness.
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天祚文妃蕭氏，小字瑟瑟，國舅大父房之女。 乾統初，帝幸耶律撻葛第，見而悅之，匿宮中數月。 皇太叔和魯斡勸帝以禮選納，三年冬，立為文妃。 生蜀國公主、晉王敖盧斡，尤被寵幸。 以柴冊，加號承翼。 善歌詩。 女直亂作，日見侵迫。 帝畋遊不恤，忠臣多被疏斥。 妃作歌諷諫，其詞曰：「勿嗟塞上兮暗紅塵，勿傷多難兮畏夷人。 不如塞奸邪之路兮，選取賢臣。 直須臥薪嘗膽兮，激壯士之捐身。 可以朝清漠北兮，夕枕燕雲。」 又歌曰：「丞相來朝兮劍佩鳴，千官側目兮寂無聲。 養成外患兮嗟何及，禍盡忠臣兮罰不明。 親戚並居兮藩屏位，私門潛畜兮爪牙兵。 可憐往代兮秦天子，猶向宮中兮望太平！」 天祚見而銜之。 播遷以來，郡縣所失幾半，上頗有倦勤之意。 諸皇子敖盧斡最賢，素有人望。 元后兄蕭奉先深忌之，誣南軍都統余睹謀立晉王，以妃與聞，賜死。
Tianzuo's Literary Consort (Xiao), childhood name Sese, daughter of the Great Father branch of the imperial in-laws. Early in Qiantong the emperor visited Yelü Tage's house, saw her and was smitten, and kept her hidden in the palace for months. Imperial Uncle Heluwo urged the emperor to take her by proper ceremony; in the winter of year 3 she was made Literary Consort. She bore Princess of Shu and Prince of Jin Aolüwo and was especially cherished. At the investiture rite she received the added title Bearer of Wings. She was accomplished in song and verse. When the Jurchen rebellion broke out, the realm was pressed day by day. The emperor hunted and feasted without care while loyal ministers were cast aside. The consort composed remonstrance songs, which ran: "Do not sigh on the frontier at the dark red dust; do not shrink from hardship and fear the barbarians. Better block the way of treacherous ministers and choose worthy servants. You must sleep on brushwood and taste gall to stir brave men to give their lives. Then at dawn you may clear the northern desert, at dusk rest upon the Yan clouds." She sang again: "The chancellor comes to court—sword and seals ring; a thousand officials glance aside—in utter silence. You have nurtured outside calamity—alas, too late; loyal ministers are spent—yet punishments are unclear. Kin fill every frontier post; private houses secretly raise armed retainers. Pity the Qin emperor of old—still from within the palace longing for peace!" Tianzuo read them and bore a grudge. Since the court's flight nearly half the commanderies and counties had been lost, and the emperor showed weariness of rule. Among the princes Aolüwo was the most worthy and had long enjoyed men's hopes. Primary Consort's elder brother Xiao Fengxian deeply envied him; he falsely charged Southern Army Commander Yudu with plotting to enthrone the Prince of Jin and claimed the Literary Consort knew—she was ordered to die.
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論曰：遼以鞍馬為家，后妃往往長於射禦，軍旅田獵，未嘗不從。 如應天之奮擊室韋，承天之禦戎澶淵，仁懿之親破重元，古所未有，亦其俗也。 靖安無毀無譽； 齊天巧思，乃奢侈之漸； 宣懿度曲知音，豈致誣蔑之階乎？ 文妃能歌詩諷諫，而謂謀私其子，非矣。 若簡憲之艱危保孤，懷節之從容就義，雖烈丈夫何以過之。 欽哀狠桀，賊殺嫡後，而興宗不能防閑其母，惜哉！
The commentators say: The Liao made saddle and horse their home; empresses and consorts often excelled at archery and horsemanship, and on campaign, hunt, or march they seldom stayed behind. Yingtian's fierce rout of the Shiwei, Chengtian's command at Chanyuan, Renyi's personal defeat of Chongyuan—such deeds are unheard in antiquity, yet they fit Khitan custom. Jing'an won neither praise nor blame; Empress Equal-to-Heaven's clever inventions marked the first drift toward extravagance; Empress Xuanyi composed music and knew its tones—did that truly open the way to slander? The Literary Consort sang and wrote verse to admonish the throne—yet to claim she plotted for her son is mistaken. Jianxian's saving the orphan amid peril, Huaijie's calm facing of death—even resolute men could scarcely equal them. Qin'ai was ruthless and fierce, a murderer of the rightful empress, yet Xingzong could not restrain his mother—how regrettable!