1
宋孝穆趙皇后孝懿蕭皇后武敬臧皇后武張夫人文章胡太后少帝司馬皇后文元袁皇后孝武昭路太后明宣沈太后孝武文穆王皇后前廢帝何皇后明恭王皇后後廢帝陳太妃後廢帝江皇后順陳太妃順謝皇后齊宣孝陳皇后高昭劉皇后武穆裴皇后文安王皇后郁林王何妃海陵王王妃明敬劉皇后東昏褚皇后和王皇后
This chapter treats Empress Xiaomu Zhao of Song, Empress Xiaoyi Xiao, Empress Wujing Zang, Lady Zhang of Emperor Wu of Song, Empress Dowager Wenzhang Hu, Empress Sima of the lesser emperor, Empress Wenyuan Yuan, Empress Dowager Zhaowu Lu of Emperor Xiaowu, Empress Dowager Mingxuan Shen, Empress Wenmu Wang of Emperor Xiaowu, Empress He of the former deposed emperor, Empress Minggong Wang, Grand Consort Chen of the later deposed emperor, Empress Jiang of the later deposed emperor, Grand Consort Chen of Emperor Shun, Empress Xie of Emperor Shun, Empress Xuanxiao Chen of Qi, Empress Gaozhao Liu, Empress Wumu Pei, Empress Wen'an Wang, Consort He of Prince Yulin, Consort Wang of Prince Hailing, Empress Mingjing Liu, Empress Donghun Chu, and Empress Wang of Prince He.
2
六宮位號，前史代有不同。
The ranks and titles of the inner palace have varied from dynasty to dynasty in earlier histories.
3
晉武帝采漢魏之制，置貴嬪、夫人、貴人，是為三夫人，位視三公； 淑妃、淑媛、淑儀、修華、修容、修儀、婕妤、容華、充華，是為九嬪，位視九卿； 其餘有美人、才人、中才人，爵視千石以下。 宋武帝省二才人，其餘仍用晉制。 案貴嬪，魏文帝所制。 夫人，魏武初建魏國所制。 貴人，漢光武所制。 淑妃，魏明帝所制。 淑媛，魏文帝所制。 淑儀、修華，晉武帝所制。 修容，魏文帝所制。 修儀，魏明帝所制。 婕妤、容華，前漢舊號。 充華，晉武帝所制。 美人，漢光武所制。 及孝武孝建三年，省夫人； 置貴妃，位比相國，進貴嬪比丞相，貴人比三司，以為三夫人，又置昭儀、昭容、昭華，以代修華、修儀、修容。 又置中才人、充衣，以為散位。 案昭儀，漢元帝所制。 昭容，孝武所制。 昭華，魏明帝所制。 中才人，晉武帝所制。 充衣，前漢舊制。
Emperor Wu of Jin took over the Han and Wei systems and created Noble Consort, Lady, and Noble Lady as the Three Ladies, each ranked on a par with the Three Dukes; Virtuous Consort, Virtuous Lady of Honor, Virtuous Lady of Elegance, Cultivated Splendor, Cultivated Beauty, Cultivated Elegance, Fair Lady, Radiant Splendor, and Full Splendor as the Nine Consorts, each ranked on a par with the Nine Ministers; Below them stood Beauty, Talented Lady, and Central Talented Lady, titles equated with offices beneath the thousand-dan grade. Emperor Wu of Song abolished the two Talented Lady posts but otherwise kept the Jin arrangement. Noble Consort was first created by Emperor Wen of Wei. Lady was created when Cao Cao first founded the state of Wei. Noble Lady was first created by Emperor Guangwu of Han. Virtuous Consort was first created by Emperor Ming of Wei. Virtuous Lady of Honor was first created by Emperor Wen of Wei. Virtuous Lady of Elegance and Cultivated Splendor were both creations of Emperor Wu of Jin. Cultivated Beauty was first created by Emperor Wen of Wei. Cultivated Elegance was first created by Emperor Ming of Wei. Fair Lady and Radiant Splendor were titles inherited from the Former Han. Full Splendor was first created by Emperor Wu of Jin. Beauty was first created by Emperor Guangwu of Han. In the third year of Xiaojian under Emperor Xiaowu of Song, the Lady rank was abolished; He created Noble Consort with rank equal to the chancellor of state, elevated Noble Consort to match the chancellor, and Noble Lady to match the Three Excellencies as the Three Ladies; he also added Bright Elegance, Bright Beauty, and Bright Splendor in place of Cultivated Splendor, Cultivated Elegance, and Cultivated Beauty. He further added Central Talented Lady and Attendant of Full Garments as supernumerary offices. Bright Elegance was first created by Emperor Yuan of Han. Bright Beauty was first created by Emperor Xiaowu of Song. Bright Splendor was first created by Emperor Ming of Wei. Central Talented Lady was first created by Emperor Wu of Jin. Attendant of Full Garments was an old title from the Former Han.
4
及明帝泰始二年，省淑妃、昭華、中才人、充衣，復置修華、修儀、修容、才人、良人； 三年，又省貴人，置貴姬，以備三夫人之數； 又置昭華，增淑容、承徽、列榮； 以淑媛、淑儀、淑容、昭華、昭儀、昭容、修華、修儀、修容為九嬪； 婕妤、容華、充華、承徽、列榮：凡五職，亞九嬪； 美人、才人、良人三職為散役。 其後，帝留心後房，擬百官，備置內職焉。 及齊高帝建元元年，有司奏置貴嬪、夫人、貴人為三夫人，修華、修儀、修容、淑妃、淑媛、淑儀、婕妤、容華、充華為九嬪，美人、中才人、才人為散職。 三年，太子宮置三內職：良娣比開國侯，保林比五等侯，才人比駙馬都尉。 及永明元年，有司奏貴妃、淑妃並加金章紫綬； 佩於寘玉； 淑妃舊擬九棘，以淑為溫恭之稱，妃為亞后之名，進同貴妃，以比三司； 夫人之號，不殊蕃國； 降淑媛以比九卿。 七年，復置昭容，位在九嬪焉。
In the second year of Taishi under Emperor Ming of Song, Virtuous Consort, Bright Splendor, Central Talented Lady, and Attendant of Full Garments were abolished, and Cultivated Splendor, Cultivated Elegance, Cultivated Beauty, Talented Lady, and Good Woman were restored; The next year Noble Lady was abolished and Noble Concubine was created to complete the Three Ladies; Bright Splendor was restored as well, and Virtuous Beauty, Bearing Emblem, and Arrayed Glory were added; Virtuous Lady of Honor, Virtuous Lady of Elegance, Virtuous Beauty, Bright Splendor, Bright Elegance, Bright Beauty, Cultivated Splendor, Cultivated Elegance, and Cultivated Beauty were constituted as the Nine Consorts; Fair Lady, Radiant Splendor, Full Splendor, Bearing Emblem, and Arrayed Glory formed five offices ranking just below the Nine Consorts; Beauty, Talented Lady, and Good Woman were three supernumerary offices. Afterward the emperor turned his attention to the inner palace, patterned its offices on the civil bureaucracy, and filled out the inner establishment. In the first year of Jianyuan under Emperor Gao of Qi, the relevant offices proposed restoring Noble Consort, Lady, and Noble Lady as the Three Ladies; Cultivated Splendor, Cultivated Elegance, Cultivated Beauty, Virtuous Consort, Virtuous Lady of Honor, Virtuous Lady of Elegance, Fair Lady, Radiant Splendor, and Full Splendor as the Nine Consorts; and Beauty, Central Talented Lady, and Talented Lady as supernumerary posts. Three years later the crown prince's household was given three inner offices: Good Companion, ranked like a marquis who opens a state; Forest Protector, like a fifth-rank marquis; and Talented Lady, like a commandant-consort of the stable. In the first year of Yongming the relevant offices proposed that Noble Consort and Virtuous Consort both receive the golden seal and purple cord; to be worn with the girdle pendant jade; Virtuous Consort had once been ranked with the Nine Ministers, but because shu denotes gentleness and reverence and fei names one who stands next below the empress, she was raised to Noble Consort's level, equal to the Three Excellencies; The title Lady was unchanged from that used in tributary states; Virtuous Lady of Honor was demoted to rank with the Nine Ministers. In the seventh year Bright Beauty was restored and given a place among the Nine Consorts.
5
梁武撥亂反正，深鑒奢逸，配德早終，長秋曠位。 定令制貴妃、貴嬪、貴姬為三夫人； 淑媛、淑儀、淑容、昭華、昭儀、昭容、修華、修儀、修容為九嬪； 婕妤、容華、充華、承徽、列榮為五職； 美人、才人、良人為三職。 東宮置良娣、保林為二職。 及簡文、元帝出自儲蕃，或迫在拘縶，或逼於寇亂； 且妃並先殂，更不建椒閫。
Emperor Wu of Liang put down rebellion and restored order, taking hard lesson from luxury and excess; his worthy consort died young, and the empress's seat remained empty. By statute he made Noble Consort, Noble Lady of Honor, and Noble Concubine the Three Ladies; Virtuous Lady of Honor, Virtuous Lady of Elegance, Virtuous Beauty, Bright Splendor, Bright Elegance, Bright Beauty, Cultivated Splendor, Cultivated Elegance, and Cultivated Beauty as the Nine Consorts; Fair Lady, Radiant Splendor, Full Splendor, Bearing Emblem, and Arrayed Glory as the Five Offices; Beauty, Talented Lady, and Good Woman as the Three Offices. The crown prince's palace had two offices: Good Companion and Forest Protector. When Emperors Jianwen and Yuan of Liang rose from the heir apparent, one had been held in confinement and the other driven by invasion and chaos; and because their consorts had already died, neither ever again filled the empress's establishment.
6
陳武光膺天曆，以樸素自居，故後宮員位，其數多闕。 文帝天嘉之後，詔宮職備員。 其所制立，無改梁舊。 編之令文，以為後法。 然帝性恭儉，而嬪嬙不備，宣帝、後主，無所改作。 今總綴緝，以立此篇云。
Emperor Wu of Chen took the throne with a mandate to live plainly, and most inner-palace posts went unfilled. After the Tianjia era, Emperor Wen of Chen ordered the palace offices brought up to full complement. The offices he defined followed the Liang model unchanged. These provisions were written into law as a standard for later reigns. Yet Emperor Wen remained modest and austere, and the inner ranks were never fully filled; Emperors Xuan and Houzhu changed nothing. I have now gathered these records together and set them down in this chapter.
7
南朝宋
The Southern Liu Song.
8
孝穆皇后趙安宗
Empress Xiaomu, Zhao Anzong.
9
宋孝穆趙皇后諱安宗，下邳僮人也。 父裔，平原太守。 后以晉穆帝升平四年嬪于孝皇帝，以產武帝，殂於丹徒官舍，葬晉陵丹徒縣東鄉練壁裏雩山。 宋初追崇號諡，陵曰興寧。 永初二年，有司奏追贈裔光祿大夫，加金章紫綬； 裔命婦孫氏封豫章郡建昌縣君。 其年，又追封裔臨賀縣侯。 裔子倫之自有傳。
Empress Xiaomu of Song, whose personal name was Zhao Anzong, came from Tong in Xiapi. Her father Zhao Yi served as administrator of Pingyuan. In 360, the fourth year of Shengping under Emperor Mu of Jin, she entered the household of Liu Yu, the future Emperor Wu of Song; she died at the official residence in Dantu after giving birth to him and was buried at Yushan in Lianbi Village, eastern Dantu, Jinling. At the founding of Song her title and posthumous name were conferred retroactively, and her tomb was named Xingning. In 421, the second year of Yongchu, the relevant offices proposed posthumously enfeoffing Zhao Yi as grand master for splendid happiness with the golden seal and purple cord; Yi's wife, Lady Sun, was enfeoffed as lady of Jianchang county in Yuzhang commandery. That same year Zhao Yi was further enfeoffed as marquis of Linhe county. Yi's son Zhao Lunzhi has his own biography.
10
孝懿蕭皇后諱文壽，蘭陵人也。 父卓字子略，洮陽令。 后為孝皇帝繼室，生長沙景王道憐、臨川烈武王道規。 義熙七年，拜豫章公太夫人，武帝為宋公、宋王，又加太妃、太后之號。 帝踐阼，尊曰皇太后，居宣訓宮。 上以恭孝為行，奉太后素謹，及即大位，春秋已高，每旦朝太后，未嘗失時刻。 少帝即位，加崇曰太皇太后。 景平元年，崩于顯陽殿，年八十一。 遺令：「漢世帝后，陵皆異處。 今可於塋域之內別為一壙，一遵往式。」 乃開別壙，與興寧合墳。 初，武帝微時，貧約過甚，孝皇之殂，葬禮多闕。 帝遺旨：「太后百歲後不須祔葬。」 至是故稱后遺令云。
Empress Xiaoyi Xiao, whose personal name was Wenshou, came from Lanling. Her father Xiao Zhuo, styled Zilue, was magistrate of Taoyang. She was the second wife of Emperor Xiao of Han and bore Liu Daolian, Prince of Changsha titled Jing, and Liu Daogui, Prince of Linchuan titled Liewu. In the seventh year of Yixi she was honored as grand lady of the Duke of Yuzhang; when Emperor Wu became duke and then prince of Song, she was further styled grand consort and empress dowager. When he took the throne she was honored as empress dowager and lived in Xuaxun Palace. Filial and reverent by nature, he served the empress dowager with constant care; even after succeeding, though already old, he visited her every morning without ever missing the appointed hour. When the lesser emperor succeeded, she was further honored as grand empress dowager. In the first year of Jingping she died in Xianyang Hall at the age of eighty-one. Her testament ran: "In Han times emperors and empresses were buried in separate tombs. Now within the burial precinct let a separate vault be made, following the former precedent." A separate vault was therefore opened and she was buried together with Xingning. Earlier, when Emperor Wu was still obscure, poverty had been extreme; at the death of Emperor Xiao of Han many burial rites had been omitted. The emperor had left instructions: "After the empress dowager reaches a hundred years, she need not be buried beside me." Hence the wording of the empress's testament.
11
卓初與趙裔俱贈金紫光祿大夫，又追封封陽縣侯。 妻下邳趙氏封吳郡壽昌縣君。 卓子源之襲爵，源之見子思話傳。
Xiao Zhuo was at first posthumously granted, together with Zhao Yi, the title of grand master for splendid happiness with the golden seal and purple cord, and was later enfeoffed as marquis of Fengyang county. His wife, née Zhao of Xiapi, was enfeoffed as lady of Shouchang county in Wu commandery. Zhuo's son Xiao Yuanzhi inherited the marquisate; Yuanzhi's son Xiao Sihua is treated in his own biography.
12
武敬皇后臧愛親
Empress Wujing, Zang Aiqin.
13
武敬臧皇后諱愛親，東莞人也。 祖汪，尚書郎，父雋，郡功曹。 后適武帝，生會稽宣長公主興弟。 帝以儉正率下，后恭謹不違。 義熙四年正月甲子，殂於東城，追贈豫章公夫人，還葬丹徒。 帝臨崩，遺詔留葬建鄴。 於是備法駕迎梓宮，祔葬初寧陵。 宋初追贈雋金紫光祿大夫，妻高密叔孫氏遷陵永平鄉君。 雋子燾、熹，並自有傳。
Empress Wujing of the Zang clan, whose personal name was Aiqin, came from Dongguan. Her grandfather Zang Wang was a gentleman of the masters of writing; her father Zang Juan served as merit officer of the commandery. She married Liu Yu, the future Emperor Wu of Song, and bore Princess Xingdi of Kuaiji, titled Xuanchang. The emperor led by frugal example; the empress was reverent and careful and never overstepped her place. On the jiazi day of the first month in 408, the fourth year of Yixi, she died in the Eastern City; she was posthumously made lady of the Duke of Yuzhang and returned for burial to Dantu. On his deathbed the emperor left orders that she be kept for burial at Jiankang. The full imperial escort was then sent to receive her coffin, and she was buried beside him at Chuning Mausoleum. At the founding of Song, Juan was posthumously enfeoffed as grand master for splendid happiness with the golden seal and purple cord, and his wife, née Shusun of Gaomi, was raised to lady of Yongping township. Juan's sons Zang Tao and Zang Xi each have their own biography.
14
武帝夫人張闕
Lady Zhang of Emperor Wu.
15
武帝張夫人，諱闕，不知何許人也。 生少帝及義興恭長公主惠媛。 永初元年拜夫人。 少帝即位，有司奏上尊號為皇太后，宮曰永樂。 少帝廢，太后還璽紱，隨居吳郡。 文帝元嘉元年，拜營陽國太妃，二年薨。
Lady Zhang of Emperor Wu, whose personal name was Que, was of unknown origin. She bore Liu Yifu, the lesser emperor, and Princess Huiyuan of Yixing, titled Gongchang. In 420, the first year of Yongchu, she was appointed Lady. When the lesser emperor succeeded, the relevant offices proposed honoring her as empress dowager and assigning her Yongle Palace. After the lesser emperor was deposed, she surrendered the seals and regalia and withdrew to Wu commandery. In 424, the first year of Yuanjia, Emperor Wen made her grand princess consort of Yingyang; she died the following year.
16
文章皇太后胡道安
Empress Dowager Wenzhang, Hu Dao'an.
17
文章胡太后諱道安，淮南人也。 義熙初，武帝所納。 文帝生五年，被譴賜死，葬丹徒。 武帝踐阼，追贈婕妤。 文帝即位，有司奏上尊號曰：「章皇太后」，陵曰：「熙寧」，立廟建鄴。
Empress Dowager Wenzhang of the Hu clan, whose personal name was Dao'an, came from Huainan. In the early Yixi era she entered the household of Liu Yu, the future Emperor Wu of Song. When her son, the future Emperor Wen, was five years old, she was condemned and ordered to take her own life; she was buried at Dantu. After Emperor Wu took the throne, she was posthumously made Fair Lady. When Emperor Wen succeeded, the relevant offices proposed honoring her as "Empress Dowager Wenzhang," naming her tomb "Xining," and building a temple for her at Jiankang.
18
少帝司馬皇后諱茂英，晉恭帝女也。 初封海鹽公主，少帝以公子尚焉。 宋初拜皇太子妃，少帝即位，為皇后。 元嘉元年，降為營陽王妃，又為南豐王太妃。 十六年薨。
Empress Sima of the lesser emperor, whose personal name was Maoying, was a daughter of Emperor Gong of Jin. She was first enfeoffed as Princess of Haiyan, and the lesser emperor married her while he was still heir apparent. At the founding of Song she became crown princess, and when the lesser emperor succeeded she was made empress. In the first year of Yuanjia she was demoted to princess of Yingyang and later made grand consort of the Prince of Nanfeng. She died in the sixteenth year.
19
文元皇后袁齊媯
Empress Wenyuan, Yuan Qiji.
20
文元袁皇后諱齊媯，陳郡陽夏人，左光祿大夫湛之庶女也。 母本卑賤，后年至六歲方見舉。 後適文帝，初拜宜都王妃，生子劭、東陽獻公主英娥。 上待后恩禮甚篤，袁氏貧薄，后每就上求錢帛以贍之。 上性儉，所得不過五三萬、五三十匹。 後潘淑妃有寵，愛傾後宮，咸言所求無不得。 后聞之，未知信否，乃因潘求三十萬錢與家，以觀上意，宿昔便得。 因此恚恨稱疾，不復見上，遂憤恚成疾。 元嘉十七年疾篤，上執手流涕，問所欲言。 后視上良久，乃引被覆面，崩于顯陽殿。 上甚悼痛之，詔前永嘉太守顏延之為哀策，文甚麗。 及奏，上自益「撫存悼亡，感今懷昔。」 八字以致意焉。 有司奏諡宣皇后，詔諡曰元。 初，后生劭，自詳視之，使馳白帝：「此兒形貌異常，必破國亡家，不可舉。」 便欲殺之。 文帝狼狽至後殿戶外，手掇幔禁之乃止。
Empress Wenyuan of the Yuan clan, whose personal name was Qiji, came from Yangxia in Chen commandery and was a secondary daughter of Yuan Zhanzhi, left grand master for splendid happiness. Her mother came from humble stock, and the empress was not formally recognized in the household until she was six. She later married Emperor Wen and was first made princess of Yidu; she bore Liu Shao and Princess Ying'e of Dongyang, titled Xian. The emperor loved and honored her deeply; the Yuan family were poor, and whenever she visited him she asked for money and silk to support them. Frugal by nature, he never gave her more than thirty to fifty thousand cash or thirty to fifty bolts of silk. Later, when Virtuous Consort Pan won the emperor's favor, the whole inner palace said that whatever she asked for was granted. Hearing this and unsure whether to believe it, the empress asked Pan to request three hundred thousand cash for her family as a test of the emperor's mind — and the money arrived overnight. Stung by this, she claimed illness and refused to see the emperor again, until resentment and rage made her genuinely ill. In the seventeenth year of Yuanjia she fell critically ill; the emperor clasped her hand in tears and asked what she wanted to say. The empress looked at him a long while, then pulled the coverlet over her face and died in Xianyang Hall. Deeply grieved, the emperor ordered Yan Yanzhi, former administrator of Yongjia, to write a funeral elegy of exceptional beauty. When the elegy was presented, the emperor added eight characters of his own: "Comfort the living and mourn the dead; moved by the present, I think of the past." With these eight characters he made his meaning plain. The relevant offices proposed the posthumous title Empress Xuan, and an edict fixed her temple name as Yuan. When she first gave birth to Shao, she studied him closely and sent a messenger racing to the emperor: "This child's looks are strange; he will ruin the realm and end the house — he must not be kept." She then wanted to kill the child. Emperor Wen came in haste to the rear hall's outer door, caught the curtain in his hand, and forbade her — only then did she desist.
21
后亡後，常有小小靈應。 明帝所生沈美人嘗以非罪見責，應賜死，從後昔所住徽音殿前度。 此殿有五間，自后崩後常閉。 美人至殿前流涕大言曰：「今日無罪就死，先後若有靈當知之。」 殿戶應聲豁然開，職掌者遽白文帝，驚往視之，美人乃得釋。 大明五年，孝武乃詔追后之所生外祖親王夫人為豫章郡新淦平樂鄉君，又詔趙、蕭、臧光祿、袁敬公、平樂鄉君墓，先未給塋戶，各給蠻戶三以供灑掃。 後公湛之自有傳。
After her death there were frequent minor signs of her spirit. Shen the Beauty, Emperor Ming's mother, was once condemned for a faultless offense and ordered to die; she was led past Huiyin Hall, where the late empress had once dwelt. The hall had five bays and had remained shut since the empress died. At the hall she wept and cried aloud: "Today I die though I am guiltless; if the late empress's spirit lives, let it know." The hall doors burst open at once; attendants rushed to tell Emperor Wen, who came in alarm to see — and the Beauty was spared. In the fifth year of Daming, Emperor Xiaowu posthumously enfeoffed the empress's maternal grandmother Lady Wang as lady of Pingle township in Xingan, Yuzhang commandery, and ordered that the tombs of Zhao, Xiao, Zang the grand master for splendid happiness, Duke Jing of Yuan, and the lady of Pingle township — none yet assigned grave households — each receive three barbarian households for upkeep. Yuan Zhanzhi is treated in a separate biography later in the work.
22
潘淑妃
Virtuous Consort Pan.
23
潘淑妃者，本以貌進，始未見賞。 帝好乘羊車經諸房，淑妃每莊飾褰帷以候，並密令左右以鹹水灑地。 帝每至戶，羊輒舐地不去。 帝曰：「羊乃為汝徘徊，況於人乎。」 于此愛傾後宮。
Virtuous Consort Pan had been taken into the palace for her looks, but at first won no favor. The emperor liked to ride a goat-cart through the inner quarters; each time she dressed with care, lifted the curtain, and waited, while secretly ordering attendants to sprinkle the ground with salt water. Whenever the emperor reached her door, the goats would lick the salted ground and linger. The emperor said, "Even the goats pause for you — how much more should a man!" From then on his favor for her eclipsed every other woman in the inner palace.
24
孝武昭皇太后路惠男
Empress Dowager Zhaowu Lu Hui'nan of Emperor Xiaowu.
25
孝武昭路太后諱惠男，丹陽建康人也。 以色貌選入後宮，生孝武帝，拜為淑媛。 及年長，無寵，常隨孝武出蕃。 孝武即位，有司奏奉尊號曰太后，宮曰崇憲。 太后居顯陽殿，上於閨房之內禮敬甚寡，有所禦幸，或留止太后房內，故人間咸有醜聲。 宮掖事秘，亦莫能辨也。
Empress Dowager Zhaowu of the Lu clan, whose personal name was Hui'nan, came from Jiankang in Danyang commandery. Taken into the inner palace for her beauty, she bore the future Emperor Xiaowu and was made virtuous lady of honor. As he grew up she fell from favor and often accompanied him when he was sent to govern a princely domain. When Emperor Xiaowu succeeded, the relevant offices proposed honoring her as empress dowager and assigning her Chongxian Palace. She dwelt in Xianyang Hall; within the private quarters the emperor paid her scant formal respect, and when he visited her he sometimes spent the night in her rooms — so ugly rumors spread among the people. Inner-palace matters were closely guarded, and no one could settle what was true.
26
孝建二年，追贈太后父興之散騎常侍，興之妻余杭縣廣昌鄉君。 大明四年，太后弟子撫軍參軍瓊之上表自陳。 有司承旨，奏贈瓊之父道慶給事中，瓊之及弟休之、茂之並居顯職。 太后頗豫政事，賜與瓊之等財物，家累千金，居處器服與帝子相侔。 大明五年，太后隨上巡南豫州，妃主以下並從。 廢帝立，號太皇太后。 明帝踐阼，號崇憲太后。
In the second year of Xiaojian her father Xingzhi was posthumously made attendant at the palace gate, and his wife was enfeoffed as lady of Guangchang township in Yuhang county. In the fourth year of Daming her nephew Qiong, a staff officer on the army of suppression, memorialized in his own name. Acting on the emperor's wish, the relevant offices posthumously made Qiong's father Daoqing attendant within the palace and placed Qiong and his brothers Xiuzhi and Maozhi in high office. She meddled in government and lavished goods on Qiong and his kin until their household held thousands in gold and their homes, furnishings, and dress rivaled the imperial princes. In the fifth year of Daming she accompanied the emperor on a tour of southern Yuzhou, with princesses and ladies of rank and below in attendance. When the deposed emperor succeeded, she was honored as grand empress dowager. When Emperor Ming took the throne, she was styled Empress Dowager Chongxian.
27
初，明帝少失所生，為太后所攝養，撫愛甚篤。 及即位，供奉禮儀，不異舊日。 有司奏宜別居外宮，詔欲親奉晨昏，盡歡閨禁，不如所奏。 及聞義嘉難作，太后心幸之，延上飲酒，置毒以進。 侍者引上衣，上寤，起以其卮上壽。 是日太后崩，秘之，喪事如禮。 遷殯東宮，題曰崇憲宮。 又詔述太后恩慈，特齊衰三月，以申追遠。 諡曰昭皇太后，葬孝武陵東南，號曰修寧陵。
When young, Emperor Ming had lost his birth mother and was taken in and raised by the empress dowager, who loved him devotedly. When he succeeded, the rites of attendance were unchanged from former days. The relevant offices proposed that she should live apart in an outer palace, but an edict said he wished to attend her morning and evening in person and find full joy within the inner quarters, and the proposal was not adopted. When he heard that the Yijia rebellion had broken out, the empress dowager inwardly rejoiced, invited him to drink, and set poison in the cup she offered. An attendant tugged at his robe; the emperor awoke, rose, and offered her his own cup in toast. That same day the empress dowager died; the matter was kept secret and mourning followed the rites. Her coffin was moved to the Eastern Palace, which was titled Chongxian Palace. An edict also recounted the empress dowager's kindness and granted special three-month mourning in qi sackcloth to express remembrance of the dead. She received the posthumous title Empress Dowager Zhaowu and was buried southeast of Xiaowu Mausoleum in a tomb called Xiuning Mausoleum.
28
先是，晉安王子勳未平，巫者謂宜開昭太后陵，毀去梓宮以厭勝。 修復倉卒，不得如禮。 上性忌，慮將來致災，泰始四年夏，詔有司曰：「崇憲昭太后修甯陵地，大明之世，久所考卜。 前歲遭諸蕃之難，禮從權宜，未暇營改，而塋隧之所，山原卑陋，可式遵舊典，以禮改創。」 有司奏請「修甯陵玄宮補葺毀壞，權施油殿，暫出梓宮，事畢即窆」。 詔可。 廢帝景和中，又追贈興之侍中、金紫光祿大夫，諡曰孝侯。 道慶光祿大夫、開府儀同三司，諡曰敬侯。 道慶女為皇后，以休之為侍中。
Earlier, while Prince Jin'an Zixun's rebellion was still unsettled, a shaman said the tomb of Empress Dowager Zhaowu should be opened and the inner coffin removed to break the spell. The work was done in haste and could not observe full rites. Superstitious by nature and fearing later disaster, in the summer of the fourth year of Taishi he ordered the relevant offices: "The burial ground of Empress Dowager Chongxian Zhaowu at Xiuning Mausoleum was divined and chosen long ago in the Daming era. Last year's troubles among the princes forced ritual aside, and there was no time to rebuild; yet the site is low and poor — let the old statutes be followed and the tomb remade in proper form." The relevant offices proposed "repairing the deep chamber at Xiuning Mausoleum, patching what was damaged, temporarily erecting an oiled hall and removing the inner coffin, and reinterring it as soon as the work was done." The edict was approved. In the Jinghe era under the deposed emperor, Xingzhi was posthumously made palace attendant and grand master for splendid happiness with the golden seal and purple cord, with the posthumous title Marquis Xiao. Daoqing was posthumously made grand master for splendid happiness and grand marshal with honors equal to the Three Excellencies, with the posthumous title Marquis Jing. Daoqing's daughter was made empress, and Xiuzhi was appointed palace attendant.
29
明宣皇太后沈容姬
Empress Dowager Mingxuan Shen Rongji.
30
明宣沈太后諱容姬，不知何許人也。 為文帝美人，生明帝，拜婕妤。 元嘉三十年卒，葬建康之莫府山。 孝武即位，追贈湘東國太妃。 明帝即位，有司奏上尊號為皇太后，諡曰宣，陵號崇寧。
Empress Dowager Mingxuan of the Shen clan, whose personal name was Rongji, was of unknown origin. A beauty of Emperor Wen, she bore the future Emperor Ming and was made fair lady. She died in the thirtieth year of Yuanjia and was buried on Mount Mofu near Jiankang. When Emperor Xiaowu succeeded, she was posthumously made grand consort of the Xiangdong kingdom. When Emperor Ming took the throne, the relevant offices proposed honoring her as empress dowager with the posthumous title Xuan and the tomb name Chongning.
31
孝武文穆王皇后諱憲嫄，琅邪臨沂人也。 元嘉二十年，拜武陵王妃，生廢帝、豫章王子尚、山陰公主楚玉、臨淮康哀公主楚佩、皇女楚琇、康樂公主修明。 孝武在蕃，后甚寵異，及即位為皇后焉。
Empress Wenmu Wang of Emperor Xiaowu, whose personal name was Xianyuan, came from Linyi in Langya commandery. In the twentieth year of Yuanjia she became princess of Wuling and bore the future deposed emperor, Liu Shang Prince of Yuzhang, Princess Chuyu of Shanyin, Princess Chupei of Linhuai titled Kang'ai, the imperial daughter Chuxiu, and Princess Xiuming of Kangle. While Emperor Xiaowu was still a prince she was greatly favored, and when he succeeded she was made empress.
32
大明四年，后率六宮躬桑於西郊，皇太后觀禮，妃主以下並加班錫。 廢帝即位，尊曰皇太后，宮曰永訓。 其年崩于含章殿，祔葬景寧陵。 父偃別有傳。
In the fourth year of Daming the empress led the inner palace in picking mulberry leaves at the western suburb while the empress dowager watched the rites; princesses and ladies of rank and below all received extra gifts of silk. When the deposed emperor succeeded, she was honored as empress dowager and assigned Yongxun Palace. That same year she died in Hanzhang Hall and was buried with the emperor at Jingning Mausoleum. Her father Wang Yan has a separate biography.
33
殷淑儀，南郡王義宣女也。 麗色巧笑。 義宣敗後，帝密取之，寵冠後宮。 假姓殷氏，左右宣洩者多死，故當時莫知所出。 及薨，帝常思見之，遂為通替棺，欲見輒引替睹屍，如此積日，形色不異。 追贈貴妃，諡曰宣。 及葬，給轀輬車、虎賁、班劍。 鑾輅九旒、黃屋左纛、前後部羽葆、鼓吹，上自于南掖門臨，過喪車，悲不自勝，左右莫不掩泣。 上痛愛不已，精神罔罔，頗廢政事。 每寢，先於靈床酌奠酒飲之，既而慟哭不能自反。 又諷有司奏曰：「據春秋，仲子非魯惠西元嫡，尚得考別宮。 今貴妃蓋天秩之崇班，理應創新。」 乃立別廟於都下。
Virtuous Lady Yin was a daughter of Prince Yixuan of Nanjun. She was beautiful and smiled with grace. After Yixuan's defeat the emperor secretly took her for himself, and her favor surpassed all in the inner palace. She was given the surname Yin in pretense; many of those around her who revealed the matter died, so at the time none knew her origin. When she died the emperor constantly longed to see her; he therefore had a removable coffin made, and whenever he wished to see her he drew back the cover and looked upon the corpse; for many days her form and color did not change. She was posthumously granted the title noble consort with the posthumous name Xuan. At her burial she was given a wheeled hearse, tiger guards, and the ranked sword. The imperial carriage with nine tassels, yellow canopy with left banner, feathered parasols before and behind, and wind and drum music were provided; the emperor himself went out to the Southern Flank Gate, passed the funeral carriage, and was overcome with grief; those around him all covered their faces and wept. The emperor's grief and love would not cease; his spirit was dazed and he largely neglected state affairs. Each time he slept he first poured offering wine at the spirit couch and drank it, then wailed in grief and could not recover himself. He also prompted the relevant offices to memorialize: "According to the Spring and Autumn Annals, although Zhongzi was not the legitimate heir of Duke Hui of Lu, a separate temple could still be established for his father. Now the noble consort held a lofty rank in heaven's order and ought by right to have a new temple established." A separate temple was therefore established in the capital.
34
時有巫者能見鬼，說帝言貴妃可致。 帝大喜，令召之。 有少頃，果於帷中見形如平生。 帝欲與之言，默然不對。 將執手，奄然便歇，帝尤哽恨，於是擬李夫人賦以寄意焉。 謝莊作哀策文奏之，帝臥覽讀，起坐流涕曰：「不謂當今復有此才。」 都下傳寫，紙墨為之貴。 或云，貴妃是殷琰家人入義宣家，義宣敗入宮云。
A shaman who claimed to see ghosts told the emperor the late consort could be brought back. The emperor was overjoyed and ordered the rite performed. Before long a figure appeared within the curtain, looking as she had in life. The emperor tried to speak with her, but she stayed silent and gave no answer. As he reached for her hand she vanished; stricken with regret, he wrote a piece modeled on the Rhapsody on Lady Li to pour out his grief. Xie Zhuang wrote a funeral elegy and presented it; the emperor read it in bed, then sat up in tears and said, "I did not think such talent still existed in our time." Copies raced through the capital, and paper and ink soared in price. Some say she was kin of Yin Yan who entered Prince Yixuan's household and, after his fall, was taken into the palace.
35
前廢帝皇后何令婉
Empress He Lingwan of the former deposed emperor.
36
前廢帝何皇后諱令婉，廬江灊人也。 孝建三年，納為皇太子妃。 大明五年，薨於東宮徽光殿，諡曰獻妃。 廢帝即位，追崇曰獻皇后。 明帝踐阼，遷后與廢帝合葬龍山北。
Empress He of the former deposed emperor, whose personal name was Lingwan, came from Qian in Lujiang commandery. In the third year of Xiaojian she was made crown princess. In the fifth year of Daming she died in Huiguang Hall in the Eastern Palace and received the posthumous title Consort Xian. When the deposed emperor succeeded, she was posthumously honored as Empress Xian. When Emperor Ming took the throne, she was reinterred beside the deposed emperor north of Longshan.
37
后父瑀字幼玉，晉尚書左僕射澄曾孫也。 瑀尚武帝少女豫章康長公主諱次男。 公主先適徐喬，美容色，聰敏有智數。 文帝世，禮待特隆。 瑀豪競于時，與平昌孟靈休、東海何勖等並以輿馬相尚。 公主與瑀情愛隆密，何氏疏戚莫不沾被恩禮。 瑀位右衛將軍，公主薨，瑀墓開，孝武追贈瑀金紫光祿大夫。 子邁尚文帝第十女新蔡公主諱英媚。 邁少以貴戚居顯官，好犬馬馳逐，多聚才力士，位南濟陰太守。 廢帝納公主于後宮，偽言薨殞，殺一婢送出邁第，殯葬行喪禮，常疑邁有異圖。 邁亦招聚同志，欲因行廢立，事覺見誅。 明帝即位，追封建甯縣侯。
The empress's father He Yu, styled Youyu, was a great-grandson of He Cheng, left vice director of the Masters of Writing under Jin. He Yu married Emperor Wu's youngest daughter, Princess Kang of Yuzhang, whose personal name was Cinan. The princess had first been married to Xu Qiao; she was beautiful and clever, with a ready mind for stratagem. During Emperor Wen's reign she received exceptional ceremonial honor. He Yu was extravagant and competitive in his day; with Meng Lingxiu of Pingchang, He Xu of Donghai, and others he vied in chariots and horses. The princess and He Yu were deeply devoted to one another, and every near and distant kinsman of the He clan shared in their favor and ceremony. He Yu held the post of general of the right guard; when the princess died and his tomb was opened, Emperor Xiaowu posthumously granted him grand master for splendid happiness with the golden seal and purple cord. His son He Mai married Emperor Wen's tenth daughter, Princess Yingmei of Xincai. He Mai, still young and by virtue of imperial kinship holding a prominent office, loved dogs, horses, and racing; he gathered many talented strongmen and served as governor of southern Jiyin. The deposed emperor took the princess into the inner palace, falsely reported her death, killed a maid and sent her body to Mai's residence, conducted burial and mourning rites, and constantly suspected Mai of treacherous designs. He Mai also gathered like-minded men and planned to use the funeral procession to depose and enthrone; when the plot was discovered he was executed. When Emperor Ming succeeded, He Mai was posthumously enfeoffed as marquis of Jianning county.
38
瑀兄子衍性躁動，位黃門郎，拜竟，求司徒司馬； 得司馬，復求太子右率； 拜一二日，復求侍中。 旬日之間，求進無已。 不得侍中，以怨詈賜死。
Yu Yu's nephew Yan was impulsive by nature; once made gentleman at the yellow gates, he immediately asked to be secretary of the minister of works; given that office, he next demanded the post of right leader of the crown prince's guard; a day or two after that appointment he asked to be palace attendant. Within ten days he pressed for advancement without pause. Denied the post of palace attendant, he cursed in anger and was ordered to die.
39
明恭王皇后諱貞風，琅邪臨沂人也。 初拜淮陽王妃，明帝改封，又為湘東王妃。 生晉陵長公主伯姒、建安長公主伯媛。 明帝即位，立為皇后。 上嘗宮內大集，而裸婦人觀之，以為歡笑。 后以扇鄣面，獨無所言。 帝怒曰：「外舍家寒乞，今共作笑樂，何獨不視。」 后曰：「為樂之事，其方自多； 豈有姑姊妹集聚，而裸婦人形體，以此為樂。 外舍為歡適，與此不同。」 帝大怒，令后起。 后兄揚州刺史景文以此事語從舅陳郡謝綽曰：「后在家為儜弱婦人，不知今段遂能剛正如此。」 廢帝即位，尊為皇太后，宮曰弘訓。 廢帝失德，太后每加勖譬，始猶見順，後狂慝稍甚。 太后嘗賜帝玉柄毛扇，帝嫌毛扇不華，因此欲加酖害，令太醫煮藥。 左右止之曰：「若行此事，官便作孝子，豈得出入狡獪。」 帝曰：「汝語大有理。」 乃止。 順帝即位，齊高帝執權，宗室劉晃、劉綽、卜伯興等有異志，太后頗與相關。 順帝禪位，太后與帝遜于東邸，因遷居丹陽宮，拜汝陰王太妃。 順帝殂於丹陽，更立第都下。 建元元年，薨於第，追加諡，葬以宋禮。 后父僧朗，別有傳。 後廢帝陳太妃諱妙登，丹陽建康屠家女也。 孝武嘗使尉司採訪人間子女有姿色者，太妃家在建康縣，居有草屋兩三間。 上出行，問尉曰：「御道那得此草屋，當由家貧。」 賜錢三萬，令起瓦屋。 尉自送錢與之，家人並行，唯太妃在家，時年十二三。 尉見其美，即以白孝武，於是迎入宮，在路太后房內。 經二年再呼不見幸，太后因言于上，以賜明帝。 始有寵，一年衰歇，以賜李道兒。 尋又迎還，生廢帝。 先是人間言明帝不男，故皆呼廢帝為李氏子。 廢帝后每微行，自稱李將軍，或自謂李統。 明帝即位，拜貴妃，秩同皇太子。 廢帝踐阼，有司奏上尊號曰皇太妃，輿服一如晉孝武李太妃故事。 宮曰弘化，置家令一人，改諸國太妃曰太姬。 升明初，降為蒼梧王太妃。
Empress Minggong Wang, whose personal name was Zhenfeng, came from Linyi in Langya commandery. At first she was made princess of Huaiyang; when Emperor Ming changed her enfeoffment she became princess of Xiangdong. She bore Princess Bosi of Jinling titled Chang and Princess Boyuan of Jian'an titled Chang. When Emperor Ming succeeded she was made empress. The emperor once held a great gathering within the palace and had naked women displayed for viewing as amusement. The empress screened her face with a fan and alone said nothing. The emperor said angrily, "You come from a poor outer household; now we are all sharing laughter and pleasure — why alone do you not look?" The empress said, "For pleasure there are many proper ways; how could aunts and sisters gather together and take the naked bodies of women as their amusement? The pleasures of outer households are not like this." The emperor was greatly enraged and ordered the empress to rise and leave. The empress's elder brother Jingwen, governor of Yang Province, spoke of the matter to her mother's brother Xie Chuo of Chen commandery, saying, "At home the empress was a timid, yielding woman; I did not know she could now be so stern and upright." When the deposed emperor succeeded she was honored as empress dowager and assigned Hongxun Palace. The deposed emperor was lacking in virtue; the empress dowager often admonished and exhorted him, and at first he still yielded, but later his madness and cruelty grew worse. The empress dowager once gave the emperor a jade-handled feather fan; he disliked the fan as not splendid enough and therefore wished to poison her, ordering the imperial physician to brew the drug. Those around him stopped him, saying, "If you do this, Your Majesty will become a filial son — how then could you go in and out freely?" The emperor said, "Your words make great sense." He therefore stopped. When Emperor Shun succeeded, Emperor Gao of Qi held power; members of the imperial clan such as Liu Huang, Liu Chuo, and Bu Boxing harbored disloyal designs, and the empress dowager was rather involved with them. When Emperor Shun abdicated, the empress dowager and the emperor withdrew to the eastern residence; she then moved to Danyang Palace and was honored as grand consort of the Prince of Ruyin. When Emperor Shun died at Danyang, a new residence was established for her in the capital. In the first year of Jianyuan she died at her residence; a posthumous title was added and she was buried according to Song rites. The empress's father Wang Senglang has a separate biography. Grand Consort Chen of the later deposed emperor, whose personal name was Miaodeng, was a butcher's daughter from Jiankang in Danyang commandery. Emperor Xiaowu once sent the commandery and county offices to search among the people for sons and daughters of fine appearance; the grand consort's family lived in Jiankang county in two or three thatched huts. On an outing the emperor asked the county magistrate, "How does this thatched hut stand on the imperial roadway? It must be because the family is poor." He granted thirty thousand cash and ordered a tiled house built. The magistrate himself delivered the money; the family had all gone out and only the grand consort was at home, then twelve or thirteen years old. The magistrate saw her beauty and reported it to Emperor Xiaowu; she was then brought into the palace and lodged along the way in the empress dowager's quarters. After two years she was summoned again but never favored; the empress dowager therefore spoke to the emperor and had her given to Emperor Ming. At first she enjoyed favor, but after a year it faded and she was given to Li Dao'er. Soon she was brought back again and bore the deposed emperor. Earlier people had said Emperor Ming was not virile, so all called the deposed emperor a son of the Li clan. After the deposed emperor took the throne, whenever he went out in disguise he called himself General Li or styled himself Li Tong. When Emperor Ming succeeded she was made noble consort with rank equal to the crown prince. When the deposed emperor ascended the throne, the relevant offices memorialized that she be honored as grand empress dowager, with carriage and robes following the precedent of Grand Consort Li of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin. Her palace was called Honghua; one household steward was appointed, and grand consorts of the various states were renamed grand ladies. At the beginning of Shengming she was reduced to grand consort of the Prince of Cangwu.
40
後廢帝江皇后諱簡珪，濟陽考城人也。 泰始五年，明帝訪太子妃而雅信小數，名家女多不合。 江氏雖為華族，而后父祖並已亡，弟又弱小，以卜筮吉，故為太子納之。 六年，拜皇太子妃，諷朝士州郡皆令獻物，多者將直百金。 始興太守孫奉伯止獻琴書，其外無餘物。 上大怒，封藥賜死，既而原之。 太子即帝位，立為皇后。 帝既廢，降后為蒼梧王妃。 祖智深自有傳。
Empress Jiang of the later deposed emperor, whose personal name was Jiangui, came from Kaocheng in Jiyang commandery. In the fifth year of Taishi Emperor Ming sought a crown princess but relied on numerology; daughters of great houses mostly failed the auguries. Though the Jiang were a noble clan, her father and grandfather were dead and her younger brother still a child; because the divination was favorable, she was chosen as crown princess. In the sixth year she became crown princess; courtiers and provincial officials were quietly told to send gifts, the richest worth nearly a hundred gold pieces. Sun Fengbo, administrator of Shixing, sent only a zither and books and nothing more. The emperor flew into a rage, sealed poison and ordered his death, then afterward relented. When the crown prince became emperor, she was made empress. After the emperor's deposition she was reduced to princess consort of Cangwu. Her grandfather Jiang Zhishen has a separate biography.
41
順陳太妃諱法容，丹陽建康人也。 明帝素肥，晚年廢疾不能內禦，諸弟姬人有懷孕者，輒取以入宮。 及生男，皆殺其母，而與六宮所愛者養之。 順帝，桂陽王休範子也，以陳昭華為母。 明帝崩，昭華拜安成王太妃。 順帝即位，進為皇太妃。 順帝禪位，去皇存太妃之號。
Grand Consort Chen of Emperor Shun, whose personal name was Farong, came from Jiankang in Danyang commandery. Emperor Ming had always been stout; in his later years illness left him unable to attend the inner quarters himself, and whenever a younger brother's concubine became pregnant she was taken into the palace. When a son was born the mother was always killed, and the child was raised by a woman favored in the inner palace. Emperor Shun was the son of Prince Guiyang Liu Xiufan and took Chen Zhaohua as his mother. When Emperor Ming died, Chen Zhaohua was made grand consort of the Prince of Ancheng. When Emperor Shun succeeded, she was advanced to grand empress dowager. When Emperor Shun abdicated, the title of grand empress dowager was dropped and she remained only as grand consort.
42
順皇后謝梵境
Empress Xie Fanjing of Emperor Shun.
43
順謝皇后諱梵境，陳郡陽夏人。 右光祿大夫莊之孫也。 父揚，車騎功曹。 升明二年，立為皇后。 順帝禪位，降為汝陰王妃。 祖莊自有傳。
Empress Xie of Emperor Shun, whose personal name was Fanjing, came from Yangxia in Chen commandery. She was a granddaughter of Xie Zhuang, right grand master for splendid happiness. Her father Yang was a merit officer on the staff of the commander of chariots and cavalry. In the second year of Shengming she was made empress. When Emperor Shun abdicated the throne, she was reduced to princess consort of Runan. Her grandfather Xie Zhuang has a separate biography.
44
南朝齊
Southern Qi.
45
宣孝皇后陳道止
Empress Xuanxiao Chen Daozhi.
46
齊宣孝陳皇后諱道止，臨淮東陽人，魏司徒矯之後也。 后家貧，少勤織作，家人矜其勞，或止之，后終不改。 嫁于宣帝。 宣帝庶生子衡陽元王道度、始安貞王道生，后生高帝。 高帝年二歲，乳人乏乳，后夢人以兩甌麻粥與之，覺而乳驚，因此豐足。 宣帝從任在外，后常留家，有相者謂后曰：「夫人有貴子而不見之。」 后歎曰：「我三子，誰當應之？」 呼高帝小字曰：「政應是汝耳。」
Empress Xuanxiao of the Chen clan, whose personal name was Daozhi, came from Dongyang in Linhuai commandery and was descended from Chen Jiao, minister of works of Wei. Her family was poor, and from girlhood she wove and worked without rest. Relatives pitied her toil and tried to make her stop, but she never changed her ways. She married Emperor Xuan. Emperor Xuan's sons by concubines were Prince Daodu of Hengyang and Prince Daosheng of Shi'an; afterward she bore Emperor Gao. When Emperor Gao was two, his wet nurse could not supply enough milk. The empress dreamed that someone handed her two bowls of hemp porridge; she awoke to find her milk flowing freely, and from then on it was ample. Emperor Xuan was posted away from home while the empress stayed behind. A physiognomist told her, "My lady has a son of great rank, yet I have not laid eyes on him." The empress sighed. "I have three sons — which of them can it be?" She called Emperor Gao by his childhood name and said, "It must be you."
47
宣帝殂後，后親執勤，婢使有過，皆恕而不問。 高帝雖從宦，而家業本貧，為建康令時，明帝等冬月猶無縑纊，而奉膳甚厚，后每撤去兼肉，曰：「於我過足矣。」 殂於縣舍。 升明二年，追贈竟陵公國太夫人。 齊國建，為齊國太妃，並蜜印、畫青綬，祠乙太牢。 建元元年，追尊孝皇后。 贈外祖父肇之金紫光祿大夫，諡敬侯，后母胡氏為永昌縣靖君。
After Emperor Xuan died, the empress personally attended to duties; when maids and attendants erred, she always pardoned them without inquiry. Although Emperor Gao followed an official career, the family had originally been poor; when he was magistrate of Jiankang, in winter Ming and the others still lacked padded silk, yet the meals sent were very rich, and the empress always removed the extra meat, saying, "For me this is more than enough." She died in the county residence. In the second year of Shengming she was posthumously granted the title grand lady of the duchy of Jingling. When the state of Qi was established she became grand consort of Qi, with honey seal and painted blue cord, and was sacrificed to with the yi grand victim. In the first year of Jianyuan she was posthumously honored as Empress Xiao. Her maternal grandfather Zhaozhi was granted grand master for splendid happiness with the golden seal and purple cord and the posthumous title Marquis Jing; her mother, née Hu, was enfeoffed as lady of Yongchang county titled Jing.
48
永明九年，詔太廟四時祭，宣皇帝薦起面餅鴨榷，孝皇后薦筍鴨卵脯醬炙白肉，高皇帝薦肉膾葅羹，昭皇后薦茗粣炙魚。 並生平所嗜也。
In the ninth year of Yongming an edict fixed the offerings for the four seasonal sacrifices at the imperial temple: Emperor Xuan — risen dough cakes, duck, and pickled fruits; Empress Xiao — bamboo shoots, duck eggs, dried meat, sauce, and roasted white meat; Emperor Gao — minced meat, pickled vegetables, and broth; Empress Liu — tea, rice cakes, and roasted fish. Each offering was a food they had loved in life.
49
高昭皇后劉智容
Empress Gaozhao Liu Zhirong.
50
高昭劉皇后諱智容，廣陵人也。 祖玄之，父壽之，並員外郎。 后母桓氏，夢吞玉勝生后，時有紫光滿室，以告壽之。 壽之曰：「恨非是男。」 桓笑曰：「雖女亦足興家矣。」 後寢臥，見有羽蓋蔭其上，家人試察之，常見其上掩藹如有雲氣。
Empress Gaozhao of the Liu clan, whose personal name was Zhirong, came from Guangling. Her grandfather Liu Xuanzhi and her father Liu Shouzhi were both supernumerary gentlemen. The empress's mother, Lady Huan, dreamed that she swallowed a jade ornament and then bore the empress; purple light filled the room, and she told Shouzhi. Shouzhi said, "Pity it is not a son." Lady Huan smiled and said, "Even a daughter can lift a house." Later, as she slept, a feathered canopy seemed to shade her; when the household looked closely, a cloudy mist often hung above her bed.
51
年十七，裴方明為子求婚，酬許已定，后夢見先有迎車至，猶如常家迎法，后不肯去； 次有迎至，龍旗豹尾，有異于常，后喜而從之。 既而與裴氏不成婚，竟嬪於上。 嚴整有軌度，造次必依禮法。 生太子及豫章王嶷。 太子初在孕，后嘗歸寧，遇家奉祠，爾日陰晦失曉，舉家狼狽共營祭食。 后助炒胡麻，始復內薪，未及索火，火便自然。 宋泰豫元年殂，歸葬宣帝墓側，則泰安陵也。 門生王清與墓工始下鍤，有白兔跳起，尋之不得。 及墳成，兔還棲其上。 升明二年，贈竟陵公國夫人。 三年，贈齊國妃印綬。 齊建元元年，尊諡昭皇后。 二年。 贈后父壽之金紫光祿大夫，母桓氏上虞都鄉君。
At seventeen, Pei Fangming sought her in marriage for his son and terms had already been agreed; the empress dreamed that first a welcoming carriage arrived as in an ordinary household betrothal, and she refused to go; then another welcome came with dragon banners and leopard tails, unlike the ordinary, and the empress gladly followed it. In the end she did not marry into the Pei clan but became consort to the emperor. She was strict and orderly, with measured conduct; in every action she followed ritual and law. She bore the crown prince and Liu Nie, Prince of Yuzhang. When the crown prince was first in the womb the empress once returned home for a visit and found the household preparing a sacrifice; that day was dark and overcast and dawn was missed, and the whole family hurried together to prepare the sacrificial food. The empress helped roast sesame; firewood was brought in again, and before fire could be sought the flame appeared of itself. In the first year of Taiyu of Song she died and was buried beside Emperor Xuan's tomb at Tai'an Mausoleum. When her student Wang Qing and the tomb workers first struck the spade, a white hare leapt up and could not be found when they searched. When the mound was finished, the hare returned and nested upon it. In the second year of Shengming she was granted the title lady of the duchy of Jingling. In the third year she was granted the seal and cord of consort of Qi. In the first year of Jianyuan of Qi she was honored with the posthumous title Empress Zhao. In the second year. Her father Pei Shouzhi was granted grand master for splendid happiness with the golden seal and purple cord, and her mother, née Huan, was enfeoffed as lady of Shangyu township.
52
武穆裴皇后諱惠昭，河東聞喜人也。 祖封之，給事中。 父璣之，左軍參軍。 后少與豫章王妃庾氏為娣姒，庾氏勤女工，奉事高昭後恭謹不倦，后不能及，故不為舅姑所重，武帝亦薄焉。
Empress Wumu of the Pei clan, whose personal name was Huizhao, came from Wenxi in Hedong commandery. Her grandfather Pei Fengzhi was an attendant within the gates. Her father Pei Jizhi was a staff officer of the Left Army. In youth she and Lady Yu, consort of the Prince of Yuzhang, were sisters-in-law. Lady Yu was skilled at women's work and served Empress Gaozhao with tireless devotion; the empress could not equal her, so her in-laws held her lightly and Emperor Wu thought little of her.
53
性剛嚴，竟陵王子良妃袁氏布衣時有過，後加訓罰。 升明三年，為齊世子妃。 建元元年，為皇太子妃。 二年，后薨，諡穆妃，葬休安陵。 時議欲立石志，王儉曰：「石志不出禮典，起宋元嘉中顏延之為王球石志。 素族無銘策，故以紀行。 自爾以來，共相祖習。 儲妃之重，禮絕恒例，既有哀策，不煩石志。」 從之。 武帝即位，追尊皇后。 贈父璣之金紫光祿大夫，后母檀氏余杭廣昌鄉元君。
By nature she was stern and severe; when Lady Yuan, consort of Prince Ziliang of Jingling, was still a commoner she had faults, and later the empress added reprimand and punishment. In the third year of Shengming she became consort to the heir of Qi. In the first year of Jianyuan she became crown princess. In the second year the empress died; she received the posthumous title Consort Mu and was buried at Xiu'an Mausoleum. At the time there was discussion of erecting a stone inscription; Wang Jian said, "Stone inscriptions are not found in the ritual canon; they began in the Yuanjia era of Song when Yan Yanzhi made a stone inscription for Wang Qiu. Plain clans had no inscribed eulogies, so this was used to record conduct. From then on people have imitated one another in the practice. The rank of a crown princess exceeds ordinary precedent; since there is already a funeral elegy, a stone inscription is unnecessary." The proposal was adopted. When Emperor Wu succeeded, she was posthumously honored as empress. Her father Pei Jizhi was granted grand master for splendid happiness with the golden seal and purple cord, and her mother, née Tan, was enfeoffed as lady of Guangchang township in Yuhang.
54
舊顯陽、昭陽二殿，太后皇后所居也。 永明中無太后皇后，羊貴嬪居昭陽殿西，范貴妃居昭陽殿東，寵姬荀昭華居鳳華柏殿。 宮內禦所居壽昌畫殿南閣，置白鷺鼓吹二部，幹光殿東西頭，置鍾磬兩廂，皆宴樂處也。 上數游幸諸苑囿，載宮人從后車。 宮內深隱，不聞端門鼓漏聲，置鍾于景陽樓上，應五鼓及三鼓。 宮人聞鐘聲，早起莊飾。 車駕數幸琅邪城，宮人常從，早發，至湖北埭，雞始鳴，故呼為雞鳴埭。
Formerly the Xianyang and Zhaoyang halls were the quarters of the empress dowager and empress. During Yongming there was neither empress dowager nor empress; Noble Consort Yang occupied the west wing of Zhaoyang Hall, Noble Consort Fan the east wing, and the favored concubine Xun Zhaohua Fenghua Bai Hall. In the south pavilion of the Painted Hall of Shouchang, the emperor's residence, stood two companies of egret-drummers and wind players; at either end of Ganshan Hall were chambers of bells and chimes — all of them halls for feasting and music. The emperor often visited the imperial parks, with palace women riding in the chariots behind him. The inner palace lay deep and hidden, beyond earshot of the drum and water-clock at the Upright Gate; a bell was hung on Jingyang Tower to mark the fifth and third watches. At the bell the palace women rose early and dressed with care. The imperial carriage often went to Langya city, palace women following as usual. Setting out before dawn, they reached Hubei dam as the cock first crowed, and the place came to be called Cockcrow Dam.
55
韓蘭英
Han Lanying.
56
婦人吳郡韓蘭英有文辭，宋孝武時獻中興賦，被賞入宮。 宋明帝時用為宮中職僚。 及武帝以為博士，教六宮書學。 以其年老多識，呼為韓公云。
Han Lanying of Wu commandery was a woman of literary gifts; under Emperor Xiaowu of Song she presented a "Fu on the Restoration," won praise, and was taken into the palace. Under Emperor Ming of Song she served on the palace staff. When Emperor Wu of Qi acceded, he appointed her erudite and set her to teach reading and writing throughout the Six Palaces. Because she was old and full of learning, people called her Master Han.
57
文安王皇后諱寶明，琅邪臨沂人也。 祖韶之，吳興太守。 父曄之，太宰祭酒。 宋世，高帝為文惠太子納后，建元元年，為南郡王妃。 四年，為皇太子妃，無寵。 太子為宮人制新麗衣裳及首飾，而后床帷陳故，古舊釵鑷十餘枚。 永明十一年，為皇太孫太妃。 鬱林即位，尊為皇太后，稱宣德宮，置男左右三十人，前代所未有也。 贈后父曄之金紫光祿大夫，母桓氏豐安縣君。 其年十二月，備法駕謁太廟。 明帝即位，出居鄱陽王故第，為宣德宮。
Empress Wen'an Wang, whose personal name was Baoming, came from Linyi in Langya commandery. Her grandfather Wang Shaozhi was governor of Wuxing. Her father Wang Yezhi was libationer to the grand minister. In the Song era Emperor Gao took her as consort for Crown Prince Wenhui; in the first year of Jianyuan she became princess of Nanjun. In the fourth year she became crown princess but enjoyed no favor. The crown prince had new and splendid garments and hair ornaments made for palace women, while the empress's bed curtains were old and worn and her ancient hairpins and tweezers numbered only a dozen or so. In the eleventh year of Yongming she became grand consort to the imperial great-grandson. When Prince Yulin took the throne she was honored as empress dowager; her palace was called Xuande, and thirty male attendants were appointed — something never before seen in earlier ages. Her father Wang Yezhi was granted grand master for splendid happiness with the golden seal and purple cord, and her mother, née Huan, was enfeoffed as lady of Feng'an county. In the twelfth month of that year she went with full imperial equipage to worship at the imperial temple. When Emperor Ming succeeded she moved out to the former residence of the Prince of Poyang, which became Xuande Palace.
58
永元三年，梁武帝定建鄴，迎入宮，后稱制。 至禪位，遜居外宮。 梁天監十一年薨，葬崇安陵，諡曰安后。 祖韶之自有傳。
In the third year of Yongyuan, after Emperor Wu of Liang took Jiankang, she was brought into the palace and ruled as regent. When the throne was surrendered, she withdrew to an outer palace. In the eleventh year of Tianjian of Liang she died, was buried at Chong'an tomb, and received the posthumous title Empress An. Her grandfather Wang Shaozhi has a separate biography.
59
鬱林王妃何婧英
Consort He Jingying of Prince Yulin.
60
郁林王何妃諱婧英，廬江灊人，撫軍將軍戢女也。 初將納為南郡王妃，文惠太子嫌戢無男，門孤，不欲與昏。 王儉以南郡王妃，便為將來外戚，唯須高胄，不須強門。 今何氏蔭華族弱，實允外戚之義。 永明三年，乃成昏。
Consort He of Prince Yulin, whose personal name was Jingying, came from Qian in Lujiang commandery and was the daughter of General Who Pacifies the Army He Ji. At first she was to marry the Prince of Nanjun, but Crown Prince Wen Hui disliked that He Ji had no sons and the house stood alone, and did not want the match. Wang Jian argued that a Prince of Nanjun's consort would become empress consort in time, and what mattered was high lineage, not a powerful clan. The He's standing among the gentry was modest — exactly what empress consort kin ought to be. In the third year of Yongming the marriage took place.
61
妃稟性淫亂，南郡王所與無賴人游，妃擇其美者，皆與交歡。 南郡王侍書人馬澄年少色美，甚為妃悅，常與鬥腕較力，南郡王以為歡笑。
The consort was wanton by nature. The Prince of Nanjun kept company with low characters; she picked out the handsome among them and took them all to her bed. Ma Cheng, a young attendant scribe in the prince's service, was fair and pleasing to the consort; they often arm-wrestled and tested their strength, which the prince found amusing.
62
澄者本剡縣寒人，嘗于南岸逼略人家女，為秣陵縣所錄，南郡王語縣散遣之。 澄又逼求姨女為妾，姨不與，澄詣建康令沈徽孚訟之。 徽孚曰：「姨女可為婦，不可為妾。」 澄曰：「僕父為給事中，門戶既成，姨家猶是寒賤，政可為妾耳。」 徽孚訶而遣之。 十一年，為皇太孫妃。 又有女巫子楊瑉之，亦有美貌，妃尤愛悅之，與同寢處，如伉儷。 及太孫即帝位，為皇后，封后嫡母劉為高昌縣都鄉君，所生母宋為余杭廣昌鄉君。 後將拜，鏡在床無因墮地。 其冬，與太后同日謁太廟。 楊瑉之為帝所幸，常居中侍。 明帝為輔，與王晏、徐孝嗣、王廣之並面請，不聽。 又令蕭諶、坦之固請，皇后與帝同席坐，流涕覆面，謂坦之曰：「楊郎好年少，無罪過，何可枉殺。」 坦之耳語於帝曰：「此事別有一意，不可令人聞。」 帝謂皇后為阿奴，曰：「阿奴暫去」。 坦之乃曰：「外間並云楊瑉之與皇后有異情，彰聞遐邇。」 帝不得已，乃為敕。 坦之馳報明帝，即令建康行刑，而果有敕原之，而瑉之已死。
Cheng was a poor man from Shan county who had once on the south bank seized a commoner's daughter; Moling county arrested him, but the Prince of Nanjun interceded and had him freed. Cheng then tried to force his aunt's daughter into his household as a concubine; when the aunt refused, he brought suit before Shen Huifu, magistrate of Jiankang. Huifu said, "An aunt's daughter may be taken as a wife, not as a concubine." Cheng replied, "My father is an attendant within the gates; our house is established. The aunt's people are still lowborn — fit only to be a concubine." Huifu scolded him and dismissed the case. In the eleventh year she became consort to the imperial grand heir. There was also Yang Minzhi, a witch's son, handsome as well; the consort doted on him above all others and shared bed and board with him like man and wife. When the grand heir became emperor she was made empress; her stepmother Liu was enfeoffed as lady of the capital township of Gaochang county, and her birth mother Song as lady of Guangchang township in Yuhang. Just before her investiture, a mirror on the bed fell to the floor without cause. That winter she and the empress dowager paid homage at the imperial temple on the same day. Yang Minzhi won the emperor's favor and regularly waited on him in the inner quarters. Emperor Ming, serving as regent, joined Wang Yan, Xu Xiaosi, and Wang Guangzhi in pleading with the emperor face to face, but he would not heed them. They sent Xiao Chen and Tanzhi to press the matter again; the empress sat beside the emperor, weeping with her face hidden, and told Tanzhi, "Young Master Yang is so young and has done no wrong — how can he be killed in vain?" Tanzhi whispered to the emperor, "There is another reason for this that must not be overheard." The emperor called the empress "Little Slave" and said, "Little Slave, step aside for a moment." Tanzhi then said, "Outside everyone says Yang Minzhi and the empress are lovers, and the story has spread far and wide." The emperor, with no way out, issued the edict. Tanzhi galloped to tell Emperor Ming, who immediately ordered Jiankang to execute him; a pardon did arrive, but Minzhi was already dead.
63
后既淫亂，又與帝相愛褻，故帝恣之。 又迎后親戚入宮，嘗賜人百數十萬，以武帝曜靈殿處后家屬。 帝廢，后貶為王妃。 父戢自有傳。
The empress was wanton, yet the emperor loved her deeply and let her have her way. He brought her kin into the palace as well, once lavishing gifts worth hundreds of thousands, and lodged her family in Emperor Wu's Yaoling Hall. When the emperor was deposed, the empress was reduced to princess consort. Her father He Ji has a separate biography.
64
海陵王妃王紹明
Consort Wang Shaoming of Prince Hailing.
65
海陵王王妃諱韶明，琅邪臨沂人，太常慈之女也。 永明八年，納為臨汝公夫人。 郁林王即位，為新安王妃。 延興元年，為皇后。 其年，降為海陵王妃。 妃父慈自有傳。
Consort Wang of Prince Hailing, whose personal name was Shaoming, came from Linyi in Langya commandery and was the daughter of Wang Ci, grand minister of ceremonies. In the eighth year of Yongming she was taken as lady of the Duke of Linru. When Prince Yulin acceded she became consort of the Prince of Xin'an. In the first year of Yanxing she was made empress. That same year she was reduced to consort of the Prince of Hailing. Her father Wang Ci has a separate biography.
66
明敬皇后劉惠端
Empress Mingjing Liu Huiduan.
67
明敬劉皇后諱惠端，彭城人，光祿大夫道弘孫也。 高帝為明帝納之。 建元三年，除西昌侯夫人。 永明七年卒，葬江乘縣張山。 延興元年，贈宣城王妃。 明帝即位，追尊敬皇后。 贈父通直郎景猷為金紫光祿大夫，母王氏平陽鄉君。 明帝崩，改葬，祔于興安陵。
Empress Mingjing of the Liu clan, whose personal name was Huiduan, came from Pengcheng and was a granddaughter of Liu Daohong, grand master for splendid happiness. Emperor Gao arranged her marriage to Emperor Ming. In the third year of Jianyuan she was made lady of the Marquis of Xichang. In the seventh year of Yongming she died and was buried at Mount Zhang in Jiangcheng county. In the first year of Yanxing she was posthumously made princess consort of Xuancheng. When Emperor Ming acceded, he posthumously honored her as empress. Her father Liu Jingyou, a palace attendant, was raised to grand master of the golden seal and purple cord; her mother Lady Wang was enfeoffed as lady of Pingyang township. When Emperor Ming died, she was reburied and laid beside him at Xing'an tomb.
68
東昏侯皇后褚令璩
Empress Donghun Chu Lingqu.
69
東昏褚皇后諱令璩，河南陽翟人，太常澄之女也。 建武二年，納為皇太子妃而無寵。 帝謂左右曰：「若得如山陰主無恨矣。」 山陰主，明帝長女也，後遂與之為亂。 明年，妃謁敬后廟。 東昏即位，為皇后。 帝寵潘妃，后不被遇，黃淑儀生太子誦而卒，東昏廢，后及誦並為庶人。 后父澄自有傳。
Empress Donghun of the Chu clan, whose personal name was Lingqu, came from Yangdi in Henan commandery and was the daughter of Chu Cheng, grand minister of ceremonies. In the second year of Jianwu she was taken as crown princess but won no favor. The emperor told his attendants, "If only I could have the Lady of Shanyin — then I would want for nothing." The Lady of Shanyin was Emperor Ming's eldest daughter; afterward he took her as his lover. The next year the consort paid homage at the temple of Empress Mingjing. When Donghun acceded she was made empress. The emperor doted on Consort Pan and neglected the empress. Virtuous Lady of the Yellow bore Crown Prince Song and died; when Donghun was deposed, the empress and Song were both reduced to commoners. Her father Chu Cheng has a separate biography.
70
和王皇后王蕣華
Empress Wang of Prince He.
71
和王皇后諱蕣華，琅邪臨沂人，太尉儉之孫也。 初為隨王妃，中興元年為皇后。 帝禪位，后降為妃。 妃祖儉自有傳。
Empress Wang of Prince He, whose personal name was Sunhua, came from Linyi in Langya commandery and was a granddaughter of Wang Jian, grand marshal. At first she was consort of the Prince of Sui; in the first year of Zhongxing she was made empress. When the emperor abdicated, the empress was reduced to consort. Her grandfather Wang Jian has a separate biography.