Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Consort and Ruler

Empress Dowager Hu 胡太后

Hú tàihòu

Attested AD 515 - AD 528

Passages: 2
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Empress Dowager Hu was a consort and Ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 515 to AD 528 胡太后
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 39, passages 74-75

Places and affiliations

Polity Northern Wei 魏 · Relation Empress dowager of
Directly stated · Book of Liang 39, passage 74

Works and attributed material

Yang Baihua song lyrics 楊白華歌辭
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 39, passage 75
Yang Baihua 楊白華歌辭
Song lyrics · Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 39, passage 75

Events and relationships

Forced intimacy
Personal · Coercer · With Yang Hua (楊華)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 39, passage 74
Ordered palace women to sing
Cultural · Patron
Directly stated · Book of Liang 39, passage 75

References in the histories

Book of Liang, Chapter 39Volume 39: Yuan Faseng; Yuan Shu; Yuan Yuanda; Wang Shenian; Yang Hua; Yang Kan; Yang Kun; Yang Yaren · 2 passages

華少有勇力，容貌雄偉，魏胡太后逼通之，華懼及禍，乃率其部曲來降。 Young, strong, and striking in looks, he fled Wei after Empress Dowager Hu forced herself on him, bringing his household guard south.

胡太后追思之不能已，爲作《楊白華歌辭》，使宮人晝夜連臂蹋足歌之，辭甚悽惋焉。 Hu could not forget him and wrote the “Yang Baihua” lyrics, set palace women to sing them ceaselessly, hand in hand, stamping the measure—the song was heartbreakingly sad.