Five Dynasties · Consort and Regent

Empress Dowager 太后

Tàihòu

Attested AD 926 - AD 947

Passages: 32
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

The translated histories identify Empress Dowager as a consort and ruler. This record brings together 32 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Empress Dowager	太后	Tàihòu
Title	Empress Chunqin	淳欽皇后	Chúnqīn Huánghòu
Title	Empress Dowager	太后	Tàihòu

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Title only
Sex: Female

Sex: female
Explicit · liaoshi:077:s0010

Roles

Consort
Ruler

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 太宗崩後 · Western Year: AD 947
Explicit · liaoshi:077:s0010
Source Date: Text: 太祖崩 · Western Year: AD 926
Explicit · liaoshi:077:s0125

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Spouse of Taizu (太祖)
Kinship Term: empress / 后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Relationship State: widowed
Parent of Li Hu (李胡)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: mother
Parent of Human Emperor King (人皇王)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological
Parent of Emperor Taizong (太宗)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological

Places and affiliations

Polity Id: liao · Relation: served
Explicit · liaoshi:077:s0010

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Quoted: true
Explicit · liaoshi:077:s0021, liaoshi:077:s0055, liaoshi:077:s0060, liaoshi:077:s0066, liaoshi:077:s0067

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

History of Liao, Chapter 77Volume 77 Biographies 7: Yelu Wuzhi, Yelu Hou, Yelu Antuan, Yelu Wa, Yelu Tuiyu, Yelu Talie · 32 passages

太宗崩，諸大臣立世宗，太后聞之，怒甚，遣皇子李胡以兵逆擊，遇安端、劉哥等於泰德泉，敗歸。 After Emperor Taizong died, the senior ministers enthroned Emperor Shizong. When the empress dowager heard of this she was furious and sent the prince Li Hu with an army to oppose them; at Taidede Spring he met Anduan, Liuge, and their forces, was defeated, and withdrew.

時屋質從太后，世宗以屋質善籌，欲行間，乃設事奉書，以試太后。 Wuzhi was then with the empress dowager. Shizong knew that Wuzhi was adept at strategy and wished to drive a wedge between them, so he fabricated a pretext and sent a letter to probe the empress dowager.

太后得書，以示屋質。 When the empress dowager received the letter she showed it to Wuzhi.

屋質讀竟，言曰：「太后佐太祖定天下，故臣願竭死力。 After reading it through, Wuzhi said, "Your Majesty aided Taizu in bringing the realm under rule, and your servant is ready to give his life in your service.

若太后見疑，臣雖欲盡忠，得乎？ But if Your Majesty suspects me, how can I serve you with full loyalty?

然人心一搖，國禍不淺，惟太后裁察。」 Yet once hearts waver, the harm to the state will be grave—may Your Majesty weigh this carefully."

太后曰：「我若疑卿，安肯以書示汝？」 The empress dowager said, "If I doubted you, why would I show you this letter at all?"

太后宜思長策，與永康王和議。」 Your Majesty should think of a lasting settlement and negotiate peace with Prince Yongkang."

太后曰：「誰可遣者？」 The empress dowager asked, "Whom can I send?"

對曰：「太后不疑臣，臣請往。 He said, "If Your Majesty does not doubt me, I ask to go myself.

太后乃遣屋質授書於帝。 The empress dowager then sent Wuzhi to bear her letter to the emperor.

屋質對曰：「與太后相見，各紓忿恚，和之不難； Wuzhi answered, "Meet the empress dowager in person; once each side vents its anger, reconciliation will not be difficult;

帝然之，遂遣海思詣太后約和。 The emperor agreed and sent Haishi to the empress dowager to negotiate terms.

太后謂屋質曰：「汝當為我畫之。」 The empress dowager said to Wuzhi, "You must work this out for me."

屋質進曰：「太后與大王若能釋怨，臣乃敢進說。」 Wuzhi stepped forward and said, "If Your Majesty and the great king can lay aside your grievances, only then dare I speak."

太后曰：「汝第言之。」 The empress dowager said, "Speak freely."

屋質借謁者籌執之，謂太后曰：「昔人皇王在，何故立嗣聖？」 Wuzhi took a counting stick from an attendant and, holding it, asked the empress dowager, "When Emperor Ren was still alive, why did you enthrone Emperor Sisheng?"

太后曰：「立嗣聖者，太祖遺旨。」 The empress dowager said, "Enthroning Sishheng was Taizu's final command."

大王見太后，不少遜謝，惟怨是尋。 When the great king met the empress dowager he showed little deference or apology and nursed only resentment.

太后牽於偏愛，托先帝遺命，妄授神器。 The empress dowager, swayed by partial love, invoked the late emperor's dying command and rashly bestowed the throne.

太后泣曰：「向太祖遭諸弟亂，天下荼毒，瘡痍未復，庸可再乎！」 The empress dowager wept and said, "When Taizu was alive his younger brothers brought chaos upon the realm; the land was ravaged and its wounds have not healed—how can we endure this again!"

太后復謂屋質曰：「議既定，神器竟誰歸？」 The empress dowager again asked Wuzhi, "Now that peace is settled, to whom will the throne ultimately pass?"

屋質曰：「太后若授永康王，順天合人，復何疑？」 Wuzhi said, "If Your Majesty invests Prince Yongkang, you will follow Heaven's will and the people's wish—what doubt remains?"

太后顧李胡曰：「汝亦聞此言乎？ The empress dowager turned to Li Hu and said, "Have you heard this as well?

帝謂屋質曰：「汝與朕屬尤近，何反助太后？」 The emperor said to Wuzhi, "You and I are close kin—why have you sided with the empress dowager?"

若請於太后，則必屬李胡。 If we consult the empress dowager, the succession will surely go to Li Hu.

太祖崩，淳欽皇后稱制，欲以大元帥嗣位。 After Taizu died, Empress Chunqin assumed regency and wished to enthrone the great marshal.

但恐不白太后而立，為國家啟釁。」 Yet I fear that enthroning him without informing the empress dowager will sow strife for the realm."

若白太后，必立李胡。 If we inform the empress dowager, she will surely enthrone Li Hu.

太后問安摶曰：「吾與汝有何隙？」 The empress dowager asked Antuan, "What grievance lies between us?"

安摶以父死為對，太后默然。 Antuan answered by citing his father's death; the empress dowager said nothing.

太宗崩，非安摶、吼、窪謀而克斷，策立世宗，非屋質直而能諫，杜太后之私，折李胡之暴，以成橫渡之約，則亂將誰定？ When Taizong died, had Antuan, Hou, and Wa not schemed with firm resolve to enthrone Shizong; had Wuzhi not been upright and able to remonstrate, checking the empress dowager's partiality and breaking Li Hu's violence to complete the peace at the ford crossing—who would have ended the chaos?