Empress Dowager Xuan (宣太后)

Overview

The translated histories identify Empress Dowager Xuan as a consort, royal family member, and ruler. This record brings together 6 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 Xuan	宣太后	Xuan Taihou
Title	Empress Dowager Xuan	宣太后	Xuān Tàihòu
Title	Lady Mi the Eighth	羋八子	Mǐ Bāzǐ
Surname	Mi	羋	Mǐ

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Female

Sex: female
Explicit · shiji:072:s0001, shiji:072:s0004

Roles

Consort
Royal Family Member
Ruler

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 昭王三十六年 · Western Year: BC 271
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:072:s0106, shiji:072:s0109
Source Date: Text: 昭王即位 · Western Year: BC 306
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:072:s0004, shiji:072:s0014

Family

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

Spouse of King Hui of Qin (秦惠王)
Kinship Term: consort / 八子 · Union Category: secondary-marriage · Subject Role: consort · Object Role: husband
Sibling of Wei Ran (魏冉)
Kinship Term: elder half-brother by a different father / 異父長弟 · Shared Parentage: maternal-half · Subject Relative Age: younger · Subject Role: younger-brother · Object Role: elder-sister
Parent of King Wu of Qin (秦武王)
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: mother · Object Role: son · Negated: true
Parent of Lord of Gaoling (高陵君)
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: mother · Object Role: son
Parent of King Zhao of Qin (昭王)
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: mother · Object Role: son
Parent of Lord Jingyang (涇陽君)
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: mother · Object Role: son
Sibling of Mi Rong (羋戎)
Kinship Term: younger brother by the same father / 同父弟 · Shared Parentage: full · Subject Relative Age: younger · Subject Role: younger-brother · Object Role: elder-sister

Origins and identity

Label: Mi clan / 羋氏 · Relation: member-of
Explicit · shiji:072:s0002, shiji:072:s0004

Career and standing

Title: Empress Dowager Xuan / 宣太后 · Action: held · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 昭王即位 · Western Year: BC 306
Explicit · shiji:072:s0004
Title: Lady Mi the Eighth / 羋八子 · Action: held
Explicit · shiji:072:s0004
Status: regent · Action: entered · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 昭王少，宣太后自治 · Western Year: BC 306
Explicit · shiji:072:s0014

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: monopolizing authority · Provenance: Mode: quotation · Speaker Person Id: Fan Ju (范雎)
Explicit · shiji:072:s0109

References in the histories

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

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 72Biography of the Marquis of Rang · 6 passages

Open chapter

穰侯魏冉者，秦昭王母宣太后弟也。 Wei Ran, Marquis of Rang, was the younger brother of Empress Dowager Xuan, the mother of King Zhao of Qin.

昭王母故號為羋八子，及昭王即位，羋八子號為宣太后。 King Zhao's mother was formerly known as Lady Mi the Eighth. When King Zhao ascended the throne, Lady Mi the Eighth was elevated to Empress Dowager Xuan.

宣太后非武王母。 Empress Dowager Xuan was not the mother of King Wu.

宣太后二弟：其異父長弟曰穰侯，姓魏氏，名冉； Empress Dowager Xuan had two younger brothers: her elder half-brother from a different father was called Marquis of Rang, surnamed Wei, named Ran;

昭王少，宣太后自治，任魏冉為政。 Since King Zhao was young, Empress Dowager Xuan ruled personally and entrusted Wei Ran with conducting political affairs.

范睢言宣太后專制，穰侯擅權於諸侯，涇陽君、高陵君之屬太侈，富於王室。 Fan Ju spoke of Empress Dowager Xuan monopolizing authority, the Marquis of Rang usurping power among the feudal lords, and the likes of Lord Jingyang and Lord Gaoling being too extravagant and wealthier than the royal house.