Empress Liu (劉皇后)

Overview

The translated histories identify Empress Liu as a consort and royal family member. This record brings together 28 passages from 8 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Empress Liu	劉皇后	Liu Huanghou
Title	empress	皇后
Title	Empress	皇后
Title	Empress Liu	劉皇后	Liu Huanghou
Title	Empress Liu	劉後	Liu Hou
Title	Empress Liu	劉皇后
Title	Empress Liu	劉皇后	Liu huanghou
Title	Empress Liu	劉後	Liu hou
Title	Empress Liu	皇后劉氏	Huanghou Liu shi
Personal name	Lady Liu	劉氏
Title	Lady Liu	劉氏
Title	Lady Liu of Wei	魏國夫人劉氏
Title	Lady of Wei state	魏國夫人
Surname	Liu	劉	Liu
Personal	Liu	刘氏
Personal	Liu	劉氏	Liu shi

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Female

Sex: female
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:031:s0088, jiuwudaishi:051:s0020, jiuwudaishi:057:s0057, jiuwudaishi:070:s0021, xinwudaishi:012:s0171, xinwudaishi:037:s0022
Sex: female
Strongly inferred · jiuwudaishi:071:s0099, jiuwudaishi:073:s0054

Roles

Consort
Royal Family Member

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 三年 · Western Year: AD 925
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0021
Source Date: Text: 劉皇后 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:057:s0057
Source Date: Text: 同光 · Western Interval: Start: AD 923 · End: AD 926
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:071:s0099, xinwudaishi:037:s0022, xinwudaishi:037:s0070
Source Date: Text: 同光 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:012:s0171
Source Date: Text: 同光二年 · Western Year: AD 924
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:031:s0088
Source Date: Text: 同光初 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:073:s0053, jiuwudaishi:073:s0054
Source Date: Text: 四月一日 · Western Year: AD 926
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0042
Source Date: Text: 莊宗敗 · Western Year: AD 926
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:051:s0020, jiuwudaishi:051:s0002

Family

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

Spouse of Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang (後唐莊宗)
Kinship Term: empress / 後 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Relationship State: active
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Relationship State: active
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: marriage
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: marriage · Subject Role: wife · Object Role: husband
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Relationship State: formed
Child of Old Liu (劉叟)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: daughter

Career and standing

Role: empress · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 同光二年 · Western Year: AD 924
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:031:s0088, jiuwudaishi:031:s0156

Works and attributed material

Kind: order · Role: author · Other Person Id: Li Jiji (李繼岌) · About Person Id: Guo Chongtao (郭崇韜)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:057:s0164

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · xinwudaishi:037:s0022

References in the histories

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

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 31Volume 31 Book of Later Tang 7: Zhuangzong Annals 5 · 2 passages

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製以魏國夫人劉氏為皇后，仍令所司擇日備禮冊命。 Empress Liu of Wei was proclaimed and a day set for full investiture.

己卯，帝御文明殿，冊魏國夫人劉氏為皇后。 On jimao Cunxu enfeoffed Lady Liu of Wei as empress at Civilized Hall.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 51Volume 51 Book of Later Tang 27: Biographies 3: Imperial Family · 2 passages

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莊宗敗，與劉皇后同奔太原，為部下所殺。 After Zhuangzong's defeat, he fled toward Taiyuan with Empress Liu and was killed by his own followers.

莊宗與劉後命內臣張漢賓齎急詔，所在催魏王歸闕。 Zhuangzong and Empress Liu dispatched the palace eunuch Zhang Hanbin with an urgent edict ordering Prince Wei to return to court at once.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 57Volume 57 Book of Later Tang 33: Biographies 9: Gao Chongtao · 10 passages

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莊宗送劉皇后與興聖宮使繼岌至朝城西野亭泣別，曰：「事勢危蹙，今須一決，事苟不濟，無復相見。」 Zhuangzong saw Empress Liu and Jiji, Director of the Palace of Exalted Sanctity, off to the wild pavilion west of Chaocheng, weeping as he parted from them. He said, "The crisis leaves no room for delay—we must settle this now. If we fail, we will never see each other again."

魏國夫人劉氏有寵，中宮未正，宜讚成冊禮，上心必悅。 Lady Liu of Wei enjoys the emperor's favor while the empress's throne remains vacant. Urge her formal investiture—the emperor will be delighted.

內得劉氏之助，群閹其如餘何！」 With Lady Liu's support within the palace, what can those eunuchs do to you!"

崇韜乃密奏請立魏國夫人為皇后，復奏時務利害二十五條，皆便於時，取悅人心； Guo Chongtao then secretly petitioned to have Lady Liu of Wei ennobled as empress. He also submitted twenty-five recommendations on pressing affairs of state—all timely, practical, and designed to win popular approval;

延嗣使還具奏，皇后泣告莊宗，乞保全繼岌。 Yansi reported everything on his return. The empress wept before Emperor Zhuangzong and begged him to protect Li Jiji.

彥珪見皇后曰：「禍機之發，間不容發，何能數千里外復稟聖旨哉！」 Ma Yan'gui told the empress, "When disaster is about to strike, not a moment can be wasted—how can we seek fresh orders from thousands of li away?"

皇后再言之，莊宗曰：「未知事之實否，詎可便令果決？」 The empress pressed the point again. Emperor Zhuangzong said, "We do not yet know whether any of this is true—how can we order so fatal a step on hearsay alone?"

皇后乃自為教與繼岌，令殺崇韜。 The empress then wrote her own order to Li Jiji commanding Guo Chongtao's death.

諸軍部署已定，彥珪出皇后教以示繼岌，繼岌曰：「大軍將發，他無釁端，安得為此負心事！ With the army's dispositions complete, Yan'gui showed Li Jiji the empress's order. Li Jiji said, "The army is on the eve of departure, and there is no other provocation—how can I commit so shameful an act!

繼岌曰：「上無詔書，徒以皇后教令，安得殺招討使！」 Li Jiji said, "There is no imperial edict—only the empress's order. How can I kill the expeditionary commander!"

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 70Volume 70 Book of Later Tang 46: Biographies 22: Yuan Xingqin, Xia Luqi, Yao Hong, Li Yan, Li Renju, Kang Sili, Zhang Jingda · 5 passages

Open chapter

莊宗有所愛宮人生皇子者，劉皇后心忌之，會行欽入侍，莊宗勞之曰：「紹榮喪婦復娶耶！ Zhuangzong favored a palace woman who had borne him a son, and Empress Liu resented her. When Xingqin came to attend him, Zhuangzong said kindly, "Shaorong, your wife is dead—will you take another?

皇后指所忌宮人謂莊宗曰：「皇帝憐紹榮，可使為婦。」 The empress pointed at the woman she hated and told Zhuangzong, "Your Majesty pities Shaorong—let her become his wife."

皇后即命紹榮謝之，未退，肩輿已出。 The empress at once ordered Shaorong to thank her. Before he had even stepped back, a palanquin was already on its way out.

及貝州軍亂，趙在禮入魏州，莊宗方擇將，皇后曰：「小事不勞大將，促紹榮指揮可也。」 When the Beizhou garrison mutinied and Zhao Zaili seized Weizhou, Zhuangzong was choosing a commander. The empress said, "A trifle like this need not burden a senior general—send Shaorong to take charge and that will do."

四月一日，莊宗既崩，行欽引皇后、存渥，得七百騎出師子門，將之河中就存霸，沿路部下解散，從者數騎而已。 On the first day of the fourth month Zhuangzong died. Xingqin escorted the empress and Cunwo with seven hundred horsemen out the Lion Gate, planning to reach Hezhong and join Cunba. Along the road his men melted away until only a handful of riders were left.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 71Volume 71 Book of Later Tang 47: Biographies 23: Ma Yu, Si Kongting, Cao Tingyin, Xiao Xifu, Yao Zongzhi, Jia Fu, Ma Gao, Luo Guan, Chun Yuyan, Zhang Ge, Xu Ji, Zhou Xuanbao · 1 passage

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全義怒，因令女使告劉皇后從容白於莊宗，宦官又言其短，莊宗深怒之。 Quanyi, furious, had a female attendant ask Empress Liu to speak to Zhuangzong on his behalf; the eunuchs added their complaints, and Zhuangzong grew deeply angry.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 73Volume 73 Book of Later Tang 49: Biographies 25: Mao Zhang, Nie Yu, Wen Tao, Duan Ning, Kong Qian, Li Ye · 1 passage

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韜納賂劉後，賜姓，名紹衝，遽遣還鎮。 Tao bribed Empress Liu, was granted the imperial surname and the name Shaochong, and was promptly sent back to his post.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 12Volume 12 Later Zhou Annals 3: Shizong, Emperor Gong · 1 passage

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太妃薨而辍朝，立刘氏、冯氏为皇后，则夫妇之伦几何其不乖而不至于禽兽矣。 They halted court when the imperial dowager died, yet enthroned Liu and Feng as empresses—the marriage bond was all but wrecked, not far from the conduct of beasts.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 37Volume 37 Biographies 17: · 6 passages

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皇后劉氏素微，其父劉叟，賣藥善卜，號劉山人。 Empress Liu came from nothing; her father Old Liu sold herbs and told fortunes, known as Liu the Mountain Man.

劉氏性悍，方與諸姬爭寵，常自恥其世家，而特諱其事。 The empress was proud and jealous, fighting the palace women for favor; she hated her low origins and hid them at all costs.

劉氏大怒，笞繼岌而逐之。 The empress erupted, beat Jiji, and threw them out.

魏王繼岌已破蜀，劉皇后聽宦者讒言，遣繼岌賊殺郭崇韜。 Prince of Wei Jiji had taken Shu; the empress, swayed by eunuchs, ordered Jiji to murder Guo Chongtao.

鄴人見彦瓊無故夜馳出，因驚傳曰：「劉皇后怒崇韜之殺繼岌也，已弑帝而自立，急召彦瓊計事。」 Seeing Yanqiong bolt at midnight without cause, Ye took fright and whispered: “The empress, enraged that Chongtao killed her son, has slain the emperor and seized the throne—she has called Yanqiong in haste to plot.”

亂兵從楼上射帝，帝伤重，踣於絳霄殿廊下，自皇后、諸王左右皆奔走。 Mutineers rained arrows from the tower; Zhuangzong was mortally wounded and collapsed in the corridor of Jiangxiao Hall—the empress, the princes, and everyone near him ran.