Song, Liao, and Jin · Empress Dowager and Regent of Liao

Empress Ruizhi 睿智皇后蕭氏

Ruìzhì huánghòu Xiāo shì

Attested AD 982 - AD 984

Passages: 24
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

The translated histories identify Empress Ruizhi as a consort, royal family member, and ruler. This record brings together 24 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 Ruizhi	睿智皇后蕭氏	Ruìzhì huánghòu Xiāo shì
Title	Empress Dowager	皇太后	Huáng tàihòu
Title	Empress Dowager Chengtian	承天皇太后	Chéngtiān huáng tàihòu
Title	Empress Ruizhi	睿智皇后	Ruìzhì huánghòu
Surname		蕭	Xiāo

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Female

Sex: female
Explicit · liaoshi:010:s0003

Roles

Consort
Royal Family Member
Ruler

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 統和元年 · Reign Id: liao-tonghe · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 983
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:010:s0011, liaoshi:010:s0075, liaoshi:010:s0078
Source Date: Text: 統和二年 · Reign Id: liao-tonghe · Regnal Year: 2 · Western Year: AD 984
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:010:s0134, liaoshi:010:s0142, liaoshi:010:s0147
Source Date: Text: 乾亨四年 · Reign Id: liao-qianheng · Regnal Year: 4 · Western Year: AD 982
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:010:s0206, liaoshi:010:s0208

Family

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

Spouse of Yelü Xian (耶律賢)
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Relationship State: widowed
Parent of Yelü Longxu (耶律隆緒)
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: mother

Career and standing

Title: Empress Dowager Chengtian / 承天皇太后 · Action: received
Explicit · liaoshi:010:s0075
Title: Empress Dowager / 皇太后 · Action: received
Explicit · liaoshi:010:s0208
Status: regent · Action: assumed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 乾亨四年 · Reign Id: liao-qianheng · Regnal Year: 4 · Western Year: AD 982
Explicit · liaoshi:010:s0206
Status: governing · Action: began to hear government
Explicit · liaoshi:010:s0078

Places and affiliations

Polity Id: liao · Relation: ruled
Explicit · liaoshi:010:s0206

References in the histories

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

History of Liao, Chapter 10Volume 10 Annals 10: Shengzong 1 · 24 passages

景宗皇帝長子，母曰睿智皇后蕭氏。 He was the eldest son of Emperor Jingzong; his mother was Empress Ruizhi, née Xiao.

皇后奉遺詔攝政，詔諭諸道。 The Empress assumed regency under the testamentary edict, and an edict was issued to notify all circuits.

辛酉，群臣上尊號曰昭聖皇帝，尊皇后為皇太后，大赦。 On xinyou day the hundred officials offered the honorific title Emperor Zhaosheng, the Empress was honored as Empress Dowager, and a general amnesty was proclaimed.

是日，皇太后幸其邸視疾。 That same day the Empress Dowager went in person to his residence to visit him.

上與皇太后因為書附上大行。 The Emperor and the Empress Dowager each wrote a letter and placed it with the late emperor's coffin.

丙申，皇太后詣陵置奠，命繪近臣於御容殿，賜山陵工人物有差。 On bingshen day the Empress Dowager went to the mausoleum to offer sacrifice; she ordered portraits of close ministers painted in the Imperial Portrait Hall and rewarded the mausoleum workers according to rank.

壬子，大臣以太后預政，宜有尊號，請下有司詳定冊禮。 On renzi day the ministers, because the Empress Dowager would share in government, argued that she should receive an honorific title and asked the relevant offices to draft the investiture rites in detail.

五月丙辰朔，國舅、政事門下平章事蕭道寧以皇太后慶壽，請歸父母家行禮，而齊國公主及命婦、群臣各進物。 On the bingchen new moon of the fifth month, imperial in-law and co-chancellor Xiao Daoning, because the Empress Dowager was celebrating her birthday, asked to return to his parents' home to perform the rite; the Princess of Qi, titled ladies, and officials each presented gifts.

乙亥，詔近臣議皇太后上尊號冊禮，樞密使韓德度以後漢太后臨朝故事草定上之。 On yihai day an edict ordered close ministers to discuss the Empress Dowager's honorific investiture; Commissioner of Military Affairs Han Dedu drafted a plan based on the Later Han precedent of empress dowager regency and submitted it.

六月乙酉朔，詔有司，冊皇太后日，給三品以上法服，三品以下用大射柳之服。 On the yiyou new moon of the sixth month an edict ordered that on the day of the Empress Dowager's investiture, officials of third rank and above were to receive court robes and those below third rank the great willow-shooting robes.

甲午，上率群臣上皇太后尊號曰承天皇太后，群臣上皇帝尊號曰天輔皇帝，大赦，改元統和。 On jiawu day the Emperor led the ministers in honoring the Empress Dowager as Empress Dowager Chengtian; the ministers honored the Emperor as Emperor Tianfu; a grand amnesty was proclaimed and the era name was changed to Tonghe.

秋七月甲寅朔，皇太后聽政。 On the jiayin new moon of the seventh autumn month the Empress Dowager began to govern.

辛卯，皇太后祭楚國王蕭思溫墓。 On xinmao day the Empress Dowager offered sacrifice at the tomb of Prince of Chu Xiao Siwen.

癸巳，上與皇太后謁懷陵，遂幸懷州。 On guisi day the Emperor and the Empress Dowager visited Huai Mausoleum in homage and then went to Huaizhou.

甲午，上與斜軫於太后前易弓矢鞍馬，約以為友。 On jiawu day before the Empress Dowager the Emperor and Xiezhen exchanged bows, arrows, saddles, and horses and swore friendship.

皇太后言故於越屋只有傅導功，宜錄其子孫； The Empress Dowager said that the late yuyue Wuzhi had earned merit chiefly as tutor and guide and that his descendants deserved recognition;

戊子，以公主淑哥下嫁國舅詳穩照姑。 On wuzi day Princess Shuge was married to the Empress's brother, xiangwen Zhaogu.

庚辰，上與皇太后祭乾陵，下詔諭三京左右相、左右平章事、副留守判官、諸道節度使判官、諸軍事判官、錄事參軍等，當執公方，毋得阿順。 On gengchen day the Emperor and Empress Dowager sacrificed at Qian Mausoleum and issued an edict to the chancellors, vice-regents, circuit and army staff, and recording secretaries of the three capitals, directing them to govern with impartial integrity and not to flatter and yield.

乙亥，皇太后觀漁於玉盆灣。 On yihai day the Empress Dowager watched the fishing at Jade Basin Bay.

二月癸巳，國舅帳彰德軍節度使蕭闥覽來朝。 On guisi day in the second month Zhangde Army Military Commissioner Xiao Talan of the Empress's brother's branch came to court.

庚子，朝皇太后，太后因從觀獵於饒樂川。 On gengzi day the Emperor attended upon the Empress Dowager, who then accompanied him to watch the hunt at Raole River.

庚寅，皇太后臨決滯獄。 On gengyin day the Empress Dowager personally adjudicated delayed cases.

六月己卯朔，皇太后決獄，至月終。 On the jimao new moon of the sixth month the Empress Dowager held court to decide cases and continued through the end of the month.

秋七月癸丑，皇太后行再生禮。 On guichou day in the seventh autumn month the Empress Dowager performed the rebirth rite.