Qin and Han · Consort

Empress Xu 許皇后

Xu huanghou

Attested BC 18 - BC 8

Passages: 4
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Empress Xu was a consort.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 8 莽遂代根為大司馬
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 155
BC 18 許皇后坐執左道廢
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 105, passage 130

Family

Sibling of Xu Mi (靡)
elder sister 后姊
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 130

Career and standing

left-path sorcery 執左道
BC 18 許皇后坐執左道廢 · Deposed
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 130

Places and affiliations

Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Attested in
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 130
BC 18 許皇后坐執左道廢
At Changding Palace 長定宮 · Relation Confined to
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 130

Events and relationships

Bribed for restoration as jieyu
Political · Petitioner · With Chunyu Chang (淳于長)
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 132

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 280

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 105Volume 93: Flatterers · 4 passages

初，許皇后坐執左道廢處長定宮，而後姊靡為龍額思侯夫人，寡居。 Former Empress Xu had lost her title for "left-path" sorcery and lived at the Changding Palace; her sister Mi, widow of the marquis of Longesi, kept house alone.

許后因靡賂遺長，欲求復為婕妤。 The deposed empress sent gifts through Mi, begging to be restored as a lady of handsome favor.

長受許后金錢乘輿服御物前後千餘萬，詐許為白上，立以為左皇后。 Chang pocketed more than ten million in coin, carriages, and wardrobe from her, promised to plead her case, and swore he would make her a "left empress."

靡每入長定宮，輒與靡書，戲侮許后，嫚易無不言。 Whenever Mi visited the Changding Palace, he sent letters along with her, ridiculing the former empress in the crudest terms.