Qin and Han · Empress Dowager

Grand Empress Dowager 皇太后

Attested BC 130

Passages: 7
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Grand Empress Dowager was an empress Dowager.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 130 漢皇太后
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 129

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Lady Xiucheng (修成君)
daughter 女
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 130

Places and affiliations

Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 129

References in the histories

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 52House of Prince Daohui of Qi · 7 passages

齊有宦者徐甲，入事漢皇太后。 There was a eunuch from Qi named Xu Jia who had entered service at the Han court under the Grand Empress Dowager.

皇太后有愛女曰修成君，修成君非劉氏，太后憐之。 The Grand Empress Dowager had a beloved daughter known as Lady Xiucheng. Since Lady Xiucheng was not of the Liu clan, the Empress Dowager felt great tenderness toward her.

修成君有女名娥，太后欲嫁之於諸侯，宦者甲乃請使齊，必令王上書請娥。 Lady Xiucheng had a daughter named E. The Empress Dowager wished to marry her to a feudal king, and the eunuch Xu Jia volunteered to go to Qi, promising that he would get the King to submit a memorial requesting E's hand.

皇太后喜，使甲之齊。 The Grand Empress Dowager was delighted and dispatched Xu Jia to Qi.

徐甲大窮，還報皇太后曰：「王已願尚娥，然有一害，恐如燕王。」 Xu Jia, having been thoroughly rebuffed, returned to the Grand Empress Dowager and reported: 'The King is willing to take E as his consort, but there is one concern—I fear the situation may resemble that of the King of Yan.'

燕王者，與其子昆弟姦，新坐以死，亡國，故以燕感太后。 The King of Yan had committed incest with members of his own family, and had recently been convicted and put to death, his kingdom abolished. Xu Jia invoked this case to alarm the Empress Dowager.

太后曰：「無復言嫁女齊事。」 The Empress Dowager said, 'Let there be no more talk of marrying the girl to Qi.'