Qin and Han · Consort and Empress Dowager

Lady Fu 傅昭儀

Fu Zhaoyi

Attested BC 49 - BC 1

Passages: 10
Chapters: 2
Histories: 1

Overview

Lady Fu was a consort and Empress Dowager.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 49 to BC 33 元帝之世
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 91, passage 177
BC 49 to BC 1 元帝至哀帝時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 93, passages 50, 182

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Ancestor of Emperor Ai (哀帝)
grandmother 祖母 · 2 generations
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 173
Spouse of Emperor Yuan (元帝)
consort 昭儀 · Concubinage
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 50
Parent of Liu Kang (康)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 50; Book of Han 91, passage 177
Kin of Fu Xi (傅喜)
younger paternal cousin 從父弟 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 173
Spouse of Emperor Yuan (孝元帝)
Concubinage
Directly stated · Book of Han 91, passage 177

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Attempted
Nearly displaced empress
Directly stated · Book of Han 91, passage 183

Works and attributed material

Edict · Issuer · With Fu Xi (傅喜) · Mode direct-quotation Speaker Lady Fu (傅昭儀)
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 69

Events and relationships

Began intervening in government
Political
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 182

References in the histories

Search passages

History

10 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 91Volume 80: The Six Sons of Emperors Xuan and Yuan · 1 passage

王皇后生孝成帝，傅昭儀生定陶共王康，馮昭儀生中山孝王興。 Empress Wang gave birth to Emperor Cheng. Lady Fu the Brilliant Companion bore Prince Gong of Dingtao, Kang; Lady Feng the Brilliant Companion bore Prince Xiao of Zhongshan, Xing.

Book of Han, Chapter 93Volume 82: Wang Shang, Shi Dan and Fu Xi · 9 passages

是時，傅昭儀子定陶共王有材藝，子母俱愛幸，而太子頗有酒色之失，母王皇后無寵。 At that time Consort Fu's son, Prince Kang of Dingtao, was gifted and accomplished, and mother and son both enjoyed the emperor's affection, whereas the crown prince showed a weakness for wine and women and his mother, Empress Wang, had fallen out of favor.

竟寧元年，上寢疾，傅昭儀及定陶王常在左右，而皇后、太子希得進見。 In Jingning 1 the emperor was bedridden. Consort Fu and the Prince of Dingtao were constantly at his side, while the empress and crown prince were rarely admitted.

傅喜字稚游，河內溫人也，哀帝祖母定陶傅太后從父弟。 Fu Xi, courtesy name Zhiyou, came from Wen in Henei commandery. He was a paternal cousin of Grand Empress Dowager Fu of Dingtao, Emperor Ai's grandmother.

傅太后始與政事，喜數諫之，由是傅太后不欲令喜輔政。 When Grand Empress Dowager Fu began to intervene in government, Fu Xi repeatedly remonstrated with her, and she therefore did not want him in power.

大司空何武、尚書令唐林皆上書言：「喜行義修潔，忠誠憂國，內輔之臣也，今以寢病，一旦遣歸，眾庶失望，皆曰傅氏賢子，以論議不合於定陶太后故退，百寮莫不為國恨之。 Grand Minister of Works He Wu and Secretary Director Tang Lin jointly wrote: 'Fu Xi is upright, scrupulous, and devoted to the state—exactly the kind of man who should stand at the emperor's side. To dismiss him overnight on grounds of illness will disappoint the empire. People will say the worthy son of the Fu clan was cashiered because he would not trim his opinions to suit the Dowager of Dingtao, and every official will feel the dynasty has wronged itself.

又傅太后欲求稱尊號，與成帝母齊尊，喜與丞相孔光、大司空師丹共執正議。 When Grand Empress Dowager Fu demanded a title equal to Emperor Cheng's mother, Fu Xi stood with Chancellor Kong Guang and Grand Minister of Works Shi Dan on the side of precedent.

傅太后大怒，上不得已，先免師丹以感動喜，喜終不順。 The grand empress dowager raged. Cornered, the emperor first dismissed Shi Dan, hoping to intimidate Fu Xi into yielding; Fu Xi still refused to bend.

傅太后又自詔丞相、御史曰：「高武侯喜無功而封，內懷不忠，附下罔上，與故大司空丹同心背畔，放命圮族，虧損德化，罪惡雖在赦前，不宜奉朝請，其遣就國。」 Grand Empress Dowager Fu then issued her own order to the chancellor and censor: 'Marquis of Gaowu Fu Xi received a fief without merit. In his heart he is disloyal: he panders to factions below while misleading the throne, and he conspired with the former grand minister of works Shi Dan in mutinous defiance. Such conduct tears down the moral order. Even though his offenses predate the last amnesty, he must not continue at court; send him back to his fief.'

雖與故定陶太后有屬，終不順指從邪，介然守節，以故斥逐就國。 Though related to the late Dowager of Dingtao, he never truckled to her whims; he held his integrity and was banished to his fief for it.