Five Dynasties · Consort and Empress

Lady Xia 夏氏

Xia shi

Died AD 900

Passages: 7
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Lady Xia was a consort and Empress.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Posthumous name	Empress Zhaoyi	昭懿皇后	Zhaoyi huanghou

Life and dates

Death

AD 900 to AD 925 明宗未即位前
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 3

Attested activity

AD 926 天成元年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 4
AD 930 長興元年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 5

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Li Congrong (李從榮)
bore 生
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 1
Parent of Conghou (從厚)
bore 生
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 1
Spouse of Li Siyuan (李嗣源)
wife 夫人
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passages 1, 19

Career and standing

Empress 皇后
AD 930 長興元年 · Posthumously canonized
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 5
Lady of Jin 晉國夫人
AD 926 天成元年 · Posthumously granted
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 4

References in the histories

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 15Volume 15: Mingzong of Later Tang's Family · 7 passages

明宗三后一妃：和武憲皇后曹氏生晉國公主；昭懿皇后夏氏生秦王從榮、湣帝；宣憲皇后魏氏，潞王從珂母也；淑妃王氏，許王從益之慈母也。 Mingzong had three empresses and one consort: Empress Hewuxian, Lady Cao, bore the Jin State Princess; Empress Zhaoyi, Lady Xia, bore Congrong, Prince of Qin, and the Last Emperor; Empress Xuanxian, Lady Wei, was mother of Congke, Prince of Lu; Chaste Consort Lady Wang was foster mother to Congyi, Xu Wang.

曹氏、夏氏皆不見其世家。 Neither Lady Cao nor Lady Xia appears in the genealogies.

夏氏無封爵，明宗未即位前卒。 Lady Xia bore no noble title and died before Mingzong ascended.

明宗天成元年，封楚國夫人曹氏為淑妃，追封夏氏晉國夫人。 In Mingzong's first year Tiancheng, Lady Cao of Chu was made Chaste Consort and Lady Xia was posthumously enfeoffed Lady of Jin.

長興元年，立淑妃為皇后，而夏氏所生二子皆已王，乃追冊為皇后，謚曰昭懿。 In Changxing 1 the Chaste Consort was enthroned as empress; as both of Lady Xia's sons were already princes, Xia was posthumously canonized empress with the posthumous name Zhaoyi.

明宗和武憲皇后曹氏昭懿皇后夏氏 Mingzong; Empress Hewuxian, Lady Cao; and Empress Zhaoyi, Lady Xia

是時，明宗夏夫人已卒，方求別室，有言王氏於安重誨者，重誨以告明宗而納之。 Lady Xia had just died and Mingzong sought a new consort; word of Wang reached An Chonghui, who brought her to Mingzong’s notice, and he took her in.