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Overview The translated histories identify Supreme Empress as a consort and royal family member. This record brings together 10 passages from 2 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.
Names Type English Chinese Pinyin
Personal
Supreme Empress
太上皇后
Taishang Huanghou
Title
empress
皇后
Huanghou
Title
empress dowager
太后
Taihou
Title
Retired Empress
太上皇后
Title
Shousheng Supreme Empress
壽聖太上皇后
Shousheng Taishang Huanghou
Title
Supreme Empress
太上皇后
Taishang Huanghou
Identity
Historicity Historical
Identification Title only
Sex Female Roles Consort Royal Family Member Life and dates Age Attested activity Source Date: Text: 乾道元年二月朔Western Year: AD 1165
Source Date: Text: 淳熙十年Western Year: AD 1183
Source Date: Text: 紹興三十二年Western Year: AD 1162
Source Date: Text: 紹興三十二年六月十日Western Year: AD 1162
Family
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Career and standing Title: Shousheng Supreme Empress / 壽聖太上皇后Action: receivedStart Date: Source Date: Text: 紹興三十二年Western Year: AD 1162
Title: Supreme Empress / 太上皇后Action: receivedStart Date: Source Date: Text: 紹興三十二年六月十日Western Year: AD 1162
Events and relationships Kind: ritualRole: honoreeAction: long-life-celebration-orderedDate Context: Source Date: Text: 淳熙十年Western Year: AD 1183
Kind: ritualRole: recipientAction: received-honorific-patentDate Context: Source Date: Text: 紹興三十二年八月十四日Western Year: AD 1162
References in the histories Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.
History of Song, Chapter 110 Volume 110 Treatises 63: Rites 13 · 9 passages
紹興三十二年六月十日禦劄：“皇太子可即皇帝位，朕稱太上皇帝，退處德壽宮，皇后稱太上皇后。
On the tenth day of the sixth month of Shaoxing 32, 1162, an imperial note read: "The crown prince may immediately ascend the throne. I shall be styled Supreme Emperor and retire to Deshou Palace; the empress shall be styled Supreme Empress.
太上皇帝駕興，皇帝從，入見太上皇后，如宮中之儀。
When the Supreme Emperor's carriage set out, the emperor followed and entered to see the Supreme Empress according to inner-palace ceremony.
十一月冬至，上詣德壽宮稱賀上壽，禮畢，入見太后，如宮中禮。
On the winter solstice in the eleventh month the emperor proceeded to Deshou Palace to offer congratulations and wish the Supreme Emperor long life. When the rites were complete, he entered to see the empress dowager according to inner-palace ceremony.
乾道元年二月朔，帝詣德壽宮，恭請太上、太后至延祥觀燒香，太上與帝乘馬，太后於後乘輿；
On the first day of the second month of Qiandao 1, 1165, the emperor went to Deshou Palace and respectfully invited the Supreme Emperor and the empress dowager to Extended Felicity Abbey to burn incense. The Supreme Emperor and the emperor rode on horseback while the empress dowager followed in a carriage;
自後帝詣德壽宮恭請太上、太后至南內，或幸延祥觀靈隱寺天竺寺、恭進太上聖政、冊命皇太子，起居稱謝。
Thereafter the emperor went to Deshou Palace to respectfully invite the Supreme Emperor and the empress dowager to the Southern Inner Palace, or took them to Extended Felicity Abbey, Lingyin Temple, and Tianzhu Temple, or respectfully presented the Supreme Emperor's Sagely Governance, or invested the crown prince, reporting on their health and offering thanks.
今茲高世之舉， 視堯有光，恭請上太上皇帝尊號曰光堯壽聖太上皇帝，太上皇后尊號曰壽聖太上皇后。”
Now this exalted act surpassing the age shines when compared with Yao. We respectfully request conferring on the Supreme Emperor the honorific title Guangyao Shousheng Supreme Emperor and on the Supreme Empress the honorific title Shousheng Supreme Empress."
次太上皇帝降坐入宮，皇帝後從壽聖太上皇后冊寶入宮。
Next the Supreme Emperor left his seat and entered the palace. The emperor followed with the Shousheng Supreme Empress's patent and seal into the palace.
皇帝詣太 上皇后坐前北向立，太上皇后升坐，皇帝四拜起居，行奉上冊寶之禮，讀冊官陳子常讀冊，讀寶官梁康民讀寶，讀訖復位，皇帝再拜稱賀致詞曰：“皇帝臣某稽首 言：伏惟壽聖太上皇后殿下德茂坤元，禮崇大號，寶書翕受，歡抃無疆。”
The emperor proceeded before the Supreme Empress's seat and stood facing north. The Supreme Empress ascended and took her seat. The emperor bowed four times in reporting on her health and performed the rite of presenting the patent and seal. Patent Reader Chen Zichang read the patent and Seal Reader Liang Kangmin read the seal; when the reading was finished they returned to their places. The emperor bowed twice and offered congratulations with a formal address: "The emperor, your subject, kowtows and reports: Humbly considering that Your Highness the Shousheng Supreme Empress's virtue flourishes in the earth's origin and rites honor this great title, the precious document is graciously received and our joy knows no bounds."
皇帝再拜，次宣答官承旨宣答曰：“壽聖太上皇后教旨：皇帝祲容載蕆，顯號來膺，誠孝 通天，但深感惕。”
The emperor bowed twice. The reply-proclaiming official then received instructions and proclaimed the reply: "The Shousheng Supreme Empress's instruction: The emperor's reverent bearing carries deep sincerity; the illustrious title comes to be received; his sincere filial piety reaches through Heaven—but my feeling of deep reverence and caution is profound."
History of Song, Chapter 112 Volume 112 Treatises 65: Rites 15 · 1 passage