Five Dynasties · Royal Family Member and Consort

the empress dowager 太后

taihou

Attested AD 950

Passages: 7
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

the empress dowager was a Royal Family Member and Consort.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 950 乾祐三年
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 103, passages 174-175, 177-178

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Han 後漢 · Relation Associated with
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 103, passages 174-175, 177-178

Works and attributed material

Temporary regency and military orders
Proclamation · Author
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 103, passages 184, 197

References in the histories

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 103Volume 103 Book of Later Han 5: Emperor Yin Annals, Part 2 · 7 passages

樞密使郭威以蕭墻變起，宗祏無奉，率群臣候太后，請定所立，且言：「開封尹承勛，高祖皇帝之愛子也，請立為嗣。」 Guo Wei, with no heir at the altars, asked the dowager to choose a successor and said, "Kaifeng mayor Chengxun is Gaozu's beloved son—please establish him as successor."

太后告以承勛羸病日久，不能自舉。 The dowager said Chengxun had been gravely ill and could not govern.

己丑，太后誥曰：「天未悔禍，喪亂宏多，嗣王幼沖，群兇蔽惑，構奸謀於造次，縱毒蠆於斯須，將相大臣，連頸受戮，股肱良佐，無罪見屠，行路咨嗟，群心扼腕，則高祖之洪烈將墜於地。 On jichou the dowager proclaimed: "Heaven has not yet repented of calamity; disorder and ruin are many; the young successor is deceived; vicious men formed wicked plots in haste; ministers and loyal assistants were slaughtered without cause; travelers sighed and hearts clutched their wrists—Gaozu's great enterprise would fall to earth.

周太祖以嗣君未至，萬機不可暫曠，率群臣請太后臨朝，誥答曰：「昨以奸邪構釁，亂我邦家，勛德效忠，剪除兇慝，俯從人欲，已立嗣君，宗社危而再安，紀綱壞而復振。 With the heir not yet arrived, Guo Wei asked the dowager to rule temporarily; her proclamation answered: "Yesterday vicious traitors disturbed our state; loyal merit cut down the villains; bowing to popular will a successor was established; the altars were perilous and again secure, statutes broken and again restored.

皇帝法駕未至，庶事方殷，百辟上言，請予蒞政，宜允輿議，權總萬機，止於浹旬，即復明辟」云。 Until the emperor arrives she would temporarily rule the myriad affairs for ten days, then restore him."

按前代故事，太上皇稱誥，太皇太后、皇太后曰令，今雲誥，有司誤也。 By precedent retired emperors used proclamation and dowagers used order; here proclamation was an error of the offices.

太后誥曰：「王室多故，邊境未寧，內難雖平，外寇仍熾。 The dowager proclaimed: "The house has many troubles; borders are unsettled; though internal strife is over, foreign foes still rage.