1
漢因秦制，帝之祖母曰太皇太后，母曰皇太后，妃曰皇后，餘則多稱夫人，隨世增損，非如周禮有夫人、嬪婦、御妻之定數焉。 魏晉相因，時有昇降，前史言之具矣。
Under the Han, who took over Qin practice, the emperor's grandmother was Grand Empress Dowager, his mother Empress Dowager, and his chief consort Empress; everyone else was usually called Lady, with titles shifting over time rather than the fixed ranks of lady, concubine, wife, and palace woman set out in the Rites of Zhou. Wei and Jin inherited the same system, raising and lowering ranks as times changed; earlier histories already tell that story in full.
2
魏氏王業之兆雖始於神元，至於昭成之前，世崇儉質，妃嬙嬪御，率多闕焉，惟以次第為稱。 而章、平、思、昭、穆、惠、煬、烈八帝，妃后無聞。 太祖追尊祖妣，皆從帝諡為皇后，始立中宮，餘妾或稱夫人，多少無限，然皆有品次。 世祖稍增左右昭儀及貴人、椒房、中式數等，後庭漸已多矣。 又魏故事，將立皇后必令手鑄金人，以成者為吉，不成則不得立也。 又世祖、高宗緣保母劬勞之恩，並極尊崇之義，雖事乖典禮，而觀過知仁。 高祖改定內官，左右昭儀位視大司馬，三夫人視三公，三嬪視三卿，六嬪視六卿，世婦視中大夫，御女視元士。 後置女職，以典內事。 內司視尚書令、僕。 作司、大監、女侍中三官視二品。 監，女尚書，美人，女史、女賢人、書史、書女、小書女五官，視三品。 中才人、供人、中使女生、才人、恭使宮人視四品，春衣、女酒、女饗、女食、奚官女奴視五品。 [2]
The Wei kings' mandate may have begun with Shenyuan, but until the reign before Emperor Zhaocheng the court prized plain living: few consorts or palace women are recorded, and women were known only by their rank in the sequence. For eight early rulers—Zhang, Ping, Si, Zhao, Mu, Hui, Yang, and Lie—no empress or consort is named at all. Taizu raised his ancestors' wives to empress in posthumous title, established the central palace, and allowed other women the title Lady in unlimited number, each with a defined rank. Shizu gradually added left and right worthy ladies, honored persons, pepper-chamber attendants, central-style ranks, and the like, and the rear palace swelled. Wei custom required a woman to cast a gold figure with her own hands before she could be made empress: success meant good fortune; failure barred the throne. Shizu and Gaozong both lavished honor on their wet-nurses out of gratitude for exhausting care; the practice broke ritual, yet the kindness behind the breach is plain. Gaozu reorganized the inner court: left and right worthy ladies equaled the grand marshal; three ladies the three excellencies; three consorts the three ministers; six consorts the six ministers; world wives palace grandees; palace women chief clerks. Later he added female offices to run palace affairs. The inner director ranked with the directors of the Masters of Writing. Director of works, grand supervisor, and female palace attendant—the three posts—held second-grade rank. Supervisor, female master of writing, beauty, female scribe, female worthy, book scribe, book woman, and junior book woman—five offices—held third-grade rank. Central talented woman, attendant, central palace maid, talented woman, and respectful palace woman were fourth grade; spring robe, wine woman, feast woman, food woman, and palace slave were fifth. The text is deficient.
3
神元皇后竇氏，沒鹿回部大人賓之女也。 賓臨終，誡其二子速侯、回題，令善事帝。 及賓卒，速侯等欲因帝會喪為變，語頗漏泄，帝聞之，知其終不奉順，乃先圖之。 於是伏勇士於宮中，晨起以佩刀殺后，馳使告速侯等，言后暴崩。 速侯等驚走來赴，因執而殺之。
Empress of Shenyuan, née Dou, was the daughter of Bin, paramount chief of the Moluhui tribe. On his deathbed Bin warned his sons Suho and Huiti to serve the emperor faithfully. After Bin's death Suho and his brothers planned a coup when the emperor came to the funeral; word leaked; the emperor knew they would never submit and struck first. Warriors lay hidden in the palace; at dawn the emperor killed the empress with his belt knife and sent riders to Suho saying she had died suddenly. Suho and his brothers ran to the palace in alarm and were seized and killed.
4
文帝皇后封氏，生桓、穆二帝，早崩。 桓帝立，乃葬焉。 [3]高宗初，穿天淵池，獲一石銘，稱桓帝葬母封氏，遠近赴會二十餘萬人。 有司以聞，命藏之太廟。
Emperor Wen's empress, née Feng, bore Emperors Huan and Mu and died young. When Emperor Huan was enthroned, she was buried at last. [3] Early in Gaozong's reign workers digging the Tianyuan Pool found a stone inscription recording that Emperor Huan buried his mother Lady Feng; more than two hundred thousand people gathered from near and far. The court reported the find; the emperor ordered the stone kept in the Grand Temple.
5
次妃蘭氏，生二子，長子曰藍，早卒； 次子，思帝也。
A secondary consort, Lady Lan, bore two sons; the elder, named Lan, died young; the younger became Emperor Si.
6
桓帝皇后祁氏，[4]生三子，長曰普根，次惠帝，次煬帝。 平文崩，后攝國事，時人謂之女國。 后性猛忌，平文之崩，后所為也。
Emperor Huan's empress, née Qi, [4] bore three sons: Pugen the eldest, then Emperor Hui, then Emperor Yang. When Emperor Pingwen died the empress governed; people spoke of a women's state. She was fierce and jealous; Emperor Pingwen's death was her work.
7
平文皇后王氏，廣寧人也。 年十三，因事入宮，得幸於平文，生昭成帝。 平文崩，昭成在襁褓。 時國有內難，將害諸皇子。 后匿帝於袴中，懼人知，呪曰：「若天祚未終者，汝便無聲。」 遂良久不啼，得免於難。 昭成初欲定都於灅源川，築城郭，起宮室，議不決。 后聞之，曰：「國自上世，遷徙為業。 今事難之後，基業未固。 若城郭而居，一旦寇來，難卒遷動。」 乃止。 烈帝之崩，國祚殆危，興復大業，后之力也。 十八年崩，葬雲中金陵。 太祖即位，配饗太廟。
Emperor Pingwen's empress, née Wang, came from Guangning. At thirteen she entered the palace on an errand, won Emperor Pingwen's favor, and bore Emperor Zhaocheng. When Emperor Pingwen died, Zhaocheng was still an infant in swaddling clothes. Civil strife broke out; plotters meant to kill the princes. She hid the child in her trousers and prayed, fearing discovery: "If Heaven's mandate is not ended, be silent." He did not cry for a long time and was spared. When Emperor Zhaocheng first planned to settle on the Luanyuan River, build walls, and raise palaces, the court could not agree. The empress objected: "From antiquity this people has lived by migration. After recent troubles the foundation is still weak. If we build walled towns and enemies strike, we cannot flee at once." The plan was abandoned. When Emperor Lie died the dynasty nearly perished; she did the work of revival. She died in the eighteenth year and was buried at Jinling in Yunzhong. When Taizu took the throne she received paired sacrifice in the Grand Temple.
8
獻明皇后賀氏，父野干，東部大人。 后少以容儀選入東宮，生太祖。 苻洛之內侮也，后與太祖及故臣吏避難北徙。 俄而，高車奄來抄掠，后乘車與太祖避賊而南。 中路失轄，后懼，仰天而告曰：「國家胤冑，豈止爾絕滅也！ 惟神靈扶助。」 遂馳，輪正不傾。 行百餘里，至七介山南而得免難。
Empress Xianming, née He—her father Yegan was paramount chief of the Eastern Division. Chosen young into the eastern palace for her looks, she bore Taizu. When Fu Luo invaded, she fled north with Taizu and loyal officials. Soon Gaoche raiders struck; she rode south with Taizu to escape them. Midway the axle broke. She looked up in terror and cried: "Can the imperial line end with us alone! Spirits, aid us!" They galloped on; the wheel held true and did not tip. After more than a hundred li they reached the south slope of Mount Qijie and were safe.
9
後劉顯使人將害太祖，帝姑為顯弟亢埿妻，知之，密以告后，梁眷亦來告難。 后乃令太祖去之。 后夜飲顯使醉。 向晨，故驚厩中羣馬，顯使起視馬。 后泣而謂曰：「吾諸子始皆在此，今盡亡失。 汝等誰殺之？」 故顯不使急追。 [5]太祖得至賀蘭部，羣情未甚歸附，后從弟外朝大人悅，舉部隨從，供奉盡禮。 顯怒，將害后，后夜奔亢埿家，匿神車中三日，亢埿舉室請救，乃得免。 會劉顯部亂，始得亡歸。
Later Liu Xian sent men to kill Taizu. The emperor's aunt, married to Xian's brother Kangnuili, learned of it and warned the empress in secret; Liang Juan brought the same warning. She sent Taizu away at once. That night she plied Xian's envoy with wine until he was drunk. Before dawn she stampeded the stable horses; the envoy rose to inspect them. Weeping, she said: "All my sons were here; now they have vanished. Which of you killed them?" Xian's men did not pursue in haste. [5] When Taizu reached the Helan tribe hearts were not yet won; the empress's cousin Yue, an outer-court grandee, led his whole tribe to follow and served with full ceremony. Xian raged and meant to kill her; she fled by night to Kangnuili's house and hid three days in the spirit cart until his household begged for her life. When Liu Xian's tribe fell into disorder she escaped home at last.
10
後后弟染干忌太祖之得人心，舉兵圍逼行宮，后出謂染干曰：「汝等今安所置我，而欲殺吾子也？」 染干慚而去。
Later her brother Ran'gan, jealous of Taizu's popularity, besieged the traveling palace. The empress confronted him: "Where will you put me, if you kill my son?" Ran'gan withdrew in shame.
11
道武皇后慕容氏，寶之季女也。 中山平，入充掖庭，得幸。 左丞相衞王儀等奏請立皇后，帝從羣臣議，令后鑄金人，成，乃立之，告於郊廟。 封后母孟為漂陽君。 [6]後崩。
Emperor Daowu's empress, née Murong, was Murong Bao's youngest daughter. When Zhongshan fell she entered the rear palace and won favor. Prince Wei of the Guard, left chancellor, and others asked that she be made empress. The emperor agreed, had her cast the gold figure; it succeeded, and she was enthroned with rites at the suburban altars. He enfeoffed her mother Lady Meng as Lady of Piaoyang. [6] She died later.
12
道武宣穆皇后劉氏，劉眷女也。 登國初，納為夫人，生華陰公主，後生太宗。 后專理內事，寵待有加，以鑄金人不成，故不得登后位。 魏故事，後宮產子將為儲貳，其母皆賜死。 太祖末年，后以舊法薨。 太宗即位，追尊諡號，配饗太廟。 自此後宮人為帝母，皆正位配饗焉。
Emperor Daowu's Empress Xuanmu, née Liu, was Liu Juan's daughter. At the start of Dengguo she became a lady and bore the Princess of Huayin, later Taizong. She ran inner affairs alone and was deeply favored, but the gold figure failed and she never became empress. Wei custom required the mother of an heir apparent to die. In Taizu's last years she died under that old law. When Taizong took the throne he gave her a posthumous title and paired her in the Grand Temple. After that every emperor's mother from the rear palace took the principal place in paired sacrifice.
13
明元昭哀皇后姚氏，姚興女也，興封西平長公主。 太宗以后禮納之，後為夫人。 后以鑄金人不成，未昇尊位，然帝寵幸之，出入居處，禮秩如后焉。 是後猶欲正位，而后謙讓不當。 泰常五年薨，帝追恨之，贈皇后璽綬，而後加諡焉。 葬雲中金陵。
Emperor Mingyuan's Empress Zhaogong, née Yao, was Yao Xing's daughter; Xing made her Princess of Xiping. Taizong received her with empress ceremony; later she held the rank of lady. The gold figure failed and she never took supreme rank, yet the emperor favored her as if she were empress in residence and ceremony. He still wished to make her empress, but she declined as unfitting. She died in the fifth year of Taichang; the emperor mourned, gave her empress seal and sash, and added a posthumous title. She was buried at Jinling in Yunzhong.
14
明元密皇后杜氏，魏郡鄴人，陽平王超之妹也。 初以良家子選入太子宮，有寵，生世祖。 及太宗即位，拜貴嬪。 泰常五年薨，諡曰密貴嬪，葬雲中金陵。 世祖即位，追尊號諡，配饗太廟。 又立后廟于鄴，刺史四時薦祀。 以魏郡太后所生之邑，復其調役。 後甘露降于廟庭。 高祖時，[7]相州刺史高閭表修后廟，詔曰：「婦人外成，理無獨祀，陰必配陽以成天地，未聞有莘之國，立太姒之饗。 此乃先皇所立，一時之至感，非經世之遠制，便可罷祀。」
Emperor Mingyuan's Secret Empress, née Du, came from Ye in Wei commandery; she was sister to Prince Chao of Yangping. Chosen as a woman of good family into the crown prince's palace, she won favor and bore Shizu. When Taizong took the throne she became honored consort. She died in the fifth year of Taichang with the posthumous title Secret Honored Consort and was buried at Jinling in Yunzhong. At Shizu's accession he raised her posthumous title and gave her paired sacrifice in the Grand Temple. He also built an empress temple at Ye, where the provincial governor offered seasonal sacrifice. Because it was the empress dowager's native commandery, corvée and levies there were remitted. Later sweet dew fell in the temple courtyard. In Gaozu's time, [7] Gao Lü, governor of Xiangzhou, asked to repair the empress temple. The edict said: "Women find completion outside the family; they are not sacrificed alone; yin must pair with yang to make Heaven and Earth whole. No one has heard of a separate feast for Tai Si in the state of Youxin. This was the late emperor's moment of feeling, not eternal law; let the separate sacrifices cease."
15
太武皇后赫連氏，赫連屈丐女也。 世祖平統萬，納后及二妹俱為貴人，後立為皇后。 高宗初崩，祔葬金陵。
Emperor Taiwu's empress, née Helian, was Helian Qubuq's daughter. When Shizu took Tongwan he made the empress and her two younger sisters honored persons; later she became empress. When Gaozong first died she was associated in burial at Jinling.
16
太武敬哀皇后賀氏，代人也。 初為夫人，生恭宗。 神䴥元年薨，追贈貴嬪，葬雲中金陵。 後追加號諡，配饗太廟。
Emperor Taiwu's Empress Jing'ai, née He, came from Dai. At first she was a lady and bore Gongzong. She died in the first year of Shenju, was posthumously made honored consort, and was buried at Jinling in Yunzhong. Later her title was raised and she was paired in the Grand Temple.
17
景穆恭皇后郁久閭氏，河東王毗妹也。 少以選入東宮，有寵。 真君元年，生高宗。 世祖末年薨。 高宗即位，追尊號諡。 葬雲中金陵，配饗太廟。
Jingmu's Empress Gong, née Yujiulü, was sister to Prince Pi of Hedong. Chosen young into the eastern palace, she won favor. In the first year of Zhenjun she bore Gaozong. She died in Shizu's last years. When Gaozong took the throne he raised her posthumous title. She was buried at Jinling in Yunzhong and paired in the Grand Temple.
18
高宗乳母常氏，本遼西人。 太延中，以事入宮，世祖選乳高宗。 慈和履順，有劬勞保護之功。 高宗即位，尊為保太后，尋為皇太后，謁於郊廟。 和平元年崩，詔天下大臨三日，諡曰昭，葬於廣寧磨笄山，俗謂之鳴雞山，太后遺志也。 依惠太后故事，別立寢廟，置守陵二百家，樹碑頌德。
Gaozong's wet-nurse, Lady Chang, came from Liaoxi. In Taiyan she entered the palace; Shizu chose her to nurse Gaozong. Gentle and dutiful, she earned merit through exhausting care. When Gaozong took the throne she was honored foster empress dowager, then empress dowager, with rites at the suburban altars. She died in the first year of Heping; the realm mourned three days; posthumous title Zhao; she was buried at Mojie Mountain in Guangning, popularly Cock-crow Mountain, as she had wished. Following Foster Empress Dowager Hui's precedent, a separate temple was built, two hundred households guarded the tomb, and a stele praised her virtue.
19
文成文明皇后馮氏，長樂信都人也。 父朗，秦、雍二州刺史、西城郡公，[8]母樂浪王氏。 后生於長安，有神光之異。 朗坐事誅，后遂入宮。 世祖左昭儀，后之姑也，雅有母德，撫養教訓。 年十四，高宗踐極，以選為貴人，後立為皇后。 高宗崩，故事：國有大喪，三日之後，御服器物一以燒焚，百官及中宮皆號泣而臨之。 后悲叫自投火中，左右救之，良久乃蘇。
Emperor Wencheng's Empress Wenhua, née Feng, came from Xindu in Changle. Her father Lang was governor of Qin and Yong and duke of Xicheng; [8] her mother was Lady Wang of Lelang. She was born at Chang'an amid a wonder of divine light. When Lang was executed for a crime she entered the palace. Shizu's left worthy lady was her aunt and raised her with motherly care. At fourteen, when Gaozong took the throne, she became honored person; later empress. When Gaozong died, precedent held that after three days all imperial garments and vessels were burned while officials and the inner palace wailed over them. Grieving, she threw herself into the fire; attendants pulled her out; long passed before she revived.
20
顯祖即位，尊為皇太后。 丞相乙渾謀逆，顯祖年十二，[9]居于諒闇，太后密定大策，誅渾，遂臨朝聽政。 及高祖生，太后躬親撫養。 是後罷令，不聽政事。 太后行不正，內寵李弈，顯祖因事誅之，太后不得意。 顯祖暴崩，時言太后為之也。
When Xianzu took the throne she was honored empress dowager. Chief Minister Yi Hun plotted treason; Xianzu was twelve, [9] in mourning seclusion; the empress dowager secretly settled the plot, killed Hun, and took the regency. When Gaozu was born she reared him herself. Afterward she stopped issuing edicts and withdrew from government. She kept an improper favorite, Li Yi; Xianzu killed him on a pretext; she was displeased. Xianzu died suddenly; rumor said the empress dowager was responsible.
21
承明元年，尊曰太皇太后，復臨朝聽政。 太后性聰達，自入宮掖，粗學書計。 及登尊極，省決萬機。 高祖詔曰：「朕以虛寡，幼纂寶歷，仰恃慈明，緝寧四海，欲報之德，正覺是憑，諸鷙鳥傷生之類，宜放之山林。 其以此地為太皇太后經始靈塔。」 於是罷鷹師曹，以其地為報德佛寺。 太后與高祖遊于方山，顧瞻川阜，有終焉之志，因謂羣臣曰：「舜葬蒼梧，二妃不從。 豈必遠祔山陵，然後為貴哉！ 吾百年之後，神其安此。」 高祖乃詔有司營建壽陵於方山，又起永固石室，將終為清廟焉。 太和五年起作，八年而成，刊石立碑，頌太后功德。 太后以高祖富於春秋，乃作勸戒歌三百餘章，又作皇誥十八篇，文多不載。 太后立文宣王廟於長安，[10]又立思燕佛圖於龍城，皆刊石立碑。 太后又制，內屬五廟之孫，外戚六親緦麻，皆受復除。 性儉素，不好華飾，躬御縵繒而已。 宰人上膳，案裁徑尺，羞膳滋味減於故事十分之八。 太后嘗以體不安，服菴䕡子。 宰人昏而進粥，有蝘蜓在焉，后舉匕得之。 高祖侍側，大怒，將加極罰，太后笑而釋之。
In the first year of Chengming she became grand empress dowager and ruled again. Clever and penetrating, she had learned basic writing and reckoning in the palace. At supreme rank she decided every affair of state. Gaozu decreed: "We inherited the throne young, relying on her clarity to settle the realm; to repay her virtue we release birds of prey and all creatures that harm life to the mountains. Let this ground be where the grand empress dowager first raised her spirit pagoda." The hawk office was abolished and the land became Repaying Virtue Buddhist Temple. Touring Mount Fang with Gaozu she looked on river and hill and chose it for her rest, telling the ministers: "When Shun was buried at Cangwu his two consorts did not follow. Must one lie far at the imperial tombs to be honored? When my hundred years are done let my spirit rest here." Gaozu ordered her longevity tomb built at Mount Fang and the Eternal Firm stone hall raised, meant in the end as a pure temple. Work began in the fifth year of Taihe and finished in the eighth; stone was carved and a stele praised her merit. While Gaozu was young she wrote more than three hundred admonitory songs and eighteen imperial instructions; most are not preserved. She built Prince Wenhua's temple at Chang'an [10] and the Siyan Buddha hall at Longcheng, each with carved stone and stele. She also decreed mourning leave for inner five-temple grandsons and outer kin within six degrees. Frugal by nature, she disliked ornament and wore only plain silk. Trays for her meals were barely a foot wide; delicacies were cut to eight-tenths of precedent. Once, feeling unwell, she took crow-dipper seeds. At dusk a steward brought porridge with a gecko in it; she found it with her spoon. Gaozu beside her was furious and meant extreme punishment; she smiled and let the man go.
22
自太后臨朝專政，高祖雅性孝謹，不欲參決，事無巨細，一禀於太后。 太后多智略，猜忍，能行大事，生殺賞罰，決之俄頃，多有不關高祖者。 是以威福兼作，震動內外。 故𣏌道德、王遇、張祐、苻承祖等拔自微閹，歲中而至王公； 王叡出入臥內，數年便為宰輔，賞賚財帛以千萬億計，金書鐵券，許以不死之詔。 李沖雖以器能受任，亦由見寵帷幄，密加錫賚，不可勝數。 后性嚴明，假有寵待，亦無所縱。 左右纖介之愆，動加捶楚，多至百餘，少亦數十。 然性不宿憾，尋亦待之如初，或因此更加富貴。 是以人人懷於利欲，至死而不思退。
Under her sole rule Gaozu was filial and cautious and would not decide; great and small, all went to her. She was resourceful, suspicious, and cruel, deciding life, death, reward, and punishment in a moment, often without telling Gaozu. Authority and favor together shook court and realm. Wang Yu, Zhang You, Fu Chengzu, and others rose from humble eunuchs to princes and dukes within a year; Wang Rui entered the sleeping quarters and within years became chief minister, rewarded with wealth in the hundreds of millions and a golden writ on iron promising he could not be executed. Li Chong won office for talent, but also through secret favor and gifts beyond counting. She was strict and clear; even favorites were not indulged. The slightest fault in attendants could bring a hundred strokes or several tens. Yet she did not hold grudges; soon she treated them as before, or they grew richer. Everyone clung to profit and never thought of leaving.
23
太后曾與高祖幸靈泉池，燕羣臣及藩國使人、諸方渠帥，各令為其方舞。 高祖帥羣臣上壽，太后忻然作歌，帝亦和歌，遂命羣臣各言其志，於是和歌者九十人。
She once feasted ministers and foreign envoys at Spirit Spring Pool and had each perform his region's dance. Gaozu led longevity toasts; she sang gladly; he harmonized; then each stated his aim—and ninety sang in reply.
24
太后外禮民望元丕、游明根等，頒賜金帛輿馬，每至褒美叡等，皆引丕等參之，以示無私。 又自以過失，懼人議己，小有疑忌，便見誅戮。 迄后之崩，高祖不知所生。 至如李訢、李惠之徒，猜嫌覆滅者十餘家，死者數百人，率多枉濫，天下冤之。
Outwardly she honored Yuan Pi, You Minggen, and others the people respected, bestowing gold and horses; when she praised Rui she had Pi present to show impartiality. Fearing criticism, she killed at the slightest suspicion. Until her death Gaozu did not know the truth of his birth. Li Xin, Li Hui, and more than ten houses fell to suspicion; hundreds died, mostly innocent; the realm mourned them.
25
十四年，崩於太和殿，時年四十九。 其日，有雄雉集于太華殿。 高祖酌飲不入口五日，毀慕過禮。 諡曰文明太皇太后。 葬于永固陵，日中而反，虞於鑒玄殿。 詔曰：「尊旨從儉，不申罔極之痛； 稱情允禮，仰損儉訓之德。 進退思惟，倍用崩感。 又山陵之節，亦有成命，內則方丈，外裁揜坎，脫於孝子之心有所不盡者，室中可二丈，墳不得過三十餘步。 今以山陵萬世所仰，復廣為六十步。 辜負遺旨，益以痛絕。 其幽房大小，棺槨質約，不設明器。 至於素帳、縵茵、瓷瓦之物，亦皆不置。 此則遵先志，從冊令，俱奉遺事。 而有從有違，未達者或以致怪。 梓宮之裏，玄堂之內，聖靈所憑，是以一一奉遵，仰昭儉德。 其餘外事，有所不從，以盡痛慕之情。 其宣示遠近，著告羣司，上明儉誨之善，下彰違命之失。」 及卒哭，孝文服衰，近臣從服，三司已下外臣衰服者，變服就練，七品已下盡除即吉。 設祔祭於太和殿，公卿已下始親公事。 高祖毀瘠，絕酒肉，不內御者三年。
In the fourteenth year she died in the Taihe Hall at forty-nine. That day a male pheasant alighted on the Taihua Hall. Gaozu drank but did not eat for five days; his mourning exceeded ritual. Her posthumous title was Grand Empress Dowager Wenhua. She was buried at the Eternal Firm tomb; at noon the procession returned; rites were at the Jianxuan Hall. An edict said: "Her honored will was frugal; boundless grief could not be fully shown; yet fitting feeling and allowable ritual still tempered frugal teaching. Thinking it through, grief redoubled at her death. For the tomb she had ordered a square zhang within and only a covering mound without—yet where a son's heart fell short the inner chamber might be two zhang and the mound thirty-odd paces. Now the tomb is looked to for ten thousand generations and is broadened to sixty paces. Failing her last will, grief cuts deeper. The inner chamber, coffin, and goods stay plain; no bright grave goods. Even plain curtains, mats, and porcelain—none are placed. This follows her will and the written order; both honor her legacy. Where we comply and where we depart, some may find it strange. Within the coffin and dark hall her spirit rests—there we follow each point to show frugal virtue. Outer matters we bend to exhaust painful longing. Let this be proclaimed far and near: above to clarify frugal teaching, below to show where we disobeyed." After wailing Gaozu wore mourning; close attendants followed; outer officials third rank and below changed to finer hemp; seventh rank and below returned to normal dress. Associated sacrifice was set in the Taihe Hall; from dukes down they resumed public business. Gaozu wasted away, took no wine or meat, and kept no inner attendants for three years.
26
初，高祖孝於太后，乃於永固陵東北里餘，豫營壽宮，有終焉瞻望之志。 及遷洛陽，乃自表瀍西以為山園之所，而方山虛宮至今猶存，號曰「萬年堂」云。
Filial toward her, he had built a longevity palace a little over a li northeast of her tomb, intending to rest his gaze there at the end. When he moved to Luoyang he chose the west bank of the Chan for his own mountain garden; the empty hall at Mount Fang remains, called the Hall of Ten Thousand Years.
27
文成元皇后李氏，梁國蒙縣人，頓丘王峻之妹也。 [11]后之生也，有異於常，父方叔恒言此女當大貴。 及長，姿質美麗。 世祖南征，永昌王仁出壽春，軍至后宅，因得后。 及仁鎮長安，遇事誅，后與其家人送平城宮。 高宗登白樓望見，美之，謂左右曰：「此婦人佳乎？」 左右咸曰「然」。 乃下臺，后得幸於齋庫中，遂有娠。 常太后後問后，后云：「為帝所幸，仍有娠。」 時守庫者亦私書壁記之，別加驗問，皆相符同。 及生顯祖，拜貴人。 太安二年，太后令依故事，令后具條記在南兄弟及引所結宗兄洪之，悉以付託。 臨訣，每一稱兄弟，輒拊胸慟泣，遂薨。 後諡曰元皇后，葬金陵，配饗太廟。
Emperor Wencheng's primary empress, née Li, came from Meng in Liang; she was sister to Prince Jun of Dunqiu. [11] Her birth was wondrous; her father Fangshu always said she would rise to great honor. Grown, she was beautiful in bearing. When Shizu marched south, Prince Yongchang Ren left Shouchun; his army reached her home and took her. When Ren was stationed at Chang'an he was executed; she and her family were sent to the Pingcheng palace. Gaozong on the White Tower saw her, admired her, and asked attendants: "Is she not fine?" All said, "Indeed." He descended; she won favor in the fasting storehouse and became pregnant. Foster Empress Dowager Chang later questioned her; she said the emperor had favored her and she was pregnant. The storekeeper had privately written on the wall; separate questioning matched. When she bore Xianzu she was made honored person. In the second year of Tai'an the empress dowager ordered her, by precedent, to record her southern brothers and sworn clan brother Hongzhi for entrustment. At the farewell each brother's name brought breast-beating tears; then she died. Later she received the posthumous title Primary Empress, burial at Jinling, and pairing in the Grand Temple.
28
獻文思皇后李氏，中山安喜人，南郡王惠之女也。 姿德婉淑，年十八，以選入東宮。 顯祖即位，為夫人，生高祖。 皇興三年薨，上下莫不悼惜。 葬金陵。 承明元年追崇號諡，配饗太廟。
Emperor Xianwen's Empress Si, née Li, came from Anxi in Zhongshan; daughter of Prince Hui of Nanyang. Graceful in bearing and virtue, at eighteen she entered the eastern palace. When Xianzu took the throne she was a lady and bore Gaozu. In the third year of Huangxing she died; court and realm mourned. She was buried at Jinling. In the first year of Chenming her honors and posthumous title were raised, and she was given joint sacrifice in the ancestral temple.
29
孝文貞皇后林氏，平原人也。 [12]叔父金閭，起自閹官，有寵於常太后，官至尚書、平涼公。 金閭兄勝為平涼太守。 金閭，顯祖初為定州刺史。 未幾為乙渾所誅，兄弟皆死。 勝無子，有二女，入掖庭。 后容色美麗，得幸於高祖，生皇子恂。 以恂將為儲貳，太和七年后依舊制薨。 高祖仁恕，不欲襲前事，而禀文明太后意，故不果行。 諡曰貞皇后，葬金陵。 及恂以罪賜死，有司奏追廢后為庶人。
Empress Zhen of Emperor Wen, née Lin, came from Pingyuan. [12] Her uncle Jinlu had risen from the eunuch service, won favor with Empress Dowager Chang, and rose to Master of Writing and Duke of Pingliang. Jinlu's elder brother Sheng served as administrator of Pingliang. At the start of Emperor Xianzu's reign Jinlu was made regional inspector of Dingzhou. Soon afterward he was killed by Yi Hun, and the brothers all perished. Sheng had no sons; his two daughters were sent into the inner palace. The empress was strikingly beautiful, found favor with Emperor Gaozu, and bore Prince Xun. As Xun was to be crown prince, in Taihe year 7 the empress died under the old custom. Gaozu was merciful and unwilling to repeat the old practice, but he deferred to Empress Dowager Wenming, and the custom was not enforced. She was given the posthumous name Empress Zhen and buried at Jinling. After Xun was condemned and ordered to die, the authorities petitioned to posthumously depose the empress as a commoner.
30
孝文廢皇后馮氏，太師熙之女也。 太和十七年，高祖既終喪，太尉元丕等表以長秋未建，六宮無主，請正內位。 高祖從之，立后為皇后。 高祖每遵典禮，后及夫、嬪以下接御皆以次進。 車駕南伐，后留京師。 高祖又南征，后率六宮遷洛陽。 及后父熙、兄誕薨，高祖為書慰以敍哀情。 及車駕還洛，恩遇甚厚。 高祖後重引后姊昭儀至洛，稍有寵，后禮愛漸衰。 昭儀自以年長，且前入宮掖，素見待念，輕后而不率妾禮。 后雖性不妬忌，時有愧恨之色。 昭儀規為內主，譖構百端。 尋廢后為庶人。 后貞謹有德操，遂為練行尼。 後終於瑤光佛寺。
Emperor Wen's deposed empress, née Feng, was a daughter of Grand Preceptor Xi. In Taihe year 17, once Gaozu had finished mourning, Grand Commandant Yuan Pi and others submitted that with no empress installed and the six palaces without a head, the inner court should be regularized. Gaozu agreed and made her empress. Gaozu always kept to ritual: the empress, consorts, and lower concubines all came to him in proper order. On the southern campaigns the empress stayed behind in the capital. On another southern expedition the empress led the six palaces in relocating to Luoyang. When her father Xi and elder brother Dan died, Gaozu wrote to console her and voice his sorrow. After the emperor returned to Luoyang, she enjoyed exceptional favor. Later Gaozu brought the empress's elder sister, already a zhaoyi, back to Luoyang; as the sister gained favor, the empress's standing slowly faded. The zhaoyi, being older and having entered the palace earlier, had long been favored; she slighted the empress and refused the deference owed a junior wife. Though not jealous by nature, the empress sometimes showed shame and bitterness. The zhaoyi schemed to rule the inner palace and wove slander on every side. Soon the empress was deposed and reduced to a commoner. Chaste and principled, she took the tonsure as a nun in austere practice. She ended her days at Yaoguang Temple.
31
孝文幽皇后，亦馮熙女。 母曰常氏，本微賤，得幸於熙，熙元妃公主薨後，遂主家事。 生后與北平公夙。 文明太皇太后欲家世貴寵，乃簡熙二女俱入掖庭，時年十四。 其一早卒。 后有姿媚，偏見愛幸。 未幾疾病，文明太后乃遣還家為尼，高祖猶留念焉。 歲餘而太后崩。 高祖服終，頗存訪之，又聞后素疹痊除，遣閹官雙三念璽書勞問，遂迎赴洛陽。 及至，寵愛過初，專寢當夕，宮人稀復進見。 拜為左昭儀，後立為皇后。
Empress You of Emperor Wen was likewise a daughter of Feng Xi. Her mother, née Chang, was of humble birth; favored by Xi, after his principal consort the princess died she managed the household. She bore the future empress and Beiping Duke Su. Grand Empress Dowager Wenming wanted the Feng house ennobled, so both of Xi's daughters were chosen for the inner palace at age fourteen. One of them died young. The empress was alluring and won special favor. Soon she fell ill; Empress Dowager Wenming sent her home to take the veil, though Gaozu still thought of her. A little over a year later the empress dowager died. After mourning ended Gaozu still sought her; learning her chronic rash had healed, he sent the eunuch Shuang Sannian with an imperial message and had her brought to Luoyang. On her arrival favor surpassed the first reign; she alone shared his nights, and other palace women seldom gained audience. She was made left zhaoyi and later elevated to empress.
32
始以疾歸，頗有失德之聞，高祖頻歲南征，后遂與中官高菩薩私亂。 及高祖在汝南不豫，后便公然醜恣，中常侍雙蒙等為其心腹。 中常侍劇鵬諫而不從，憤懼致死。 是時，彭城公主，宋王劉昶子婦也，年少嫠居。 北平公馮夙，后之同母弟也，后求婚於高祖，高祖許之。 公主志不願，后欲強之。 婚有日矣，公主密與侍婢及家僮十餘人，乘輕車，冒霖雨，赴懸瓠奉謁高祖，自陳本意，因言后與菩薩亂狀。 高祖聞而駭愕，未之全信而祕匿之，惟彭城王侍疾左右，具知其事。
Rumors of misconduct had followed her illness and return home; while Gaozu campaigned south year after year, she took the palace attendant Gaopusa as her lover. When Gaozu fell ill at Runan, the empress flaunted her debauchery, with Regular Palace Attendant Shuang Meng and others as her inner circle. Regular Palace Attendant Ju Peng admonished her in vain and, stricken with anger and dread, died. Princess Pengcheng, daughter-in-law of Prince of Song Liu Chang, was young and living as a widow. Beiping Duke Feng Su, her full brother, sought her help in marrying the princess; Gaozu agreed. The princess refused, but the empress meant to compel her. With the wedding set, the princess secretly took a light carriage with a dozen maids and servants, rode through driving rain to Xuanchi to see Gaozu, declared her refusal, and revealed the empress's liaison with Pusa. Gaozu was stunned but did not fully believe her and kept the matter hidden; only Prince of Pengcheng, at his sickbed, knew everything.
33
此後，后漸憂懼，與母常氏求託女巫，禱厭無所不至，願高祖疾不起，一旦得如文明太后輔少主稱命者，賞報不貲。 又取三牲宮中妖祠，假言祈福，專為左道。 母常或自詣宮中，或遣侍婢與相報答。 高祖自豫州北幸鄴，后慮還見治檢，彌懷危怖，驟令閹人託參起居，皆賜之衣裳，殷勤託寄，勿使漏洩。 亦令雙蒙充行，省其信不。 [13]然惟小黃門蘇興壽密陳委曲，高祖問其本末，敕以勿洩。 至洛，執問菩薩、雙蒙等六人，迭相證舉，具得情狀。
Afterward the empress grew fearful; with her mother Lady Chang she turned to witches and every form of curse-prayer, hoping Gaozu would not recover so she could rule as regent like Empress Dowager Wenming and repay them lavishly. She set up illicit shrines in the palace with the three sacrificial beasts, pretending to pray for blessings while practicing forbidden rites. Lady Chang sometimes entered the palace herself, sometimes sent maids to carry messages back and forth. As Gaozu went north from Yuzhou to Ye, the empress, dreading investigation on his return, sent eunuchs again and again with greetings, lavished clothes on them, and begged them to keep silent. She also sent Shuang Meng to go with them and test their loyalty. [13] Only junior yellow-gate attendant Su Xingshou secretly laid out the whole affair; Gaozu questioned him to the bottom and commanded secrecy. At Luoyang six men including Pusa and Shuang Meng were arrested; their mutual accusations brought the whole truth to light.
34
高祖以疾臥含溫室，夜引后，并列菩薩等於戶外。 后臨入，令閹人搜衣中，稍有寸刃便斬。 后頓首泣謝，乃賜坐東楹，去御筵二丈餘。 高祖令菩薩等陳狀，又讓后曰：「汝母有妖術，可具言之。」 后乞屏左右，有所密啟。 高祖敕中侍悉出，唯令長秋卿白整在側，取衞直刀柱之，后猶不言。 高祖乃以綿堅塞整耳，自小語呼整再三，無所應，乃令后言。 事隱，人莫知之。 高祖乃喚彭城、北海二王令入坐，言：「昔是汝嫂，今乃他人，但入勿避。」 二王固辭，不獲命。 及入，高祖云：「此老嫗乃欲白刃插我肋上！ 可窮問本末，勿有所難。」 高祖深自引過，致愧二王。 又云：「馮家女不能復相廢逐，且使在宮中空坐，有心乃能自死，汝等勿謂吾猶有情也。」 高祖素至孝，猶以文明太后故，未便行廢。 良久，二王出，乃賜后辭死訣。 [14]再拜稽首，涕泣歔欷。 令入東房。 及入宮後，帝命閹人有所問於后，后罵曰：「天子婦，親面對，豈令汝傳也！」 高祖怒，敕后母常入，與后杖，常撻之百餘乃止。 高祖尋南伐，后留京師，雖以罪失寵，而夫人嬪妾奉之如法，惟令世宗在東宮，無朝謁之事。
Gaozu, ill in the warming chamber, summoned the empress by night and lined Pusa and the others outside the door. Before she entered he ordered eunuchs to search her; any blade, however small, meant death. She kowtowed and wept; then she was given a seat by the eastern pillar, more than two zhang from his couch. Gaozu made Pusa and the others confess, then rebuked the empress: "Your mother uses witchcraft—speak of it in full." She begged to dismiss attendants and speak privately. Gaozu sent the central attendants away, keeping only Director of the Long Autumn Bai Zheng beside him with a guard's blade held upright; still she would not speak. Gaozu stuffed cotton into Zheng's ears, whispered his name repeatedly without reply, and then commanded the empress to speak. What she said remained hidden; no one else knew. Gaozu called in the princes of Pengcheng and Beihai and said: "Once she was your sister-in-law; now she is a stranger—come in and do not hold back." Both princes refused but could not disobey. Once inside Gaozu said: "This old woman meant to put a blade in my ribs! Press her for the full story and spare nothing." Gaozu took the blame upon himself and apologized to the two princes. He added: "The Feng girl will not be deposed again; let her sit empty in the palace—if she has the will she can die herself. Do not imagine I still care." Filial as he was, he still would not depose her out of regard for Empress Dowager Wenming. After a long while the princes left, and he sent the empress a final farewell. [14] She bowed again to the ground, weeping and sighing. He had her enter the eastern chamber. After she was inside, the emperor sent a eunuch to question her; she raged: "I am the emperor's wife—should I not speak to him face to face rather than through you!" Gaozu in anger summoned her mother Lady Chang to beat her with rods; Chang lashed her more than a hundred strokes before stopping. Gaozu soon marched south again; though disgraced, she was still treated by consorts according to rite, while Crown Prince Xuanzong in the eastern palace was forbidden court audiences.
35
高祖疾甚，謂彭城王勰曰：「後宮久乖陰德，自絕於天。 若不早為之所，恐成漢末故事。 吾死之後，可賜自盡別宮，葬以后禮，庶掩馮門之大過。」 高祖崩，梓宮達魯陽，乃行遺詔。 北海王詳奉宣遺旨，長秋卿白整等入授后藥，后走呼不肯引決，曰：「官豈有此也，是諸王輩殺我耳！」 整等執持，強之，乃含椒而盡。 殯以后禮。 梓宮次洛南，咸陽王禧等知審死，相視曰：「若無遺詔，我兄弟亦當作計去之，豈可令失行婦人宰制天下，殺我輩也。」 諡曰幽皇后，葬長陵塋內。
Near death Gaozu told Prince of Pengcheng Xie: "The inner palace has long violated its proper virtue and turned from Heaven. If we do not act soon, I fear another tale like the end of Han. After I die, let her take poison in a separate palace and bury her with empress honors, to cover the Feng clan's shame." When Gaozu died and the coffin reached Luyang, his final testament was executed. Prince of Beihai Xiang proclaimed the testament; Bai Zheng and others brought poison; she fled shouting and would not die, crying: "Would the throne do this? Those princes are killing me!" They seized her, forced the dose, and she died from the poison. She was buried with empress honors. When the coffin paused south of Luoyang, Prince of Xianyang Xi and others learned she was dead and said to one another: "Without the testament we would have removed her ourselves—how could a disgraced woman rule the realm and destroy us?" She was posthumously named Empress You and buried within Changling.
36
孝文昭皇后高氏，司徒公肇之妹也。 父颺，母蓋氏，凡四男三女，皆生於東裔。 高祖初，乃舉室西歸，達龍城鎮，鎮表后德色婉豔，任充宮掖。 及至，文明太后親幸北部曹，見后姿貌，奇之，遂入掖庭，時年十三。
Empress Zhao of Emperor Wen, née Gao, was a sister of Minister of Education Zhao, Duke of the State. Her father was Yang; her mother was of the Ge clan; they had four sons and three daughters, all born in the eastern marches. Early in Gaozu's reign the family moved west; at Longcheng garrison the commandant reported her grace and beauty, fit for the inner palace. On arrival Empress Dowager Wenming visited the northern bureau herself, marveled at her looks, and sent her into the inner palace at thirteen.
37
初，后幼曾夢在堂內立，而日光自窗中照之，灼灼而熱，后東西避之，光猶斜照不已。 如是數夕，后自怪之，以白其父颺，颺以問遼東人閔宗。 宗曰：「此奇徵也，貴不可言。」 颺曰：「何以知之？」 宗曰：「夫日者，君人之德，帝王之象也。 光照女身，必有恩命及之。 女避猶照者，主上來求，女不獲已也。 昔有夢月入懷，猶生天子，況日照之徵。 此女必將被帝命，誕育人君之象也。」 遂生世宗。 後生廣平王懷，次長樂公主。 及馮昭儀寵盛，密有母養世宗之意，后自代如洛陽，暴薨於汲郡之共縣，或云昭儀遣人賊后也。 世宗之為皇太子，三日一朝幽后，后拊念慈愛有加。 高祖出征，世宗入朝，必久留后宮，親視櫛沐，母道隆備。
As a girl she dreamed she stood in a hall while sunlight poured through the window, burning hot; she dodged east and west, but the light still found her. For several nights she wondered at it and told her father Yang, who consulted Min Zong of Liaodong. Min Zong said: "This is a rare sign—honor beyond speech." Yang asked: "How can you tell?" He said: "The sun is the ruler's virtue, the sign of sovereignty. Light on a woman means imperial favor will find her. That she dodged yet was still lit means the lord will seek her and she cannot refuse. Once a woman dreamed the moon entered her womb and bore a Son of Heaven—how much more sunlight. This girl will receive the imperial mandate and bear a ruler of men." She bore Xuanzong. Later she bore Prince of Guangping Huai, then Princess Changle. When Feng the zhaoyi rose in favor and plotted to raise Xuanzong as her own, the empress went to Luoyang and died suddenly at Gong in Ji commandery—some said the zhaoyi had her murdered. As crown prince Xuanzong visited Empress You every three days; she doted on him with growing affection. On Gaozu's campaigns Xuanzong would linger in the inner palace, where she personally attended his grooming—her motherhood complete.
38
其後有司奏請加昭儀號，諡曰文昭貴人，高祖從之。 世宗踐阼，追尊配饗。
Later officials petitioned to grant her the zhaoyi title posthumously as Worthy Lady Wenzhao, and Gaozu agreed. When Xuanzong took the throne, she was posthumously honored with joint temple sacrifice.
39
后先葬城西長陵東南，陵制卑局。 因就起山陵，號終寧陵，置邑戶五百家。 肅宗詔曰：「文昭皇太后，德協坤儀，美符文姒，作合高祖，實誕英聖，而夙世淪暉，孤塋弗祔。 先帝孝感自衷，遷奉未遂，永言哀恨，義結幽明。 廢呂尊薄，禮伸漢代。」 又詔曰：「文昭皇太后尊配高祖，祔廟定號，促令遷奉，自終及始，太后當主，可更上尊號稱太皇太后，以同漢晉之典，正姑婦之禮。 廟號如舊。」 文昭遷靈櫬於長陵兆西北六十步。 初開終寧陵數丈，於梓宮上獲大蛇長丈餘，黑色，頭有「王」字，蟄而不動。 靈櫬既遷，置蛇舊處。
She had first been buried southeast of Changling outside the west wall, in a modest tomb layout. A hill tomb was raised there, named Zhongning Mausoleum, with a fief of five hundred households. Emperor Xiaozong decreed: "Grand Empress Dowager Wenzhao matched earth in virtue and Wen Jiang in grace; wed to Gaozu she bore a sage, yet she died young and her lonely mound was not joined in sacrifice. The late emperor's filial heart could not finish moving her; grief binds the living and the dead. As Han deposed Lü and honored Bo, so shall rite be restored." A second decree said: "Grand Empress Dowager Wenzhao is to be honored with Gaozu, enshrined, and moved at once; from first to last the empress dowager shall preside. Raise her title to Grand Empress Dowager, as in Han and Jin, to set mother-in-law and daughter-in-law rites aright. Her temple title remains unchanged." Her coffin was moved sixty paces northwest of Changling's mound. When the tomb was opened several zhang deep, a black serpent over a zhang long was found on the coffin, the character "king" on its head, coiled and still. After the move the serpent was returned to its place.
40
宣武順皇后于氏，太尉烈弟勁之女也。 世宗始親政事，烈時為領軍，總心膂之任，以嬪御未備，因左右諷諭，稱后有容德，世宗乃迎入為貴人。 時年十四，甚見寵愛，立為皇后，謁于太廟。 后靜默寬容，性不妬忌，生皇子昌，三歲夭歿。 其後暴崩，宮禁事祕，莫能知悉，而世議歸咎于高夫人。 葬永泰陵，諡曰順皇后。
Empress Shun of Emperor Xuanwu, née Yu, was a daughter of Jin, younger brother of Grand Commandant Lie. When Xuanzong began to rule in person, Lie commanded the guards; attendants praised the empress's grace, and Xuanzong took her in as a noble lady. At fourteen she was deeply favored, made empress, and presented at the ancestral temple. Quiet and tolerant, not jealous, she bore Prince Chang, who died at three. She then died suddenly; palace matters were secret, but opinion blamed Lady Gao. She was buried at Yongtai Mausoleum as Empress Shun.
41
宣武皇后高氏，文昭皇后弟偃之女也。 世宗納為貴人，生皇子，早夭，又生建德公主。 後拜為皇后，甚見禮重。 性妬忌，宮人希得進御。 及肅宗即位，上尊號曰皇太后。 尋為尼，居瑤光寺，非大節慶，不入宮中。 建德公主始五六歲，靈太后恒置左右，撫愛之。 神龜元年，太后出覲母武邑君。 時天文有變，靈太后欲以后當禍，是夜暴崩，天下冤之。 喪還瑤光佛寺，嬪葬皆以尼禮。 初，高祖幽后之寵也，欲專其愛，後宮接御，多見阻遏。 高祖時言于近臣，稱婦人妬防，雖王者亦不能免，況士庶乎？ 世宗暮年，高后悍忌，夫人嬪御有至帝崩不蒙侍接者。 由是在洛二世，二十餘年，皇子全育者，惟肅宗而已。
Empress of Emperor Xuanwu, née Gao, was a daughter of Wenzhao Empress's brother Yan. Xuanzong took her as noble lady; a prince died young, then she bore Princess Jiande. She was later made empress and held in high esteem. Jealous by nature, she kept other women from the emperor's bed. When Xiaozong took the throne she was made empress dowager. She soon took the veil at Yaoguang Temple and entered the palace only on great occasions. Princess Jiande, five or six years old, Empress Dowager Ling kept always beside her and cherished her. In the first year of Shengui the empress dowager went to visit her mother, Lady of Wuyi. Omens were abroad; Empress Dowager Ling meant the empress to take the blame; that night she died suddenly, and the realm cried injustice. Her funeral was at Yaoguang Temple, with nun rites as for a consort. When Gaozu favored Empress You he sought exclusive love and often barred the inner palace. Gaozu once told his intimates that even kings cannot escape a woman's jealousy—how much less common men? In Xuanzong's last years Empress Gao was fierce; some consorts never saw the emperor until his death. Thus through two reigns at Luoyang, for over twenty years, only Xiaozong among princes was raised to adulthood.
42
宣武靈皇后胡氏，安定臨涇人，司徒國珍女也。 母皇甫氏，產后之日，赤光四照。 京兆山北縣有趙胡者，善於卜相，國珍問之。 胡云：「賢女有大貴之表，方為天地母，生天地主。 勿過三人知也。」 后姑為尼，頗能講道，世宗初，入講禁中。 積數歲，諷左右稱后姿行，世宗聞之，乃召入掖庭為承華世婦。 而椒掖之中，以國舊制，相與祈祝，皆願生諸王、公主，不願生太子。 唯后每謂夫人等言：「天子豈可獨無兒子，何緣畏一身之死而令皇家不育冢嫡乎？」 及肅宗在孕，同列猶以故事相恐，勸為諸計。 后固意確然，幽夜獨誓云：「但使所懷是男，次第當長子，子生身死，所不辭也。」 既誕肅宗，進為充華嬪。 先是，世宗頻喪皇子，自以春秋長矣，深加慎護。 為擇乳保，皆取良家宜子者。 養於別宮，皇后及充華嬪皆莫得而撫視焉。
Empress Ling of Emperor Xuanwu, née Hu, came from Linjing in Anding, daughter of Minister of Education Guozhen. Her mother was of the Huangfu clan; on her birth day red light filled the room. Zhao Hu of Shangbei in Jingzhao, skilled in divination, was consulted by Guozhen. Hu said: "This worthy daughter shows supreme nobility; she will be mother of the realm and bear its lord. Let no more than three know of this." Her aunt was a nun skilled in doctrine who entered the palace early in Xuanzong's reign to lecture. For years attendants praised her grace; Xuanzong heard and summoned her to the inner palace as Shining Splendor attendant. By old custom women of the inner palace prayed together to bear princes or princesses, not the crown prince. Only she told the ladies: "Can the Son of Heaven have no son? Why fear death and leave the house without its heir?" When she carried Xiaozong, her peers still frightened her with precedent and urged schemes against it. She was resolute; in the dark she vowed alone: "If it is a boy and he is to be heir, I accept death in giving birth." After Xiaozong was born she was made Full Splendor concubine. Xuanzong had lost many sons; feeling his years advance, he guarded infants strictly. He chose wet nurses from good families known for bearing sons. They were reared in a separate palace; neither empress nor concubine might rear or see them.
43
及肅宗踐阼，尊后為皇太妃，後尊為皇太后。 臨朝聽政，猶稱殿下，下令行事。 後改令稱詔，羣臣上書曰陛下，自稱曰朕。 太后以肅宗沖幼，未堪親祭，欲傍周禮夫人與君交獻之義，代行祭禮，訪尋故式。 門下召禮官、博士議，以為不可。 而太后欲以幃幔自鄣，觀三公行事，重問侍中崔光。 光便據漢和熹鄧后薦祭故事，太后大悅，遂攝行初祀。 [15]
When Xiaozong took the throne she was first grand imperial consort, then empress dowager. She held court, still addressed as "Your Highness," and issued orders. Later her orders were called edicts; ministers wrote "Your Majesty," and she used "I." Because Xiaozong was too young to sacrifice, she sought Zhou precedent for the consort's shared offering and meant to perform the rites herself. The Secretariat summoned ritualists and scholars, who ruled it impossible. She wished to watch from behind a curtain as the Three Excellencies performed the rites and questioned Attendant-in-ordinary Cui Guang again. Guang cited Empress Dowager Deng of Han; delighted, she performed the first sacrifice in the emperor's stead. The text is deficient.
44
太后性聰悟，多才藝，姑既為尼，幼相依託，略得佛經大義。 親覽萬機，手筆斷決。 幸西林園法流堂，命侍臣射，不能者罰之。 又自射針孔，中之。 大悅，賜左右布帛有差。 先是，太后敕造申訟車，時御焉，出自雲龍大司馬門，從宮西北，入自千秋門，以納冤訟。 又親策孝秀、州郡計吏於朝堂。
Clever and gifted, she had been raised by her nun aunt and grasped the gist of the sutras. She personally reviewed state affairs and wrote judgments herself. At Faliu Hall in Xilin Garden she ordered ministers to shoot; failures were punished. She herself shot at a needle's eye and struck true. Delighted, she gave graded gifts of cloth and silk to those around her. She had built a petition carriage and rode it out the Cloud Dragon gate, around the palace's northwest, in by the Thousand Autumns gate to hear grievances. She also examined filial scholars and provincial clerks in the hall of audience.
45
太后與肅宗幸華林園，宴羣臣于都亭曲水，令王公已下各賦七言詩。 太后詩曰：「化光造物含氣貞。」 帝詩曰：「恭己無為賴慈英。」 王公已下賜帛有差。
With Xiaozong at Hualin Garden she feasted ministers at the winding stream and ordered each prince and official to compose a heptasyllabic poem. Her poem ran: "Transforming light creates things; holding breath, steadfast." The emperor's: "Respectfully at rest, I rely on kind excellence." Princes and officials below received graded gifts of cloth.
46
太后父薨，百僚表請公除，太后不許。 尋幸永寧寺，親建剎於九級之基，僧尼士女赴者數萬人。 及改葬文昭高后，太后不欲令肅宗主事，乃自為喪主，出至終寧陵，親奠遣事，還哭於太極殿，至於訖事，皆自主焉。
When her father died officials asked her to observe mourning; she refused. She visited Yongning Temple and built a shrine on a nine-tier base; tens of thousands of clergy and layfolk came. At Wenzhao Empress Gao's reburial she would not let Xiaozong preside; she went to Zhongning as chief mourner, offered rites, wept at the Hall of Supreme Ultimate, and directed everything.
47
後幸嵩高山，夫人、九嬪、公主已下從者數百人，昇于頂中。 廢諸淫祀，而胡天神不在其列。 後幸左藏，王公、嬪、主已下從者百餘人，皆令任力負布絹，即以賜之，多者過二百匹，少者百餘匹。 唯長樂公主手持絹二十匹而出，示不異眾而無勞也。 世稱其廉。 儀同、陳留公李崇，章武王融並以所負過多，顛仆於地，崇乃傷腰，融至損脚。 時人為之語曰：「陳留、章武，傷腰折股。 貪人敗類，穢我明主。」 尋幸闕口溫水，登鷄頭山，自射象牙簪，一發中之，敕示文武。
Later she climbed Mount Song with hundreds of consorts and princesses to the summit. She abolished illicit shrines but exempted the Hu heavenly cult. At the left treasury she made over a hundred princes and ladies carry cloth and silk by strength, then gave it back—some over two hundred bolts, some over a hundred. Only Princess Changle carried out twenty bolts by hand, showing she matched the crowd without strain. The age praised her restraint. Li Chong, Duke of Chenliu, and Prince of Zhangwu Rong, bearing too much, fell—Chong hurt his back, Rong his leg. A rhyme ran: "Chenliu and Zhangwu—hurt back, broken leg. Greedy men shame our bright sovereign." She visited Quekou hot springs, climbed Chicken Head Mountain, shot an ivory hairpin at one cast, and displayed it to the court.
48
時太后得志，逼幸清河王懌，淫亂肆情，為天下所惡。 領軍元叉、長秋卿劉騰等奉肅宗於顯陽殿，幽太后於北宮，於禁中殺懌。 其後太后從子都統僧敬與備身左右張車渠等數十人，謀殺叉，復奉太后臨朝，事不克，僧敬坐徙邊，車渠等死，胡氏多免黜。 後肅宗朝太后於西林園，讌文武侍臣，飲至日夕。 叉乃起至太后前，自陳外云太后欲害己及騰。 太后答云「無此語」。 遂至于極昏。 太后乃起執肅宗手下堂，言：「母子不聚久，今暮共一宿，諸大臣送我入。」 太后與肅宗向東北小閤，左衞將軍奚康生謀欲殺叉，不果。
By then she forced herself on Prince of Qinghe Yi and indulged openly, hated throughout the realm. Yuan Cha and Liu Teng installed Xiaozong in Xianyang Hall, confined her in the northern palace, and killed Yi inside the palace. Her cousin Sengjing and dozens of guards plotted to kill Cha and restore her; it failed—Sengjing was exiled, Chequ executed, many Hus dismissed. Later Xiaozong visited her at Xilin Garden and feasted ministers until evening. Cha rose before her and declared aloud that she meant to kill him and Teng. She answered that she had said no such thing. Matters descended into utter chaos. She took Xiaozong's hand and left, saying: "Mother and son have been apart too long—we lodge together tonight; ministers, see me in." They went to a northeast chamber; Left Guard General Xi Kangsheng plotted to kill Cha but failed.
49
自劉騰死，叉又寬怠。 太后與肅宗及高陽王雍為計，解叉領軍。 太后復臨朝，大赦改元。 自是朝政疏緩，威恩不立，天下牧守，所在貪惏。 鄭儼汙亂宮掖，勢傾海內； 李神軌、徐紇並見親侍。 一二年中，位總禁要，手握王爵，輕重在心，宣淫於朝，為四方之所厭穢。 文武解體，所在亂逆，土崩魚爛，由於此矣。 僧敬又因聚集親族，遂涕泣諫曰：「陛下母儀海內，豈宜輕脫如此！」 后大怒，自是不召僧敬。
After Liu Teng's death Cha grew lax again. She, Xiaozong, and Prince of Gaoyang Yong plotted and stripped Cha of the guards command. She returned to court, proclaimed a great amnesty, and changed the reign title. Thereafter government slackened, authority waned, and local officials grew greedy everywhere. Zheng Yan defiled the inner palace and his power tilted the realm; Li Shengui and Xu He enjoyed intimate attendance. Within a year or two they held the palace's keys, grasped princely seals, ruled by whim, flaunted lust at court, and were loathed in every quarter. Civil and military order collapsed, rebellion spread everywhere—the realm crumbled from this. Sengjing gathered kin and wept in remonstrance: "Your Majesty, model of motherhood for the realm—how can you cast restraint aside so lightly!" She flew into a rage and never summoned Sengjing again.
50
太后自以行不修，懼宗室所嫌，於是內為朋黨，防蔽耳目，肅宗所親幸者，太后多以事害焉。 有蜜多道人，能胡語，肅宗置於左右。 太后慮其傳致消息，三月三日於城南大巷中殺之。 方懸賞募賊，又於禁中殺領左右、鴻臚少卿谷會、紹達，並帝所親也。 母子之間，嫌隙屢起。 鄭儼慮禍，乃與太后計，因潘充華生女，太后詐以為男，便大赦改年。 肅宗之崩，事出倉卒，時論咸言鄭儼、徐紇之計。 於是朝野憤歎。 太后乃奉潘嬪女言太子即位。 經數日，見人心已安，始言潘嬪本實生女，今宜更擇嗣君。 遂立臨洮王子釗為主，年始三歲，天下愕然。
Knowing her conduct was shameful and fearing the clan, she formed factions, sealed off news, and destroyed many Xiaozong favored. A Daoist called Mituo, fluent in the northern languages, served at Emperor Suzong's elbow. Fearing he might pass intelligence, the Dowager had him slain in the main south-city street on the third day of the third month. Bounties were still out for the killers when she struck again inside the palace, executing the guard directors, Gu Hui of the Palace Secretariat, and Shaoda, each a favorite of the throne. Mother and son nursed grievance after grievance. Dreading ruin, Zheng Yan conspired with the Dowager: when Lady Pan bore a girl, she was passed off as a boy, a great amnesty was declared, and the era name was changed. Suzong's end was abrupt; everyone said Zheng Yan and Xu He had engineered it. Grief and outrage spread through court and realm. The Dowager then installed Lady Pan's daughter, announcing that the heir had taken the throne. When she judged opinion had calmed, she admitted the child was a girl and said a new heir must be chosen. Zhao, the Lin Tao prince's three-year-old son, was enthroned, and the empire reeled.
51
孝明皇后胡氏，靈太后從兄冀州刺史盛之女。 靈太后欲榮重門族，故立為皇后。 肅宗頗有酒德，專嬖充華潘氏，后及嬪御並無過寵。 太后為肅宗選納，抑屈人流。 時博陵崔孝芬、范陽盧道約、隴西李瓚等女，但為世婦。 諸人訴訟，咸見忿責。 武泰初，后既入道，遂居於瑤光寺。
Empress Hu of Emperor Xiaoming was the daughter of Sheng, Jizhou governor and a cousin of Empress Ling. Empress Ling meant to exalt her house and had her raised to the throne. Suzong drank heavily and doted only on Lady Pan; neither the empress nor the other ladies won special favor. The Dowager chose his women herself and crushed anyone who pushed for rank. Daughters of families such as Cui Xiaofen of Boling, Lu Daoyue of Fanyang, and Li Zan of Longxi were kept merely as palace attendants. Anyone who sued for better treatment was berated in fury. When Wutai began she entered religion and lived at Yaoguang Temple.
52
孝靜皇后高氏，齊獻武王之第二女也。 天平四年，詔娉以為皇后，王前後固辭，帝不許。 興和初，詔侍中、司徒公孫騰，司空公、襄城王旭，兼尚書令、司州牧、西河王悰，兼太常卿及宗正卿元孝友等奉詔致禮，并備宮官侍衞，以后駕迎於晉陽之丞相第。 五月，立為皇后，大赦天下。 齊受禪，降為中山王妃。 後降于尚書左僕射楊遵彥。
Empress Gao of Emperor Xiaojing was the second daughter of Qi’s King Xianwu. In Tianping year 4 she was summoned as empress; the king refused again and again, but the emperor would not hear of it. Early in Xinghe, Sun Teng as chamberlain, Prince Xu of Xiangcheng as minister of works, Prince Cong of Xihe as acting director of the secretariat and Sizhou governor, Yuan Xiaoyou as acting director of sacrifices and director of clansmen, and others were charged to conduct the rites, furnish palace staff and guards, and bring the empress by carriage from the chancellor’s house at Jinyang. In the fifth month she was crowned and the realm was pardoned. After Qi took the mandate she became Princess of Zhongshan. She later wed Yang Zunyan, left vice-director of the secretariat.
53
史臣曰：始祖生自天女，克昌後葉。 靈后淫恣，卒亡天下。 傾城之戒，其在茲乎？ 鈎弋年稚子幼，漢武所以行權，魏世遂為常制。 子貴母死，矯枉之義不亦過哉！ 高祖終革其失，良有以也。
The historian writes: The founder sprang from a heaven-sent maiden, and his house prospered for generations. Empress Ling gave way to lust and arrogance and in the end lost the empire. Was the lesson of cities laid waste not written here? Lady Gouyi was still a child when her son was an infant; Han Wudi seized that moment as expedient policy, and under Wei it hardened into custom. Honor the son, kill the mother—has the remedy not swung too far? Gaozu at last swept the abuse away, and rightly so.
54
校勘記
Textual notes
55
魏書卷十三諸本目錄此卷注「闕」，百衲本、南本、汲本、局本卷末均有宋人校語云：「魏收書皇后傳亡，後人補以北史，又取高氏小史及修文殿御覽附益之。」 殿本入考證，止云：「魏收書亡，後人所補。」
Wei shu juan 13: In several editions the table of contents labels this scroll "lacunose." Baipu, Nan, Ji, and Ju copies alike carry a Song note at the juan’s end: the empress chapters of Wei Shou’s original are missing; later editors patched them from Beishi and padded them with Gaoshi xiaoshi and Xiufen dian yulan." The Dian edition tucks the matter into Kaozheng and merely says, "Wei Shou’s text is gone; what follows is later supplementation."
56
中才人 〈至〉 視五品這裏所敍內職，無可參證，以意點斷。 內「恭使宮人」，通志卷二０作「恭信宮人」； 「春衣」，北史卷一三后妃傳作「青衣」。 是非無從判斷。 上文「椒房、中式數等」，「中式」也無考。
Palace Woman of Talent 〈to〉 Equivalent to fifth rank. These inner-palace offices lack corroboration elsewhere; the breaks are editorial guesses. For inner "Palace Women of Respectful Service," Tongzhi juan 20 has "Palace Women of Respectful Trust"; "Spring Robes" appears as "Green Robes" in Beishi juan 13 (Empresses and Consorts). Neither reading can be proved correct. Earlier, among "Pepper Chamber, Central-style, and similar ranks," "Central-style" is likewise unattested.
57
桓帝立乃葬焉諸本「桓」作「和」，殿本作「昭」，北史卷一三、御覽卷一三九 〈六七六頁〉 作「桓」。 按和帝是遠祖，顯誤。 本書卷一序紀，稱昭帝二年「葬文帝及皇后封氏」。 當時昭帝祿官和文帝沙漠汗之子桓帝猗㐌、穆帝猗盧分國為三部，各統其一，昭帝即位之二年也即是桓帝即位之二年。 桓帝乃封氏子，故傳稱他即位葬母，今從北史、御覽改。
She was buried when Emperor Huan took the throne. Every edition writes "Huan" as "He"; Dian has "Zhao"; Beishi juan 13 and Yulan juan 139 〈p. 676〉 have "Huan." Note: Emperor He belongs to a distant generation; the reading is plainly wrong. Juan 1 of this work (Annals) records that in Zhao year 2 "Emperor Wen and Empress Feng were buried." Zhao had just succeeded; He Yizhi and Mu Yilu, sons of Wen Shamo Khan, had split the state in three, each holding a third; Zhao’s second regnal year was also He’s second. He was Feng’s son, so the account of burying his mother at enthronement fits; Beishi and Yulan are followed.
58
桓帝皇后祁氏北史卷一三、御覽 〈同上卷頁〉 「祁」作「惟」。
Empress Qi, consort of Emperor Huan: Beishi juan 13, Yulan 〈Same volume and page〉 give "Wei" for "Qi."
59
故顯不使急追北史作「故顯使不急追」。 按「顯使」指上文所云劉顯派來謀害拓跋珪之使，這裏「不使」二字當是誤倒。
Hence Xian did not order a hot pursuit. Beishi: "Hence Xian had them not pursued urgently." Note: "Xian's envoys" means the agents Liu Xian sent to kill Tuoba Gui; "bu shi" (did not have) here is likely a transposition.
60
封后母孟為漂陽君御覽 〈同卷六七七頁〉 、冊府卷一四一 〈一七一八頁〉 「漂」作「溧」，疑是。
The empress's mother Meng was enfeoffed as Lady of Piaoyang. Yulan 〈Same juan, p. 677〉 ; Cefu juan 141 〈p. 1718〉 read "Li" for "Piao" (Piaoyang)—likely the right form.
61
高祖時諸本「高祖」作「高宗」。 按事見卷一０八之一禮志一太和十九年六月，「宗」字訛，今據改。
Under Gaozu. All editions write "Gaozong" for "Gaozu." Note: The event is in Rites Treatise 1 (juan 108.1), sixth month, Taihe year 19; "zong" is a slip for "zu," corrected here.
62
西城郡公卷八三外戚馮熙傳作「遼西郡公」，墓誌集釋元悅妃馮季華墓誌 〈圖版八三〉 稱祖朗「封西郡公」。 按朗與其兄崇於北燕未亡時，先降魏，崇封遼西王，事見卷九七馮跋傳。 崇既封遼西，朗似不得封遼西公。 地形志不載「西城郡」或「西郡」。 然隋書卷二九地理志上張掖郡山丹條稱後魏「又有西郡」。 疑作「西郡」是。
Duke of Xicheng commandery. Juan 83 (External Kin, Feng Xi) has "Duke of Liaoxi"; the epitaph of Yuan Yue's wife Feng Jihua in Collected Explanations of Epitaphs 〈plate 83〉 styles the grandfather Lang "Duke of Xi commandery." Note: Lang and his brother Chong defected to Wei before Northern Yan perished; Chong became Prince of Liaoxi (juan 97, Feng Ba). With Chong as Prince of Liaoxi, Lang could scarcely receive the same territory as a duke. Neither Xicheng nor Xi commandery appears in the geography treatise. Suishu juan 29 (Geography), Zhangye—Shandan, however, notes that Later Wei "also maintained Xi commandery." "Xi commandery" is probably meant.
63
顯祖年十二諸本及御覽 〈同卷六七七頁〉 「十二」作「十三」，北史作「十二」。 按卷五高宗紀、卷六顯祖紀明云拓跋弘 〈顯祖〉 生於興光元年 〈四五四〉 ，至和平六年 〈四六五〉 即位，只十二歲，此紀「三」字訛，今據改。
Xianzu was twelve. All editions and Yulan 〈Same juan, p. 677〉 read "thirteen" for "twelve"; Beishi keeps "twelve." Note: Juan 5 (Gaozong) and juan 6 (Xianzu) plainly date Tuoba Hong 〈Xianzu〉 to Xingguang year 1 〈454〉 ; he acceded in Heping year 6 〈465〉 at age twelve only; the annal’s "three" is a corruption and is corrected here.
64
太后立文宣王廟於長安錢氏考異卷三八云：「按外戚傳 〈北史卷八０、魏書卷八三上〉 ，馮朗追贈燕宣王，立廟長安。 『文』當為『燕』之譌。」 按馮太后為父燕宣王立廟長安，屢見紀載，錢說是。
The Dowager built the temple of King Wensuan at Chang'an. Qian Daxin, Kaoyi juan 38: "Per the external-kin biography 〈Beishi juan 80; Wei shu juan 83, upper〉 Feng Lang was posthumously made King of Yan Xuan and given a temple at Chang'an. Wen' is a mistake for 'Yan.'" Note: The Dowager’s temple to her father Yan Xuan at Chang'an is well attested; Qian is right.
65
頓丘王峻之妹也諸本「頓丘」上有「母」字。 御覽 〈同卷六七八頁〉 無。 按頓丘王李峻乃后兄，見卷八三上峻本傳 〈補〉 ，「母」字衍，今據刪。
She was the younger sister of Prince Jun of Dunqiu. Every edition inserts "mu" (mother) before "Dunqiu." Yulan 〈Same juan, p. 678〉 omits it. Note: Li Jun, Prince of Dunqiu, was the empress’s brother (juan 83.1, Biography of Jun, supplement 〈supplement〉 ); "mu" is an interpolation and is removed.
66
平原人也北史卷一三、御覽 〈同上卷頁〉 「原」作「涼」。 按下云叔父金閭封「平涼公」，金閭兄勝為「平涼太守」。 當時封公多取本郡，又習慣以充當本州、郡的刺史、太守為榮。 疑作「平涼」是。
Native of Pingyuan. Beishi juan 13, Yulan 〈Same volume and page〉 have "Liang" for "Yuan" (Pingyuan). Note: Below, uncle Jinlu is made Duke of Pingliang and Jinlu's brother Sheng is governor of Pingliang. Ducal titles commonly matched a man’s home commandery, and serving as its governor was deemed a mark of honor. "Pingliang" is likely correct.
67
省其信不百衲本「省」作「皆」，諸本作「省」。 汲本注「一作『皆』」。 御覽 〈同卷六七九頁〉 「省其信不」連下「然」字作「皆其信者也」。 按作「皆其省不」不可解。 「省其信不」，是說幽后又派心腹雙蒙去省察所遣閹人是否可信。 如御覽，則意謂所遣閹人和雙蒙都是幽后信任的人。 意義不同，但都可通。 今從南本以下諸本。
"Sheng qi xin bu" (verify their trust or not). Baipu reads "sheng" as "jie"; other editions keep "sheng." Ji notes: "Alternate reading: jie." Yulan 〈Same juan, p. 679〉 links the phrase with the next "ran" as "jie qi xin zhe ye" (they were all trusted men). Note: "Jie qi sheng bu" makes no sense as written. The phrase means the Youhou Empress sent her confidant Shuang Meng to check whether the eunuchs she had dispatched were reliable. Yulan’s reading implies that the eunuchs and Shuang Meng alike were people she trusted. The senses diverge, yet each construal is defensible. The text follows Nan and the editions descended from it.
68
乃賜后辭死訣北史卷一三、及御覽 〈同上卷頁〉 無「死」字。 張森楷以為「死」字衍。 按「死訣」意謂誓不再見，亦通，今仍之。
She was then given a parting testament. Beishi juan 13 and Yulan 〈Same volume and page〉 omit the word "death." Zhang Senkai regarded "si" as an interpolation. Note: "Death testament" can mean a vow never to meet again—that sense works too, so the wording is kept.
69
遂攝行初祀御覽卷一四０ 〈六八二頁〉 「初」作「祠」。 按上文稱「太后以肅宗沖幼，未堪親祭」云云，則不僅攝行初祀。 疑作「祠」是。
She then officiated by proxy at the first sacrifice. Yulan juan 140 〈folio 682〉 The graph for "initial" (chu) is given as "sacrifice" (ci) in that witness. Note: The passage above says Suzong was too young to sacrifice in person, so she did more than merely the first rite. "Sacrifice" is probably the intended word.