Empress Dowager Zhang (Zhaowu)
Encyclopedia
Empress Dowager Zhang (died 313), formally Empress Guangxian (光獻皇后, literally "the rebuilding and wise empress"), was an empress dowager
of the Chinese
/Xiongnu
state Han Zhao
, during the reign of her son Liu Cong
(Emperor Zhaowu).
She was the founding emperor Liu Yuan
's concubine. Her son Liu Cong was Liu Yuan's fourth son, and it is not known whether she bore other children for Liu Yuan. When Liu Cong seized the throne in 310 after overthrowing his older brother Liu He
(after Liu He had tried to have him and the other brothers killed and successfully killed two), he honored both her and Liu Yuan's wife, Empress Dan
, empresses dowager -- Empress Dan with the greater title of Huangtaihou (皇太后) and her with the lesser title of Ditaihou (帝太后). When Empress Dowager Dan died later that year, however, she received the greater title of Huangtaihou.
She was known only for a few incidents during her stint as empress dowager. In 312, at her insistence, Liu Cong took two daughters of his cousin (and therefore her nephew) Zhang Shi (張寔) as his concubines. Later that year, when Liu Cong was wrongly punishing the official Wang Zhang (王彰) for trying to persuade him to be milder in his temper and actions, Empress Dowager Zhang protested by fasting for three days, eventually helping to correct Liu Cong's behavior for a time. Yet later that year, when Liu Cong was set to create his concubine Liu Ying (劉英) as empress, Empress Zhang insisted against it and for her grandniece Zhang Huiguang
, whom Liu Cong then formally created empress in early 313. Three months later, Empress Dowager Zhang died and was honored with a posthumous empress title. Her grandniece the empress mourned her so greatly and was so depressed that she died as well.
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
of the Chinese
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
/Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
state Han Zhao
Han Zhao
The Han Zhao , or Former Zhao, or Northern Han , was a Southern Xiongnu state during Sixteen Kingdoms period coeval with the Chinese Jin Dynasty...
, during the reign of her son Liu Cong
Liu Cong
Liu Cong may refer to:*Liu Cong , emperor of Han Zhao of the Sixteen Kingdoms*Liu Cong , younger son of the Han Dynasty warlord Liu Biao...
(Emperor Zhaowu).
She was the founding emperor Liu Yuan
Liu Yuan (Han Zhao)
Liu Yuan , courtesy name Yuanhai , formally Emperor Guangwen of Han was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao.-Family background:...
's concubine. Her son Liu Cong was Liu Yuan's fourth son, and it is not known whether she bore other children for Liu Yuan. When Liu Cong seized the throne in 310 after overthrowing his older brother Liu He
Liu He
Liu He , courtesy name Xuantai , was for seven days an emperor of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao in 310.-Biography:...
(after Liu He had tried to have him and the other brothers killed and successfully killed two), he honored both her and Liu Yuan's wife, Empress Dan
Empress Dan
Empress Dan was an empress of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao. She was the founding emperor Liu Yuan 's second wife....
, empresses dowager -- Empress Dan with the greater title of Huangtaihou (皇太后) and her with the lesser title of Ditaihou (帝太后). When Empress Dowager Dan died later that year, however, she received the greater title of Huangtaihou.
She was known only for a few incidents during her stint as empress dowager. In 312, at her insistence, Liu Cong took two daughters of his cousin (and therefore her nephew) Zhang Shi (張寔) as his concubines. Later that year, when Liu Cong was wrongly punishing the official Wang Zhang (王彰) for trying to persuade him to be milder in his temper and actions, Empress Dowager Zhang protested by fasting for three days, eventually helping to correct Liu Cong's behavior for a time. Yet later that year, when Liu Cong was set to create his concubine Liu Ying (劉英) as empress, Empress Zhang insisted against it and for her grandniece Zhang Huiguang
Empress Zhang Huiguang
Empress Zhang Huiguang , formally Empress Wuxiao , was an empress of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao...
, whom Liu Cong then formally created empress in early 313. Three months later, Empress Dowager Zhang died and was honored with a posthumous empress title. Her grandniece the empress mourned her so greatly and was so depressed that she died as well.