Empress Duan (An Lushan)
Encyclopedia
Empress Duan was the second wife of An Lushan
, a general of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
and later emperor of his rebel state of Yan
. After he declared himself emperor of Yan in 756, she probably carried the title of empress, but historical records are not completely clear.
Little historical records exist about her. She was already considered An Lushan's wife in 747, even though his first wife Lady Kang was still alive. In 747, when Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
gave An the honorary title as chief imperial censor, she was created a lady, with a rank rivaling the sisters of Emperor Xuanzong's favorite concubine Consort Yang Yuhuan. She bore him at least one son, An Qing'en (安慶恩), who was not one of three oldest of his 11 sons but whose birth rank is otherwise unknown.
In 755, An Lushan rebelled against Emperor Xuanzong's reign at Fanyang (范陽, in modern Beijing
), and quickly advanced south, capturing the Tang eastern capital Luoyang
later in the year. In spring 756, he declared himself emperor of new state of Yan. Historical records, however, did not explicitly state that she was created empress at that time. (In response to An's rebellion, Emperor Xuanzong executed his first wife Lady Kang and oldest son An Qingzong (安慶宗), both of whom were then at the Tang capital Chang'an
.) Lady Kang's son An Qingxu was the second oldest son, but was not favored by An Lushan. Instead, An Lushan favored both Lady Duan and her son An Qing'en, and was considering creating An Qing'en crown prince
. By spring 757, An Lushan was severely ill and blind. He was also ill-tempered, and his attendants, as well as An Qingxu, all feared death. An Qingxu therefore entered into a conspiracy with the high level official Yan Zhuang (嚴莊) and An Lushan's eunuch Li Zhu'er (李豬兒), and they assassinated An Lushan. An Qingxu succeeded to the Yan throne. No further reference was made to Empress Duan after that point.
An Lushan
An Lushan was a general who rebelled against the Tang Dynasty in China.His name was also transcribed into Chinese as Āluòshān or Gáluòshān ,...
, a general 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...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
and later emperor of his rebel state of Yan
Yan (Anshi)
Yan , also known as the Great Yan , was a state established in 756 by the Tang Dynasty general An Lushan, after he rebelled against the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang in 755. The state was extinguished in 763, with the death of An Lushan's former subordinate, Shi Siming's son, Shi Chaoyi, who...
. After he declared himself emperor of Yan in 756, she probably carried the title of empress, but historical records are not completely clear.
Little historical records exist about her. She was already considered An Lushan's wife in 747, even though his first wife Lady Kang was still alive. In 747, when Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
gave An the honorary title as chief imperial censor, she was created a lady, with a rank rivaling the sisters of Emperor Xuanzong's favorite concubine Consort Yang Yuhuan. She bore him at least one son, An Qing'en (安慶恩), who was not one of three oldest of his 11 sons but whose birth rank is otherwise unknown.
In 755, An Lushan rebelled against Emperor Xuanzong's reign at Fanyang (范陽, in modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
), and quickly advanced south, capturing the Tang eastern capital Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
later in the year. In spring 756, he declared himself emperor of new state of Yan. Historical records, however, did not explicitly state that she was created empress at that time. (In response to An's rebellion, Emperor Xuanzong executed his first wife Lady Kang and oldest son An Qingzong (安慶宗), both of whom were then at the Tang capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
.) Lady Kang's son An Qingxu was the second oldest son, but was not favored by An Lushan. Instead, An Lushan favored both Lady Duan and her son An Qing'en, and was considering creating An Qing'en crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
. By spring 757, An Lushan was severely ill and blind. He was also ill-tempered, and his attendants, as well as An Qingxu, all feared death. An Qingxu therefore entered into a conspiracy with the high level official Yan Zhuang (嚴莊) and An Lushan's eunuch Li Zhu'er (李豬兒), and they assassinated An Lushan. An Qingxu succeeded to the Yan throne. No further reference was made to Empress Duan after that point.