Empress Liu (Wu)
Encyclopedia
Empress Liu (318–349) was an empress of the Chinese
/Jie
state Later Zhao
. She was Shi Hu
(Emperor Wu)'s third and final empress.
The future Empress Liu was the youngest daughter of the final Han Zhao
emperor Liu Yao
. After her father was captured by Later Zhao's founding emperor Shi Le
in 329, she accompanied her brothers Liu Xi
the Crown Prince and Liu Yin
the Prince of Nanyang in fleeing from the Han Zhao capital Chang'an
to Shanggui (上邽, in modern Tianshui
, Gansu
). Later that year, Liu Yin tried to recapture Chang'an and was defeated by Shi Hu, who marched on to Shanggui and captured it, killing Liu Xi and Liu Yin. She was captured by his subordinate Zhang Chai (張豺) and offered to him. She, at 11, became his concubine. In 339, she gave birth to his youngest son, Shi Shi
. He was created the Duke of Qi.
In 348, after executing his second crown prince Shi Xuan (石宣) for having assassinated his younger brother Shi Tao (石韜) and for plotting against himself, Shi Hu considered whom to make his new crown prince. Zhang, believing that he could hold power jointly with Consort Liu if she were to become empress dowager
, suggested to Shi Hu that the reasons why his prior crown princes rebelled was that their mothers were of low birth. Shi Hu agreed, and he created Shi Shi crown prince and Consort Liu empress.
In early 349, Shi Hu grew ill, and he ordered that his sons Shi Zun
the Prince of Pengcheng and Shi Bin (石斌) the Prince of Yan be made joint regent
s for Shi Shi. This interfered with Empress Liu's and Zhang's plans to control the government, and they issued false edicts sending Shi Zun away and executing Shi Bin. Shi Hu soon died, and Shi Shi succeeded him. Empress Liu became empress dowager, and she served as regent, holding power jointly with Zhang. She tried to placate Shi Zun and Shi Jian
the Prince of Yiyang by giving them high posts. However, Shi Zun did not accept and marched on the capital Yecheng
. Empress Dowager Liu tried to placate him by offering him the regent office and the nine bestowments
, but that could not stop him from entering the capital and seizing power. He executed Zhang, and then forged an edict by Empress Dowager Liu deposing Shi Shi and giving him the throne. Shi Shi was created the Prince of Qiao, and Empress Dowager Liu was given the title of Princess Dowager of Qiao, but soon Shi Zun executed both of them.
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...
/Jie
Jie (ethnic group)
The Jié were members of a small tribe in Northern China in the 4th century CE. They established the Later Zhao state.According to the Book of Wei, their name derives from the Jiéshì area where they reside....
state Later Zhao
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...
. She was Shi Hu
Shi Hu
Shi Hu , courtesy name Jilong , formally Emperor Wu of Zhao , was an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao...
(Emperor Wu)'s third and final empress.
The future Empress Liu was the youngest daughter of the final 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...
emperor Liu Yao
Liu Yao
Liu Yao , courtesy name Yongming , was the final emperor of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao. He became emperor in 318 after most other members of the imperial Liu clan were massacred by Jin Zhun in a coup. However, the empire was soon divided in half, as the general Shi Le declared...
. After her father was captured by Later Zhao's founding emperor Shi Le
Shi Le
Shi Le , courtesy name Shilong , formally Emperor Ming of Zhao , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao...
in 329, she accompanied her brothers Liu Xi
Liu Xi
Liu Xi , courtesy name Yiguang , was the crown prince and a son of Liu Yao, the final emperor of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao, who was thrust into the leadership role after his father was captured by rival Later Zhao's forces, but was unable to resist Later Zhao and killed less than a year...
the Crown Prince and Liu Yin
Liu Yin (Han Zhao)
Liu Yin , courtesy name Yisun , was an imperial prince of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao, who, following his father Liu Yao's capture by rival Later Zhao, tried to maintain the state with his brother, the crown prince Liu Xi, but was unsuccessful and killed by Later Zhao.Liu Yin was Liu Yao's...
the Prince of Nanyang in fleeing from the Han Zhao 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...
to Shanggui (上邽, in modern Tianshui
Tianshui
Tianshui is the second largest city in Gansu province in northwest China. Its population is approximately 3,500,000.Tianshui lies along the route of the ancient Northern Silk Road at the Wei River, through which much of trade occurred between China and the west...
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
). Later that year, Liu Yin tried to recapture Chang'an and was defeated by Shi Hu, who marched on to Shanggui and captured it, killing Liu Xi and Liu Yin. She was captured by his subordinate Zhang Chai (張豺) and offered to him. She, at 11, became his concubine. In 339, she gave birth to his youngest son, Shi Shi
Shi Shi
Shi Shi was briefly the emperor of the Jie/Chinese Hun state Later Zhao following his father Shi Hu's death in 349. In the Chinese annals he is sometimes referred to by his title after removal as an Emperor, Prince of Qiao .Shi Shi was Shi Hu's youngest son, by his third empress Empress Liu,...
. He was created the Duke of Qi.
In 348, after executing his second crown prince Shi Xuan (石宣) for having assassinated his younger brother Shi Tao (石韜) and for plotting against himself, Shi Hu considered whom to make his new crown prince. Zhang, believing that he could hold power jointly with Consort Liu if she were to become empress dowager
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...
, suggested to Shi Hu that the reasons why his prior crown princes rebelled was that their mothers were of low birth. Shi Hu agreed, and he created Shi Shi crown prince and Consort Liu empress.
In early 349, Shi Hu grew ill, and he ordered that his sons Shi Zun
Shi Zun
Shi Zun was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. He was the second of four short-lived emperors after the death of his father Shi Hu...
the Prince of Pengcheng and Shi Bin (石斌) the Prince of Yan be made joint regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
s for Shi Shi. This interfered with Empress Liu's and Zhang's plans to control the government, and they issued false edicts sending Shi Zun away and executing Shi Bin. Shi Hu soon died, and Shi Shi succeeded him. Empress Liu became empress dowager, and she served as regent, holding power jointly with Zhang. She tried to placate Shi Zun and Shi Jian
Shi Jian
Shi Jian was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. He was the third of four short-lived emperors after the death of his father Shi Hu . He is sometimes referred to by his title prior to becoming emperor, Prince of Yiyang...
the Prince of Yiyang by giving them high posts. However, Shi Zun did not accept and marched on the capital Yecheng
Ye, China
Ye or Yecheng was an ancient Chinese city located in what is now Linzhang County, Hebei and the neighbouring Anyang County, Henan....
. Empress Dowager Liu tried to placate him by offering him the regent office and the nine bestowments
Nine bestowments
The nine bestowments were awards given by Chinese emperors to extraordinary officials, ostensibly to reward them for their accomplishments. The nine bestowments were awards given by Chinese emperors to extraordinary officials, ostensibly to reward them for their accomplishments. The nine...
, but that could not stop him from entering the capital and seizing power. He executed Zhang, and then forged an edict by Empress Dowager Liu deposing Shi Shi and giving him the throne. Shi Shi was created the Prince of Qiao, and Empress Dowager Liu was given the title of Princess Dowager of Qiao, but soon Shi Zun executed both of them.