Empress Mu Sheli
Encyclopedia
Empress Mu Sheli originally named Mu Yeli (穆邪利), nickname Huanghua (黃花), was an empress of the Chinese
dynasty Northern Qi
. She was Gao Wei
's last empress.
(of whom Song was an associate) and Emperor Fei
's uncle Gao Yan
the Prince of Changshan (later Emperor Xiaozhao), Mu Sheli became a servant inside the palace. During Gao Wei's reign, she became a servant to his first wife Empress Hulü
. She had a sexual relationship with Gao Wei and became his favorite. Gao Wei's wet nurse
Lu Lingxuan
, in order to strengthen her own power, offered to become Mu Sheli's adoptive mother, and had Gao Wei formally make Mu Sheli an imperial consort. Lady Lu went as far as having her son Luo Tipo
change his family name to Mu.
. Lady Lu planned to have Gao Heng become crown prince
in the future, but feared that Empress Hulü would oppose it, and so she gave Gao Heng to Empress Hulü to raise. Later that year, Gao Heng was created crown prince.
In 572, believing in false accusations by the official Zu Ting
that Empress Hulü's father Hulü Guang
was about to rebel, Gao Wei killed Hulü Guang and his clan and deposed Empress Hulü. Lady Lu wanted to make Consort Mu empress, but at that time, Gao Wei favored his cousin Consort Hu
-- Empress Dowager Hu
's niece, and Empress Dowager Hu, who had been put under house arrest by Gao Wei in 571 after her affair with the Buddhist monk Tanxian (曇獻) was discovered—wanted Consort Hu to be empress as well. Not confident that she had sufficient persuasive power, however, she had to flatter and give gifts to Lady Lu, requesting her help. Lady Lu, seeing that Gao Wei favored Consort Hu at that time, jointly submitted, with Zu, the suggestion to make Consort Hu empress. In fall 572, Gao Wei created Consort Hu empress.
Around the new year 573, Lady Lu would further carry out adverse action against Empress Hu. She intentionally acted angry before Empress Dowager Hu and stated, "What kind of niece would use that kind of language?" When Empress Dowager Hu asked her about it, she initially refused to say anything, and then when Empress Dowager Hu persisted, she said that Empress Hu had told Gao Wei, "The empress dowager's behavior is immoral and should not be followed." Empress Dowager Hu was incensed, and without verifying the information, she ordered Empress Hu be expelled from the palace, and then had Gao Wei depose her. In spring 573, Right Empress Mu was formally entitled as the only empress. Trying to match the clothes made of pearl that he had earlier made for Empress Hu (but which had been destroyed in a fire), he tried to buy pearls from rival Northern Zhou
, but Northern Zhou refused to sell him pearls—but somehow he was able to obtain sufficient pearls to do so. Empress Mu, by this point, viewed Lady Lu as her mother and Mu Tipo her brother, ignoring her own mother Mu Qingxiao, and Lady Lu received the honorific title of "Grand Lady" (taiji, 太姬), a title used for empresses' mothers pursuant to Northern Qi regulations. Mu Qingxiao, believing that her daughter rejected her on account of her ugliness (from the tattoo), managed to have her tattoo removed and tried to see her daughter, but was never able to do so, as Lady Lu prevented all meetings between them. After Empress Mu became empress, she began to lose favor from Gao Wei, who greatly favored her servant Feng Xiaolian
and took her as a concubine, but he continued to honor Empress Mu as empress.
. In order to try to change his fortune, Gao Wei passed the throne to Gao Heng, taking the title of Taishang Huang
(retired emperor). Empress Mu thereafter carried the title of Retired Empress. (Meanwhile, Empress Mu's adoptive brother Mu Tipo had surrendered to Northern Zhou, and upon hearing the news, her adoptive mother Lady Lu committed suicide.) Gao Wei soon abandoned Yecheng, fleeing with Gao Heng, Grand Empress Dowager Hu, Retired Empress Mu, Consort Feng, and other concubines and children. On their flight to Chen Dynasty
, however, they were captured by Northern Zhou forces and returned to Yecheng.
, and he and his entire clan was taken to the Northern Zhou capital Chang'an
. Northern Qi territory was seized by Northern Zhou. Later that year, Emperor Wu, feeling threatened by the Gaos, falsely accused them of plotting treason with Mu Tipo, and had them, including Gao Wei and Gao Heng, put to death.
Empress Mu, however, was not put to death—and neither was her mother-in-law Empress Dowager Hu. Empress Dowager Hu opened a brothel
, with both her and Empress Mu serving as prostitutes. Nothing further was recorded in history about Empress Mu.
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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 Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
. She was Gao Wei
Gao Wei
Gao Wei , often known in history as Houzhu of Northern Qi , courtesy name Rengang , sometimes referred to by his later Northern Zhou-created title of Duke of Wen , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi...
's last empress.
Background
Mu Sheli's mother Mu Qingxiao (穆輕霄) was initially a servant in the household of the official Mu Zilun (穆子倫) and therefore carried his family name. Later, for reasons unknown, she became a servant of the official Song Qindao (宋欽道), where she became pregnant and gave birth to Mu Sheli. (Mu Sheli's father is not known for certain, but some believed that Song Qindao was the father.) Song's wife was jealous of her, and tattooed the character Song on her face. After Song was killed in a power struggle in 560 between the prime minister Yang YinYang Yin
Yang Yin , courtesy name Zhunyan , nickname Qinwang , was a high level official of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi.- Background :Yang Yin came from a clan that produced many officials of Northern Wei...
(of whom Song was an associate) and Emperor Fei
Emperor Fei of Northern Qi
Emperor Fei of Northern Qi , personal name Gao Fei , courtesy name Zhengdao , posthumously Prince Mindao of Ji'nan , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. He was the oldest son of the first emperor, Emperor Wenxuan , and he became emperor after Emperor Wenxuan's death in 559...
's uncle Gao Yan
Emperor Xiaozhao of Northern Qi
Emperor Xiaozhao of Northern Qi , personal name Gao Yan , courtesy name Yan'an , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. He was generally considered a capable ruler, but ruled only less than two years before dying from injuries suffered from falling off a horse...
the Prince of Changshan (later Emperor Xiaozhao), Mu Sheli became a servant inside the palace. During Gao Wei's reign, she became a servant to his first wife Empress Hulü
Empress Hulü
Empress Hulü was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. She was Gao Wei's first empress, and she was a daughter of the general Hulü Guang....
. She had a sexual relationship with Gao Wei and became his favorite. Gao Wei's wet nurse
Wet nurse
A wet nurse is a woman who is used to breast feed and care for another's child. Wet nurses are used when the mother is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cultures the families are linked by a special relationship of...
Lu Lingxuan
Lu Lingxuan
Lu Lingxuan was a lady in waiting in the palace of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. As she served as the wet nurse to the emperor Gao Wei, she became exceedingly powerful during his reign, at times eclipsing in importance his mother Empress Dowager Hu, and was often criticized by historians for...
, in order to strengthen her own power, offered to become Mu Sheli's adoptive mother, and had Gao Wei formally make Mu Sheli an imperial consort. Lady Lu went as far as having her son Luo Tipo
Mu Tipo
Mu Tipo , né Luo Tipo , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. He was a close associate of the emperor Gao Wei, and during the latter part of Gao Wei's reign controlled the political scene along with his mother Lu Lingxuan, and the other favorites of Gao Wei, Han Zhangluan and Gao...
change his family name to Mu.
As imperial consort
In 570, Consort Mu gave birth to Gao Wei's first son Gao HengGao Heng
Gao Heng , often known in history as the Youzhu of Northern Qi , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. In 577, with Northern Qi under a major attack by rival Northern Zhou, Gao Heng's father Gao Wei, then emperor, wanted to try to deflect ill omens that portended a change in...
. Lady Lu planned to have Gao Heng become 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....
in the future, but feared that Empress Hulü would oppose it, and so she gave Gao Heng to Empress Hulü to raise. Later that year, Gao Heng was created crown prince.
In 572, believing in false accusations by the official Zu Ting
Zu Ting
Zu Ting , courtesy name Xiaozheng , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi . He was renowned for his literary and administrative talents, but his ambitiousness eventually led to his falsely accusing the great general Hulü Guang of treason and Hulü's execution, greatly weakening the...
that Empress Hulü's father Hulü Guang
Hulü Guang
Hulü Guang , courtesy name Mingyue , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. During the late years of the dynasty -- the reigns of Emperor Wucheng and Gao Wei, traditionally viewed as a period of corruption and debauchery when Northern Qi's once-powerful status was deteriorating -- Hulü...
was about to rebel, Gao Wei killed Hulü Guang and his clan and deposed Empress Hulü. Lady Lu wanted to make Consort Mu empress, but at that time, Gao Wei favored his cousin Consort Hu
Empress Hu (Gao Wei)
Empress Hu was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. She was Gao Wei's second empress.She was the daughter of Hu Changren the Prince of Longdong, who was the brother of Gao Wei's mother Empress Dowager Hu -- making her and her husband cousins...
-- Empress Dowager Hu
Empress Hu (Wucheng)
Empress Hu was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. Her husband was Emperor Wucheng .- Background :Her father was the Northern Wei official Hu Yanzhi , and her mother was the daughter of Lu Daoyue...
's niece, and Empress Dowager Hu, who had been put under house arrest by Gao Wei in 571 after her affair with the Buddhist monk Tanxian (曇獻) was discovered—wanted Consort Hu to be empress as well. Not confident that she had sufficient persuasive power, however, she had to flatter and give gifts to Lady Lu, requesting her help. Lady Lu, seeing that Gao Wei favored Consort Hu at that time, jointly submitted, with Zu, the suggestion to make Consort Hu empress. In fall 572, Gao Wei created Consort Hu empress.
As empress
However, Lady Lu did not relent in her hopes of making Consort Mu empress, stating to Gao Wei, "How can a son be crown prince and a mother be a servant girl, a concubine?" But as Gao Wei favored Empress Hu, she could not carry out her wishes. She therefore engaged witches to use witchcraft on Empress Hu. It was said that within a month, Empress Hu began to show symptoms of psychosis, often mumbling to herself or laughing without cause. Gao Wei began to fear and dislike her. In winter 572, Lady Lu put Consort Mu in empress clothing and put her in a tent, surrounded with magnificent jewelry, and then told Gao Wei, "Let me show you a holy woman." When Gao Wei saw that it was Consort Mu, Lady Lu stated, "For a woman this beautiful not to be empress, who would be qualified to be empress?" Gao Wei agreed with her, and he created Consort Mu "Right Empress" and gave Empress Hu the title "Left Empress."Around the new year 573, Lady Lu would further carry out adverse action against Empress Hu. She intentionally acted angry before Empress Dowager Hu and stated, "What kind of niece would use that kind of language?" When Empress Dowager Hu asked her about it, she initially refused to say anything, and then when Empress Dowager Hu persisted, she said that Empress Hu had told Gao Wei, "The empress dowager's behavior is immoral and should not be followed." Empress Dowager Hu was incensed, and without verifying the information, she ordered Empress Hu be expelled from the palace, and then had Gao Wei depose her. In spring 573, Right Empress Mu was formally entitled as the only empress. Trying to match the clothes made of pearl that he had earlier made for Empress Hu (but which had been destroyed in a fire), he tried to buy pearls from rival Northern Zhou
Northern Zhou
The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was overthrown by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and...
, but Northern Zhou refused to sell him pearls—but somehow he was able to obtain sufficient pearls to do so. Empress Mu, by this point, viewed Lady Lu as her mother and Mu Tipo her brother, ignoring her own mother Mu Qingxiao, and Lady Lu received the honorific title of "Grand Lady" (taiji, 太姬), a title used for empresses' mothers pursuant to Northern Qi regulations. Mu Qingxiao, believing that her daughter rejected her on account of her ugliness (from the tattoo), managed to have her tattoo removed and tried to see her daughter, but was never able to do so, as Lady Lu prevented all meetings between them. After Empress Mu became empress, she began to lose favor from Gao Wei, who greatly favored her servant Feng Xiaolian
Feng Xiaolian
Consort Feng Xiaolian was an imperial consort of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. She was a concubine of the penultimate Gao Wei, and his infatuation with her caused her to be, fairly or unfairly, often stated by traditional historians as a reason for Northern Qi's downfall.Feng Xiaolian was...
and took her as a concubine, but he continued to honor Empress Mu as empress.
As retired empress
In 576, Northern Zhou launched a major attack on Northern Qi, and by spring 577 was threatening Northern Qi's capital YechengYe, China
Ye or Yecheng was an ancient Chinese city located in what is now Linzhang County, Hebei and the neighbouring Anyang County, Henan....
. In order to try to change his fortune, Gao Wei passed the throne to Gao Heng, taking the title of Taishang Huang
Taishang Huang
Retired Emperor, Grand Emperor, or Emperor Emeritus is a title occasionally used throughout East Asian feudal regimes for former emperors who had abdicated voluntarily to their sons. This title appeared in the history of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam...
(retired emperor). Empress Mu thereafter carried the title of Retired Empress. (Meanwhile, Empress Mu's adoptive brother Mu Tipo had surrendered to Northern Zhou, and upon hearing the news, her adoptive mother Lady Lu committed suicide.) Gao Wei soon abandoned Yecheng, fleeing with Gao Heng, Grand Empress Dowager Hu, Retired Empress Mu, Consort Feng, and other concubines and children. On their flight to Chen Dynasty
Chen Dynasty
The Chen Dynasty , also known as the Southern Chen Dynasty, was the fourth and last of the Southern dynasties in China, eventually destroyed by the Sui Dynasty....
, however, they were captured by Northern Zhou forces and returned to Yecheng.
After Northern Qi's destruction
Subsequently, Gao Wei was created the Duke of Wen by Emperor Wu of Northern ZhouEmperor Wu of Northern Zhou
Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou , personal name Yuwen Yong , nickname Miluotu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou. As was the case of the reigns of his brothers Emperor Xiaomin and Emperor Ming, the early part of his reign was dominated by his cousin Yuwen Hu, but in 572 he...
, and he and his entire clan was taken to the Northern Zhou 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...
. Northern Qi territory was seized by Northern Zhou. Later that year, Emperor Wu, feeling threatened by the Gaos, falsely accused them of plotting treason with Mu Tipo, and had them, including Gao Wei and Gao Heng, put to death.
Empress Mu, however, was not put to death—and neither was her mother-in-law Empress Dowager Hu. Empress Dowager Hu opened a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
, with both her and Empress Mu serving as prostitutes. Nothing further was recorded in history about Empress Mu.
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