534:, served as regent. The system, which had been discontinued many years ago by Empress Dowager Lu of the Western Han after her death 268 years ago, was instituted by Empress Dowager Dou, followed by five other Empress Dowagers after her, which history mentioned as "six empress dowagers in the court". This system was like that in history: "When the a empress dowager serves as regent, she will appear in the front throne hall to receive the officials; she will be seated facing east and the young Emperor facing west. When the officials send in memorials, two copies should be made, one for the empress dowager and one for the young Emperor; but it was the Empress Dowager who decided on the memorials and the emperor was only symbolic and things were done only in his name."
504:
the Liangs. Empress Dou began to give false reports about Prince Zhao's birth mother
Consort Liang and her sister, also an imperial consort, and they lost Emperor Zhang's favor. In 83, the Dous further submitted false anonymous accusations against the Consorts Liang's father Liang Song (梁竦), causing him to die in prison. Consorts Liang died of sadness and fear.
489:), as her own son, and she plotted, along with her mother Princess Piyang and her brothers, to have her adopted son made crown prince. After Empress Dowager Ma's death, she put her plan into action. She had her brothers collect dossiers on faults of the Song clan while bribing the servants and eunuchs of Consorts Song to gather their own faults.
522:. This would be a trend that would recur for the rest of the Eastern Han Dynasty and a source of corruption. In 83, angered by Dou Xian's arrogance, Emperor Zhang threatened to kill him. Empress Dou wore the clothes of concubines and apologized on Dou Xian's behalf, causing Emperor Zhang to spare him.
598:
Emperor He was unaware that he was not
Empress Dowager Dou's biological son, and he continued to honor and respect her, even though not giving her any real authority, after the fall of the Dou brothers. However, after she died in October 97, it became known that he was actually born of Consort Liang.
571:
Empress
Dowager Dou agreed, and Dou Xian led an army and crushed the North Xiongnu in 89. After this great military victory, he became even more arrogant, however—and Empress Dowager Dou permitted him to be. He had another major victory over the North Xiongnu in 91, essentially wiping North Xiongnu
503:
The Song sisters would not be
Empress Dou's only victims. After Prince Zhao was made crown prince, his birth mother's clan, the Liangs, did not dare to openly celebrate but were secretly happy. When the Dou clan heard of this, they were displeased and fearful, and they felt that they had to destroy
500:. Consorts Song saw that they were in deep straits, and they committed suicide by poison. Crown Prince Qing was deposed and created the Prince of Qinghe instead; he was replaced by Prince Zhao as crown prince. Prince Zhao, however, was friendly to his brother, and they often spent time together.
575:
In 92, however, the Dous would suddenly fall as the result of a coup d'état. The details are unclear now, but it appeared that
Emperor He, perhaps encouraged by his brother Prince Qing (whose mother had died at the Dous' hand and whose status as crown prince had been stripped away by their
549:) all became powerful officials, even though they had relatively menial titles. Of her brothers, Dou Gui alone was humble and unassuming, but the other three, particularly Dou Xian, were arrogant, using their connection to the empress dowager to intimidate other officials into submission.
564:), the Marquess of Li. Several judges who were unafraid of Dou Xian, however, carried out a thorough investigation, and Dou Xian's involvement was discovered. Empress Dowager Dou was enraged, and she put Dou Xian under arrest, and Dou Xian offered to lead an army against the North
507:
The Dous, having made these powerplays, would eventually gain their goals of becoming even more powerful than they were. Also in 83, Emperor Zhang, having seen that his Ma cousins were not following the law, stopped favoring his Ma uncles, and eventually sent them back to their
496:, and she requested that her family bring them. Empress Dou seized the cuscuta and falsely accused Consort Song of using it for witchcraft. Emperor Zhang was enraged and expelled Crown Prince Qing from the palace. He had the Consorts Song arrested and interrogated by the eunuch
437:; therefore, she was created a princess even though her father was not an emperor. Dou Xun was able to marry a princess because the Dous were a powerful noble family at the time, although he himself would eventually be accused of bribing other officials and would die in prison.
599:
While
Emperor He posthumously honored Consort Liang and also rewarded her family with power and wealth subsequently, he rejected a suggestion to posthumously demote Empress Dowager Dou. Instead, she was buried with full imperial honors, with her husband Emperor Zhang.
448:
Empress Dou was a jealous woman, and she became engaged in power struggles with other imperial consorts soon after she became empress. She was completely in control of the palace and exercised the power of rewards and punishments stubbornly over the palace.
558:), the Marquess of Duxiang, was favored by Empress Dowager Dou for his intelligence, and Dou Xian became fearful that Liu will divide his power. He therefore had Liu assassinated and blamed Liu's brother Liu Gang (
472:), and because Empress Dou was sonless, Prince Qing was created crown prince on 23 May 79. The Consorts Song was greatly favored by Empress Dowager Ma until Empress Dowager Ma's death in August 79.
568:(Xiongnu having been divided into two since the times of Emperor Guangwu, with South Xiongnu being a loyal vassal and North Xiongnu being a constant nuisance, at most) to atone for his crimes.
1279:
518:) effectively took over in the power structure—the first time in Han history that the empress' clan, rather than the empress dowager's clan, was the powerful
586:), made sudden orders to the imperial guards to have them arrest Dou Xian's associates and execute them. He sent Dou Xian and his brothers back to their
572:
out as a political entity. As a result, Dou Xian so dominated the government that all dissenting officials faced the threat of demotion or even death.
445:
Lady Dou became an imperial consort to
Emperor Zhang in 77. She was his favorite, and he created her empress on 3 April 78; he was 22 at the time.
590:, but eventually ordered them to commit suicide, with the exception of Dou Gui. Empress Dowager Dou remained empress dowager, but lost all power.
1259:
638:. But, her biography indicated that she was older than 6 (by East Asian reckoning) when she joined the imperial harem in 77 (2nd year of the
404:
475:
Later in 79, however, Empress Dou would (perhaps remembering
Empress Dowager Ma's example) adopt the son of another imperial consort,
552:
Late in 88, however, a crime that Dou Xian committed threatened to cause even
Empress Dowager Dou to want him executed. Liu Chang (
369:. She was already influential and powerful during her husband's reign, but became particularly highly powerful and influential as
754:
1346:
1295:
1267:
1263:
1255:
763:
1341:
653:
492:
In 82, an opportunity came for
Empress Dou. The elder Consort Song had become ill, and in her illness, she craved raw
1251:
530:
In 88, Emperor Zhang died. Crown Prince Zhao succeeded to the throne as Emperor He, at age nine. Empress Dou, now
1155:
1037:
835:
1326:
1291:
1243:
714:
1356:
1351:
747:
977:
896:
992:
1235:
1115:
1085:
982:
932:
707:
698:
453:
1307:
1303:
1299:
1287:
1283:
1275:
1239:
805:
1271:
1247:
740:
430:
366:
94:
8:
1331:
1160:
1062:
1042:
875:
850:
800:
426:
389:
by Emperor He, in 92. Empress Dou lost her power, but remained honored until her death.
1336:
1145:
1032:
1022:
860:
820:
1170:
1150:
1052:
1027:
810:
480:
378:
942:
724:
279:
244:
193:
166:
1223:
870:
531:
463:
370:
142:
33:
962:
732:
386:
307:
300:
221:
214:
967:
1320:
1218:
1165:
1047:
922:
855:
476:
38:
1140:
1017:
795:
654:
Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E
845:
519:
434:
286:
200:
29:
381:
after Emperor Zhang's death. Her family members, particularly her brother
1210:
1187:
1132:
1072:
1057:
1009:
914:
903:
886:
865:
787:
772:
577:
362:
19:
For the Liao dynasty empress who was briefly called Empress Zhangde, see
1200:
840:
815:
1080:
927:
825:
425:), the Prince of Donghai, who was a highly honored older brother to
1110:
1105:
1095:
972:
957:
947:
830:
382:
20:
634:
Lady Dou's age when she died was not recorded in her biography in
440:
1195:
987:
587:
565:
509:
497:
493:
358:
312:
226:
101:
1100:
952:
374:
146:
385:, became extremely powerful, until they were toppled in a
357:, literally "the polite and virtuous empress"), was an
291:
205:
456:
was alive, she selected two daughters of Song Yang (
462:) as consorts for Emperor Zhang. In 78, the elder
593:
1318:
762:
651:Lily Xiao Hong Lee, A.D. Stefanowska, Sue Wiles:
525:
441:Marriage to Emperor Zhang and palatial intrigue
512:. Empress Dou's brothers Dou Xian and Dou Du (
16:1st century empress of the Chinese Han dynasty
748:
618:day of the leap month of the 9th year of the
581:
559:
553:
544:
538:
513:
484:
467:
457:
420:
414:
408:
398:
352:
338:
251:
249:
173:
171:
129:
115:
50:
668:day of the 3rd month of the 3rd year of the
755:
741:
537:Her brothers Dou Xian, Dou Du, Dou Jing (
377:between 88 and 92 for her adoptive son
1319:
672:era, per Emperor Zhang's biography in
452:While Emperor Zhang's adoptive mother
736:
466:gave birth to a son named Liu Qing (
392:
622:era, per Emperor He's biography in
413:). Her mother was Princess Piyang (
13:
403:) was a grandson of the statesman
62:Empress of the Eastern Han dynasty
14:
1368:
265:"the polite and virtuous empress"
1161:Grand Empress Dowager Qiongcheng
347:63 – 8 October 97 CE), formally
1156:Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan
313:
227:
715:Empress of Eastern Han Dynasty
678:
659:
645:
628:
609:
594:After the fall of the Dou clan
582:
560:
554:
545:
539:
514:
485:
468:
458:
421:
415:
409:
399:
353:
339:
292:
252:
250:
206:
174:
172:
130:
116:
51:
1:
1347:Han dynasty empresses dowager
1280:5 Dynasties & 10 Kingdoms
602:
576:machinations) and the eunuch
526:As empress dowager and regent
344:
83:
71:
764:Empresses of the Han dynasty
419:), a daughter of Liu Jiang (
7:
397:Lady Dou's father Dou Xun (
10:
1373:
1043:Empress Dowager Qiongcheng
27:
18:
1342:1st-century women regents
1232:
1209:
1186:
1179:
1151:Grand Empress Dowager Dou
1131:
1124:
1071:
1038:Empress Dowager Shangguan
1008:
1001:
913:
884:
786:
779:
770:
721:
712:
704:
697:
343:, personal name unknown;
328:
324:
306:
299:
285:
278:
273:
269:
261:
243:
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220:
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199:
192:
187:
183:
165:
160:
156:
152:
138:
124:
110:
100:
90:
78:
67:
60:
47:
1171:Grand Empress Dowager Fu
1146:Grand Empress Dowager Bo
1141:Grand Empress Dowager Lü
239:Alternative Chinese name
1126:Grand empresses dowager
82:8 October 97 CE (aged
1327:Han dynasty empresses
674:Book of the Later Han
636:Book of the Later Han
624:Book of the Later Han
1181:Posthumous empresses
1063:Empress Dowager Wang
314:t͡ɕɨɐŋ tək̚ ɦwɑŋ ɦəu
1357:1st-century regents
1352:Han dynasty regents
1091:Empress Dowager Dou
1028:Empress Dowager Dou
1116:Empress Dowager He
1086:Empress Dowager Ma
1053:Empress Dowager Fu
1023:Empress Dowager Bo
1018:Empress Dowager Lü
684:(夏四月戊子，立皇子庆为皇太子。)
454:Empress Dowager Ma
365:. Her husband was
1314:
1313:
1003:Empresses dowager
836:Empress Shangguan
781:Empresses consort
731:
730:
722:Succeeded by
393:Family background
332:
331:
320:
319:
280:Standard Mandarin
234:
233:
194:Standard Mandarin
128:Princess Piyang (
1364:
757:
750:
743:
734:
733:
705:Preceded by
695:
694:
689:
682:
676:
663:
657:
649:
643:
632:
626:
613:
585:
584:
563:
562:
557:
556:
548:
547:
543:), and Dou Gui (
542:
541:
517:
516:
488:
487:
471:
470:
461:
460:
424:
423:
418:
417:
412:
411:
402:
401:
356:
355:
346:
342:
341:
316:
315:
295:
294:
293:Zhāngdé Huánghòu
271:
270:
257:
256:
255:
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230:
229:
209:
208:
185:
184:
179:
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133:
132:
119:
118:
85:
73:
55:
54:
53:
45:
44:
1372:
1371:
1367:
1366:
1365:
1363:
1362:
1361:
1317:
1316:
1315:
1310:
1228:
1205:
1182:
1175:
1127:
1120:
1067:
1004:
997:
938:Empress Zhangde
909:
880:
782:
775:
766:
761:
727:
718:
710:
699:Chinese royalty
693:
692:
683:
679:
664:
660:
650:
646:
633:
629:
614:
610:
605:
596:
532:empress dowager
528:
443:
431:Emperor Guangwu
395:
371:empress dowager
361:of the Chinese
349:Empress Zhangde
262:Literal meaning
143:empress dowager
49:
43:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1370:
1360:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1344:
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1329:
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1311:
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1227:
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1221:
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1207:
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1198:
1192:
1190:
1184:
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1180:
1177:
1176:
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1168:
1163:
1158:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1137:
1135:
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1125:
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1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
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1077:
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1069:
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1014:
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1006:
1005:
1002:
999:
998:
996:
995:
990:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
925:
919:
917:
911:
910:
908:
907:
900:
892:
890:
882:
881:
879:
878:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
818:
813:
808:
803:
798:
792:
790:
784:
783:
780:
777:
776:
771:
768:
767:
760:
759:
752:
745:
737:
729:
728:
723:
720:
711:
706:
702:
701:
691:
690:
677:
658:
644:
627:
607:
606:
604:
601:
595:
592:
527:
524:
442:
439:
394:
391:
330:
329:
326:
325:
322:
321:
318:
317:
310:
308:Middle Chinese
304:
303:
301:Middle Chinese
297:
296:
289:
283:
282:
276:
275:
274:Transcriptions
267:
266:
263:
259:
258:
247:
241:
240:
236:
235:
232:
231:
224:
222:Middle Chinese
218:
217:
215:Middle Chinese
211:
210:
203:
197:
196:
190:
189:
188:Transcriptions
181:
180:
169:
163:
162:
158:
157:
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140:
136:
135:
126:
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108:
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98:
97:
92:
88:
87:
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76:
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69:
65:
64:
58:
57:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1369:
1358:
1355:
1353:
1350:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1330:
1328:
1325:
1324:
1322:
1309:
1305:
1301:
1297:
1293:
1289:
1285:
1281:
1277:
1273:
1269:
1265:
1261:
1257:
1253:
1249:
1245:
1241:
1237:
1231:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1219:Consort Liang
1217:
1216:
1214:
1212:
1208:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1193:
1191:
1189:
1185:
1178:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1166:Wang Zhengjun
1164:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1138:
1136:
1134:
1130:
1123:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1074:
1070:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1048:Wang Zhengjun
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1015:
1013:
1011:
1007:
1000:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
923:Guo Shengtong
921:
920:
918:
916:
912:
905:
901:
898:
894:
893:
891:
888:
883:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
856:Wang Zhengjun
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
793:
791:
789:
785:
778:
774:
769:
765:
758:
753:
751:
746:
744:
739:
738:
735:
726:
717:
716:
709:
703:
700:
696:
687:
681:
675:
671:
667:
662:
656:
655:
648:
641:
637:
631:
625:
621:
617:
612:
608:
600:
591:
589:
579:
573:
569:
567:
550:
535:
533:
523:
521:
511:
505:
501:
499:
495:
490:
482:
478:
477:Consort Liang
473:
465:
455:
450:
446:
438:
436:
432:
428:
406:
390:
388:
384:
380:
376:
372:
368:
367:Emperor Zhang
364:
360:
350:
336:
327:
323:
311:
309:
305:
302:
298:
290:
288:
284:
281:
277:
272:
268:
264:
260:
248:
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242:
237:
225:
223:
219:
216:
212:
204:
202:
198:
195:
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186:
182:
170:
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159:
155:
151:
148:
144:
141:
137:
127:
123:
113:
109:
105:
103:
99:
96:
95:Emperor Zhang
93:
89:
81:
77:
70:
66:
63:
59:
48:Empress Dou (
46:
41:
40:
35:
31:
26:
22:
1268:N. Dynasties
1264:S. Dynasties
1224:Consort Song
1090:
978:Empress Song
963:Liang Nüying
937:
897:Empress Wang
876:Empress Wang
851:Empress Wang
846:Huo Chengjun
713:
685:
680:
673:
669:
665:
661:
652:
647:
639:
635:
630:
623:
619:
615:
611:
597:
574:
570:
551:
536:
529:
520:consort clan
506:
502:
491:
474:
464:Consort Song
451:
447:
444:
435:crown prince
427:Emperor Ming
396:
348:
334:
333:
287:Hanyu Pinyin
228:dəu ɦwɑŋ ɦəu
207:Dòu Huánghòu
201:Hanyu Pinyin
61:
37:
30:Chinese name
25:
1260:16 Kingdoms
1211:Eastern Han
1188:Western Han
1133:Western Han
1073:Eastern Han
1058:Zhao Feiyan
1010:Western Han
993:Empress Cao
968:Deng Mengnü
943:Empress Yin
915:Eastern Han
904:Empress Shi
887:Xin dynasty
866:Zhao Feiyan
811:Empress Dou
788:Western Han
773:Han dynasty
725:Empress Yin
578:Zheng Zhong
387:coup d'etat
363:Han dynasty
335:Empress Dou
161:Empress Dou
106:Eastern Han
34:family name
1332:60s births
1321:Categories
1252:3 Kingdoms
1201:Lady Gouyi
983:Empress He
933:Empress Ma
871:Empress Fu
861:Empress Xu
841:Xu Pingjun
816:Empress Bo
806:Empress Lü
796:Empress Lü
708:Empress Ma
603:References
379:Emperor He
139:Occupation
1337:97 deaths
1081:Yin Lihua
928:Yin Lihua
826:Chen Jiao
801:Zhang Yan
686:Houhanshu
620:Yong'yuan
433:'s first
114:Dou Xun (
1111:Dou Miao
1106:Liang Na
1096:Deng Sui
1033:Wang Zhi
973:Dou Miao
958:Liang Na
948:Deng Sui
831:Wei Zifu
821:Wang Zhi
688:, vol.03
670:Jian'chu
640:Jian'chu
481:Liu Zhao
429:and was
405:Dou Rong
383:Dou Xian
28:In this
21:Xiao Wen
1196:Lady Li
988:Fu Shou
588:marches
566:Xiongnu
510:marches
498:Cai Lun
494:cuscuta
359:empress
245:Chinese
167:Chinese
91:Husband
1292:W. Xia
1234:Xia →
1101:Yan Ji
953:Yan Ji
719:78–88
375:regent
147:regent
125:Mother
111:Father
32:, the
1236:Shang
666:guisi
642:era).
616:xinsi
102:House
1308:Qing
1304:Ming
1300:Yuan
1288:Song
1284:Liao
1276:Tang
1240:Zhou
416:沘陽公主
373:and
354:章德皇后
253:章德皇后
131:沘陽公主
79:Died
68:Born
1296:Jīn
1272:Sui
1256:Jìn
1248:Han
1244:Qin
340:竇皇后
175:竇皇后
86:34)
52:竇皇后
39:Dou
36:is
1323::
1306:→
1302:→
1298:→
1294:/
1290:/
1286:/
1282:→
1278:→
1274:→
1270:→
1266:/
1262:→
1258:/
1254:→
1250:→
1246:→
1242:→
1238:→
583:鄭眾
561:劉剛
555:劉暢
546:竇瑰
540:竇景
515:竇篤
486:劉肇
479:,
469:劉慶
459:宋楊
422:劉疆
410:竇融
400:竇勳
345:c.
145:,
117:竇勳
84:c.
74:63
72:c.
906:)
902:(
899:)
895:(
889:)
885:(
756:e
749:t
742:v
580:(
483:(
407:(
351:(
337:(
134:)
120:)
56:)
42:.
23:.
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