Empress Zhangxian Mingsu (, translated as "The orderly, worthy, wise and solemn empress"), more commonly known as Empress Liu (Ã¥ÂÂçÂÂÃ¥ÂÂ), was an empress of the Song dynasty, married to the Emperor Zhenzong in 1012 and quickly gained the emperor's trust to discuss government matters. She ruled unofficially as the regent of China during the illness of Emperor Zhenzong from 1020 until 1022, and then officially as regent during the minority of Emperor Renzong from 1022 until her own death on 30 April 1033. As a regent, she commanded in her own name, not the name of the young emperor; she became the second woman in Chinese history to wear the imperial robe, afteràWu Zetian, the only empress regnant in Chinese history. In a 2001 study, John Chaffee argued that Empress Liu's rise from an humble entertainer to a de facto ruler was a great success story in China's history, and that she made regency a "safe option" at times when "normal imperial rule was impossible."
Liu E was born into a poor family. At the age of fourteen, in the eighth year of the Taiping Xingguo era (983 CE), she entered the residence of Prince Han, Zhao Heng, as a maidservant. However, due to slander and accusations made by Lady Liu (Zhao HengâÂÂs wet nurse and the supervisor of the womenâÂÂs quarters), she was forced to leave after being reported to Emperor Taizong, and she took residence in the home of Zhang Qi, an official serving in the princeâÂÂs household. After Emperor Zhenzong ascended the throne in the third year of the Zhide era (997 CE), she entered the imperial palace. It was not until the first month of the first year of the Jingde era (1004 CE) that she was appointed as a Meiren (Palace Lady). After the death of Empress Guo in the fourth year of Jingde (1007 CE), Liu E was promoted in the first month of the second year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era (1009 CE) to Xiuyi, then in the fifth month of the fifth year of the same era (1012 CE) to Defei, and finally in the twelfth month of that year she was appointed Empress.
Liu E was intelligent, sharp-witted, well-versed in historical texts, and possessed keen political insight, which earned her the trust of Emperor Zhenzong. From the end of 1015, Emperor ZhenzongâÂÂs physical condition gradually deteriorated, and his temperament became increasingly unstable. This significantly reduced his ability to preside over court sessions and to directly manage state affairs. Under these circumstances, due to Empress LiuâÂÂs administrative competence, the emperor increasingly relied on her in his later years. This resembled the pattern of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, who depended on Empress Wu in governing the state. Emperor Zhenzong delegated many important matters to Empress Liu or consulted her on key decisions. As a result, in the final years of his reign, Empress Liu gained substantial influence over the political structure and became one of the central figures in court politics.
In Emperor ZhenzongâÂÂs later years, two fiercely rival factions emerged at court. One was led by Kou Zhun and included Li Di, Wang Zeng, Yang Yi, Sheng Du, the eunuch Zhou Huaizheng, the military commander Cao Wei, and the imperial relative Li Zunxu. The other faction was led by Empress Liu and Ding Wei, including Cao Liang, Ren Zhongzheng, Qian Weiyan, and the eunuch Li Yungong. In the third year of the Tianshi era (1019), Emperor Zhenzong, concerned about factional disputes in his court and fearing Empress Liu's growing power, secretly consulted Kou Zhun and wanted to cede power without abdicating the throne as "Crown Prince to Supervise State Affairs" with the help of Kou Zhun and his associates, but the plan was exposed and Empress Liu quickly acted to dissuade the emperor and remove Kou Zhun and anyone who had played a role in this advice from the court. In the fourth year of the Tianshi era (1020), Zhou Huaizheng, observing the emperorâÂÂs worsening condition, secretly summoned officials including Yang Chongxun and Yang Huaiji to plot the assassination of Chancellor Ding Wei, the enthronement of Crown Prince Zhao Zhen, and the retirement of Emperor Zhenzong as retired emperor. However, the plot was exposed through reports by the two Yangs. Ding Wei acted swiftly, and Empress Liu issued imperial edicts in the emperorâÂÂs name. Zhou was executed, and the coup attempt failed. Subsequently, imperial orders were issued to purge a number of officials, military officers, and eunuchs, including Kou Zhun, Cao Wei, and Sheng Du. The emperor himself was unaware of these developments; Empress Liu handled everything with Ding WeiâÂÂs assistance. Later, Li Di was defeated in his struggle against Ding Wei and demoted to a provincial post. Afterward, the emperor issued an edict assigning the crown prince to convene and preside over meetings with key ministers in Zishan Hall to discuss state affairs. However, Empress Liu would supervise from the inner palace. Matters discussed in the council were to be reported to the inner palace, and only after her review and approval would official decrees be issued.
Following the death of Emperor Zhenzong in the first year of the Qianxing era (1022 CE), his will appointed Liu E as Empress Dowager and granted her authority to oversee the government until Emperor Renzong reached maturity. Since Renzong was young at the time of his accession, Liu E held court in the Chengming Hall: the emperor sat on the left, the empress dowager on the east; Her method of regency was known as a combination of being âÂÂattending court and issuing decreesâ (临æÂÂ称å¶), and âÂÂâÂÂlistening to government affairs from behind the curtainâ (Ã¥ÂÂå¸Â徿). Although she was generally fair in governance, she was authoritarian in implementation and strict in both educating the emperor and dealing with officials. Even after the emperor reached adulthood and married, she refused to relinquish power and continued ruling until her death. She died on the twenty-ninth day of the third month in the second year of the Mingdao era (1033 CE) at the age of sixty-four and was posthumously honored with the title Zhangxian Mingsu.
Liu E ended the ten-year âÂÂHeavenly Textsâ movement that had persisted during Emperor ZhenzongâÂÂs reign, resolved factional conflicts, issued the Jiaozi paper currency, carried out water conservancy projects, established the Office of Remonstrance, and promoted the establishment of prefectural schools, laying a solid foundation for the âÂÂProsperous Reign of Renzong.â She took exemplary empresses of the Eastern Han, Ma and Deng, as her models. Later generations praised her as someone who âÂÂpossessed the talents of Empress Lü and Empress Wu Zetian, but without their cruelty.â However, despite her effective governance, she was deeply attached to power. She concealed the true identity of Emperor RenzongâÂÂs biological mother for a long time and assigned Lady Li to guard Emperor ZhenzongâÂÂs spirit, effectively separating mother and son. Emperor Renzong only learned the truth after Liu EâÂÂs death. The opera âÂÂTheç¸ç«æ¢太å (The Cat Replaced the Crown Prince)â is based on this historical episode.
Orphaned in infancy, Lady Liu was raised by maternal relatives, and by adolescence she became a courtesan skilled at hand-drums. She married Gong Mei (é¾Âç¾Â), a silversmith who took her to the capital Kaifeng, where in 983, she entered the palace of Prince Xiang(è¥ÂçÂÂ) Zhao Yuanxiu, the future Emperor Zhenzong. According to anecdotes in historian Sima Guang's Sushui Jiwen, Gong Mei sold Lady Liu out of poverty, probably first to Zhang Qi (å¼µèÂÂ), an official in the prince's palace.
The 15-year-old Zhao Yuanxiu was greatly enamored of the 14-year-old entertainer. Once, the emperor remarked that his son was getting "listless and thinner", and Zhao Yuanxiu's strict wet nurse, apparently out of disapproval of Lady Liu, promptly blamed her in front of the emperor. Lady Liu was forced to leave the palace, but the prince kept her at the house of Zhang Qi, who begrudgingly accepted her only after receiving 500 ounces of silver for the construction of a separate residence, so as to circumvent the emperor's order.
Zhao Yuanxiu, who later changed his name to Zhao Heng, became emperor after his father's death in 997. Returning to his side, Lady Liu was given the title of a minor consort, "Beautiful Lady" (ç¾Â人, Meiren) in 1004 and further promoted to "Cultivated Deportment" (ä¿®åÂÂ, Xiuyi) in 1009. As Empress Guo had died in 1007, the emperor wanted to make Lady Liu the empress, but gave in after strong ministerial opposition.
In 1010, one of Lady Liu's servants, Lady Li, gave birth to a son, fathered by the emperor. Already in her 40s and childless, Lady Liu adopted the infant and cared for him like her own. In 1012 she was promoted "Virtuous Consort Liu" (Ã¥ÂÂå¾·å¦Â, Liu Defei), and several months later, she became the empress.
Liu was described as naturally alert and perceptive, with a good judgement and an ability to make quick decisions. She demonstrated these qualities in handling the palace affairs as empress, and she also learned enough to be able to understand and discuss the state affairs with the emperor. This made him trust her with political tasks during his illness.
In 1020, Emperor Zhenzong became affected by an illness, which was to cause his death two years later, and unable to handle the affairs of state. By this time, the empress was already established as power behind the throne and handled all affairs of state. She was to rule officially as powerful empress and unofficially as regent of China for the two remaining years of his life.
In 1022, Emperor Zhenzong was succeeded by Emperor Renzong, who was twelve years old and therefore not of legal majority for another five years. In the will of Emperor Zhenzong it was stated:
Empress Dowager Liu now openly and officially assumed all power as regent of China during Renzong's minority, fully unrestricted. She enjoyed all the imperial prerogatives and honors: she held court (with the child emperor by her side or often just herself); she addressed herself as zhen (), a first-person pronoun reserved for the use of the emperor after the Qin dynasty; officials addressed her as Imperial Majesty (), an honorific used when addressing the emperor, not Imperial Highness (), an honorific used when addressing the empress or empress dowager; the edicts (æÂÂ; chi) she issued were referred to as zhe (å¶), meaning the personal orders of the emperor; she had her birthday celebrated with special names; she had envoys sent in her own name; and she even attended to the holy plowing ceremony and the imperial ancestral worship, all of which was normally only done by a ruling emperor. As regent she became the second woman in Chinese history to wear the imperial robe, after Wu Zetian. According to the tradition of the emperors, but not of empresses or empresses dowager, in order to build seven temples for her seven generations of ancestors and to worship them with imperial titles, Empress Dowager Liu promoted them to equals of the imperial ancestors. This act was similar to that of Empress Lü of Han and Empress Wu of Tang, both of whom were known for their absolutist and ruthless reigns.
As a politician, Empress Liu has been described as a competent regent. Reportedly, she had the ability to appoint able officials and discharge unable ones; to listen, accept and sometime adhere to criticism despite being of a fierce temperament. She was however, criticized for having usurped the imperial ceremonies and had herself worshiped as if she were an emperor, and because she appointed her relatives, who were of a poor background and considered vulgar, to high offices.
As the emperor was twelve years old at the time of his succession, and was legally due to be declared of legal majority at seventeen, she would normally had been expected to step down as regent after five years: however, she refused to do so, and continued to rule until her death. When she died, she left instructions that Consort Yang was to succeed her as the regent of the emperor, but the emperor refused to honor her will.
During her lifetime, Emperor Renzong had falsely believed that she was his biological mother, and did not find out otherwise until after her death, which caused him to react with rage. He demoted Liu's relatives and followers and posthumously elevated Lady Li to the rank of empress.
According to official history, Lady Liu's grandfather Liu Yanqing was a general during the Later Jin and Later Han dynasties. The family later moved from Taiyuan in the north to Jiaozhou in the southwest, where her father Liu Tong assumed office of prefectship, likely during the first years of the newly established Song dynasty which conquered the region in 965.