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Revision as of 01:22, 26 July 2005 by Nlu (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Empress Dowager Lü (呂太后, pinyin: Lü Taihou) or Empress Gao (高皇后, pinyin: Gao Huanghou) (d.180 BC) was the principal imperial consort of the Emperor Gao of the Han Empire. Their children included eventual Emperor Hui and Princess Luyuan (魯元公主).
She is most remembered for being a power-hungry woman. According to legend, she conspired against Han Xin, the Prince of Chu, and Peng Yue, the Prince of Liang; both were prominent generals and major contributors to the founding of the Han dynasty and were awarded principalities for their achievements. Allegedly at Empress Lü's suggestion, Emperor Gao removed Han from his principality of Chu, and she executed Han in Emperor Gao's absence after accusing him of treason. Similarly, allegedly at her suggestion, he had Peng arrested, charged with treason, and executed. Both Han and Peng's clans were also executed, and the practice of creating non-imperial family officials to be princes was abolished. During Emperor Gao's reign, several family members of the consort clan of Lü served in the Han's militia.
After Emperor Gao died in 195 BC, Empress Lü received the title of Empress Dowager and became immensely powerful. She murdered Concubine Qi's son Liu Ruyi, the Prince of Zhao, and she then tortured Concubine Qi by cutting off her limbs and blinding and deafening her, leading to her death. Her inhumane treatment of Concubine Qi depressed the gentle but weak Emperor Hui. She also starved to death another son of her husband's -- Liu You, the Prince of Zhao -- whom she felt had slighted his wife, the Princess of Zhao, who was a niece of hers. Emperor Hui's infant sons, Shaodi Gong and Shaodi Hong, were installed as her puppets on the throne after Emperor Hui's death in 188 BC. Thus, real power rested in her hands for sixteen years.
During her regency, members of the Lü clan gradually took over important posts in the government; however, upon her death, officials that previously served under Emperor Gao, including Chen Ping, Zhou Bo and Guan Ying, eliminated the Lü clan and placed Emperor Wen on the throne.
Personal information
| Family name | Lü (呂 Lü3) in Chinese |
| Given name | Zhi (雉 zhì) in Chinese |
| Father | Lü Wen (呂文) of Danfu (單夫) |
| Mother | |
| Husband | Emperor Gao of Han |
| Children | Emperor Hui of Han and Princess Luyuan |
| Duration of regency | 188 BC-180 BC |