Empress Du Zhu
Encyclopedia
Empress Du Zhu was an empress of the Chinese
/Jie
state Later Zhao
. She was Shi Hu
(Emperor Wu)'s second empress.
Du Zhu was initially a family prostitute from a general of Jin, Wang Jun (王浚). After captured by the army of Later Zhao
she was given by Shi Le
(石勒) to Shi Hu as a concubine under Shi Hu's pleading, with the title Cairen (才人). When Shi Hu became "Heavenly Prince" (天王) she was given the title Zhaoyi (昭儀). Du Zhu was said to have a soft nature and mood. She bore Shi Hu at least two sons -- Shi Xuan (石宣) and Shi Tao (石韜). Shi Xuan carried the title of Duke of Hejian, and Shi Tao the Duke of Qin.
In 337
, after Shi Hu's first crown prince
Shi Sui (石邃) was executed for having plotted his father's assassination, Shi Xuan, as the next son in age, was created crown prince. Shi Sui's mother Empress Zheng Yingtao
was deposed, and Consort Du was created empress to replace her.
Nothing further was mentioned about Empress Du herself in historical records. In 348
, after Shi Xuan killed Shi Tao after a dispute between the brothers, Shi Hu had him executed cruelly, ordered all his family killed and then deposed Empress Du, although he did not kill her. There was no further record of her in history, and it is not known when she died.
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 second empress.
Du Zhu was initially a family prostitute from a general of Jin, Wang Jun (王浚). After captured by the army of 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 given by 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...
(石勒) to Shi Hu as a concubine under Shi Hu's pleading, with the title Cairen (才人). When Shi Hu became "Heavenly Prince" (天王) she was given the title Zhaoyi (昭儀). Du Zhu was said to have a soft nature and mood. She bore Shi Hu at least two sons -- Shi Xuan (石宣) and Shi Tao (石韜). Shi Xuan carried the title of Duke of Hejian, and Shi Tao the Duke of Qin.
In 337
337
Year 337 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Felicianus and Titianus...
, after Shi Hu's first 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....
Shi Sui (石邃) was executed for having plotted his father's assassination, Shi Xuan, as the next son in age, was created crown prince. Shi Sui's mother Empress Zheng Yingtao
Empress Zheng Yingtao
Empress Zheng Yingtao was an empress of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. She was Shi Hu 's first empress, but not his first wife....
was deposed, and Consort Du was created empress to replace her.
Nothing further was mentioned about Empress Du herself in historical records. In 348
348
Year 348 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Philippus and Salia...
, after Shi Xuan killed Shi Tao after a dispute between the brothers, Shi Hu had him executed cruelly, ordered all his family killed and then deposed Empress Du, although he did not kill her. There was no further record of her in history, and it is not known when she died.