Empress Gao (Xuanwu)
Encyclopedia
Empress Gao Ying (died 518) was an empress of the Chinese
/Xianbei
dynasty Northern Wei
. She was the second empress of Emperor Xuanwu
.
She was the daughter of Gao Yan (高偃), a younger brother of Emperor Xuanwu's mother Consort Gao Zhaorong(posthumously honored as Empress WenZhao), making them cousins. It is not clear when she became his concubine, but it was likely after he already had his first empress, Empress Yu
, in 501. Once she became a consort, she was said to have gained his favor, and with her uncle Gao Zhao
being a powerful official, it was believed, when Empress Yu died in 507, and Empress Yu's son Yuan Chang (元昌) died in 508, that she and/or Gao Zhao was involved, although there is no conclusive evidence. She was created empress in 508 to replace Empress Yu. She was said to be extremely jealous, and few imperial consorts were able to have sexual relations with the emperor. She herself bore him a son who died early, and a daughter, later created the Princess Jiande. In 510, however, Emperor Xuanwu's concubine Consort Hu
bore him a son, Yuan Xu (元詡), and because Emperor Xuanwu had apparently lost sons before in addition to Yuan Chang and Empress Gao's son, he decided to raise his son by choosing wet nurse
s who had experience raising many of their own children, and refused to let either Empress Gao or Consort Hu near the child. In 512, Emperor Xuanwu created Yuan Xu crown prince
.
In 515, Emperor Xuanwu grew ill, and died just three days later. He was succeeded by Crown Prince Xu (as Emperor Xiaoming), who was then only five. In the aftermaths of Emperor Xuanwu's death, Empress Gao wanted to put Consort Hu to death, but Consort Hu was protected by the eunuch
s Liu Teng (劉騰) and Hou Gang (侯剛) and the officials Yu Zhong
and Cui Guang (崔光) and avoided being killed. The officials were largely opposed to having Gao Zhao, who was then prime minister but was commanding an army in attacking rival Liang Dynasty
's Yi Province (益州, modern Sichuan
and Chongqing
), be regent
, and forced Empress Gao to instead authorize Emperor Xuanwu's uncles Yuan Yong
the Prince of Gaoyang and Yuan Cheng (元澄) the Prince of Rencheng serve as regents. She was honored as empress dowager
. Once Gao Zhao arrived back at the capital, however, he was quickly arrested and killed by the imperial princes, and Empress Dowager Gao was stripped of her title and forced to Yaoguang Temple (瑤光寺) to be a Buddhist nun. She was not allowed into the palace except for major festivals. Subsequently, Emperor Xiaoming's mother Consort Hu was honored as empress dowager and assumed regency. (Empress Gao's daughter Princess Jiande escaped any ill treatment, however, as Empress Dowager Hu liked her greatly.)
In 518, there was an occasion where the former Empress Dowager Gao was visiting her mother, the Lady Wuyi. At that time, there were astronomical anomalies that court astrologers believed to correspond to ill fortune for the empress dowager. Empress Dowager Hu decided that she could deflect the ill fortune onto Empress Dowager Gao, and therefore had her murdered—but the method of the murder is lost to history. She was buried with ceremony due a Buddhist nun, although the high level officials attended the ceremony.
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...
/Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...
dynasty Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
. She was the second empress of Emperor Xuanwu
Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei
Tuoba Ke , later Yuan Ke was known as Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei during the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei....
.
She was the daughter of Gao Yan (高偃), a younger brother of Emperor Xuanwu's mother Consort Gao Zhaorong(posthumously honored as Empress WenZhao), making them cousins. It is not clear when she became his concubine, but it was likely after he already had his first empress, Empress Yu
Empress Yu (Xuanwu)
Empress Yu was an empress of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. She was Emperor Xuanwu's first empress.She was the daughter of Yu Jing , the younger brother of the powerful general Yu Lie...
, in 501. Once she became a consort, she was said to have gained his favor, and with her uncle Gao Zhao
Gao Zhao
Gao Zhao , courtesy name Shouwen , was a high level official of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was a maternal uncle of Emperor Xuanwu, and he became increasingly powerful during Emperor Xuanwu's reign, drawing anger from other high level officials not only for his powerplay Gao Zhao...
being a powerful official, it was believed, when Empress Yu died in 507, and Empress Yu's son Yuan Chang (元昌) died in 508, that she and/or Gao Zhao was involved, although there is no conclusive evidence. She was created empress in 508 to replace Empress Yu. She was said to be extremely jealous, and few imperial consorts were able to have sexual relations with the emperor. She herself bore him a son who died early, and a daughter, later created the Princess Jiande. In 510, however, Emperor Xuanwu's concubine Consort Hu
Empress Dowager Hu (Xiaoming)
Empress Dowager Hu , formally Empress Ling , was an empress dowager of the Chinese dynasty Northern Wei. She was a concubine of Emperor Xuanwu, and she became regent and empress dowager after her son Emperor Xiaoming became emperor after Emperor Xuanwu's death in 515...
bore him a son, Yuan Xu (元詡), and because Emperor Xuanwu had apparently lost sons before in addition to Yuan Chang and Empress Gao's son, he decided to raise his son by choosing 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...
s who had experience raising many of their own children, and refused to let either Empress Gao or Consort Hu near the child. In 512, Emperor Xuanwu created Yuan Xu 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 515, Emperor Xuanwu grew ill, and died just three days later. He was succeeded by Crown Prince Xu (as Emperor Xiaoming), who was then only five. In the aftermaths of Emperor Xuanwu's death, Empress Gao wanted to put Consort Hu to death, but Consort Hu was protected by the eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
s Liu Teng (劉騰) and Hou Gang (侯剛) and the officials Yu Zhong
Yu Zhong
Yu Zhong , né Wuniuyu Qiannian , courtesy name Sixian , formally Duke Wujing of Lingshou , was an official of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei who briefly served as regent during the reign of Emperor Xiaoming.-Background and early career:Wuniuyu Qiannian was born from a line of Northern...
and Cui Guang (崔光) and avoided being killed. The officials were largely opposed to having Gao Zhao, who was then prime minister but was commanding an army in attacking rival Liang Dynasty
Liang Dynasty
The Liang Dynasty , also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty , was the third of the Southern dynasties in China and was followed by the Chen Dynasty...
's Yi Province (益州, modern Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
and Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
), be regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
, and forced Empress Gao to instead authorize Emperor Xuanwu's uncles Yuan Yong
Yuan Yong
Yuan Yong , né Tuoba Yong , courtesy name Simu , formally Prince Wenmu of Gaoyang , was an imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was very powerful during the reign of his grandnephew Emperor Xiaoming, and by corrupt means grew very rich...
the Prince of Gaoyang and Yuan Cheng (元澄) the Prince of Rencheng serve as regents. She was honored as empress dowager
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
. Once Gao Zhao arrived back at the capital, however, he was quickly arrested and killed by the imperial princes, and Empress Dowager Gao was stripped of her title and forced to Yaoguang Temple (瑤光寺) to be a Buddhist nun. She was not allowed into the palace except for major festivals. Subsequently, Emperor Xiaoming's mother Consort Hu was honored as empress dowager and assumed regency. (Empress Gao's daughter Princess Jiande escaped any ill treatment, however, as Empress Dowager Hu liked her greatly.)
In 518, there was an occasion where the former Empress Dowager Gao was visiting her mother, the Lady Wuyi. At that time, there were astronomical anomalies that court astrologers believed to correspond to ill fortune for the empress dowager. Empress Dowager Hu decided that she could deflect the ill fortune onto Empress Dowager Gao, and therefore had her murdered—but the method of the murder is lost to history. She was buried with ceremony due a Buddhist nun, although the high level officials attended the ceremony.