Empress Hulü
Encyclopedia
Empress Hulü was an empress of the Chinese
dynasty Northern Qi
. She was Gao Wei
's first empress, and she was a daughter of the general Hulü Guang
.
Her family was one of the most prominent military families in Northern Qi, as her grandfather Hulü Jin (斛律金) was one of the major generals serving the dynasty's ancestor Gao Huan
and then continued to serve in his old age the successive emperors Emperor Wenxuan
, Emperor Fei
, Emperor Xiaozhao
, and Gao Wei's father Emperor Wucheng
. Her father Hulü Guang was honored even more for his military talent than her grandfather, and her uncle Hulü Xian (斛律羨) and brother Hulü Wudu (斛律武都) also served as major generals.
She married Gao Wei while he was still crown prince
during Emperor Wucheng's reign -- before Emperor Wucheng passed the throne to him in 565
while he was just eight years old. (Her age at that time is not known, but she was probably around Gao Wei's age.) She carried the title of Crown Princess previously, and in 565 Emperor Wucheng, while passing the throne to Gao Wei, created her empress. She was not favored by Gao Wei, and she did not bear him a son, although she bore a daughter in spring 572
and Gao Wei, in order to please Hulü Guang, initially claimed that it was a son and declared a general pardon, but was subsequently forced to reveal that it was a daughter. (Gao Wei's concubine Consort Mu Sheli
bore him his oldest son Gao Heng
in 570
, and as Consort Mu's adoptive mother Lu Lingxuan
was planning to have Gao Heng made crown prince but feared that Empress Hulü would oppose, she gave Gao Heng to Empress Hulü to have her raise him.)
Later in 572, the official Zu Ting
falsely accused Hulü Guang of plotting rebellion, and Gao Wei executed Hulü Guang, along with his entire clan except his youngest son Hulü Zhong (斛律鍾). Empress Hulü was not killed, but she was deposed and housed in a subsidiary palace. When rival Northern Zhou
launched a major attack in 577
and threatened the capital Yecheng
in spring 578
, she, along with his other deposed empress Empress Hu
, was summoned to the main palace, probably for her protection. Yecheng fell a few days later, and Gao Wei was captured in flight. Northern Zhou took over Northern Qi's territory.
After Northern Qi's fall, the former Empress Hulü married the Northern Zhou official Yuan Ren (元仁). Nothing further was recorded about her in history, including the year of her death.
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...
dynasty Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
. She was Gao Wei
Gao Wei
Gao Wei , often known in history as Houzhu of Northern Qi , courtesy name Rengang , sometimes referred to by his later Northern Zhou-created title of Duke of Wen , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi...
's first empress, and she was a daughter of the general Hulü Guang
Hulü Guang
Hulü Guang , courtesy name Mingyue , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. During the late years of the dynasty -- the reigns of Emperor Wucheng and Gao Wei, traditionally viewed as a period of corruption and debauchery when Northern Qi's once-powerful status was deteriorating -- Hulü...
.
Her family was one of the most prominent military families in Northern Qi, as her grandfather Hulü Jin (斛律金) was one of the major generals serving the dynasty's ancestor Gao Huan
Gao Huan
Gao Huan , nickname Heliuhun , formally Prince Xianwu of Qi , later further formally honored by Northern Qi initially as Emperor Xianwu , then as Emperor Shenwu with the temple name Gaozu , was the paramount general of the...
and then continued to serve in his old age the successive emperors Emperor Wenxuan
Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi
Emperor Wenxuan of Qi , personal name Gao Yang , courtesy name Zijin , was the first emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. He was the second son of Eastern Wei's paramount general Gao Huan, and the death of his brother and Gao Huan's designated successor Gao Cheng in 549 became the regent...
, Emperor Fei
Emperor Fei of Northern Qi
Emperor Fei of Northern Qi , personal name Gao Fei , courtesy name Zhengdao , posthumously Prince Mindao of Ji'nan , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. He was the oldest son of the first emperor, Emperor Wenxuan , and he became emperor after Emperor Wenxuan's death in 559...
, Emperor Xiaozhao
Emperor Xiaozhao of Northern Qi
Emperor Xiaozhao of Northern Qi , personal name Gao Yan , courtesy name Yan'an , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. He was generally considered a capable ruler, but ruled only less than two years before dying from injuries suffered from falling off a horse...
, and Gao Wei's father Emperor Wucheng
Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi
Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi , personal name Gao Dan , nickname Buluoji , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. During his reign, he devoted much of his time to feasting and pleasure-seeking, neglecting the affairs of the state and causing Northern Qi's political system to degrade...
. Her father Hulü Guang was honored even more for his military talent than her grandfather, and her uncle Hulü Xian (斛律羨) and brother Hulü Wudu (斛律武都) also served as major generals.
She married Gao Wei while he was still 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....
during Emperor Wucheng's reign -- before Emperor Wucheng passed the throne to him in 565
565
Year 565 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 565 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* November 14 – Justin II...
while he was just eight years old. (Her age at that time is not known, but she was probably around Gao Wei's age.) She carried the title of Crown Princess previously, and in 565 Emperor Wucheng, while passing the throne to Gao Wei, created her empress. She was not favored by Gao Wei, and she did not bear him a son, although she bore a daughter in spring 572
572
Year 572 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 572 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* The Byzantine Empire begins a war...
and Gao Wei, in order to please Hulü Guang, initially claimed that it was a son and declared a general pardon, but was subsequently forced to reveal that it was a daughter. (Gao Wei's concubine Consort Mu Sheli
Empress Mu Sheli
Empress Mu Sheli , originally named Mu Yeli , nickname Huanghua , was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. She was Gao Wei's last empress.-Background:...
bore him his oldest son Gao Heng
Gao Heng
Gao Heng , often known in history as the Youzhu of Northern Qi , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. In 577, with Northern Qi under a major attack by rival Northern Zhou, Gao Heng's father Gao Wei, then emperor, wanted to try to deflect ill omens that portended a change in...
in 570
570
Year 570 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 570 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Spoleto becomes the capital of an...
, and as Consort Mu's adoptive mother Lu Lingxuan
Lu Lingxuan
Lu Lingxuan was a lady in waiting in the palace of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. As she served as the wet nurse to the emperor Gao Wei, she became exceedingly powerful during his reign, at times eclipsing in importance his mother Empress Dowager Hu, and was often criticized by historians for...
was planning to have Gao Heng made crown prince but feared that Empress Hulü would oppose, she gave Gao Heng to Empress Hulü to have her raise him.)
Later in 572, the official Zu Ting
Zu Ting
Zu Ting , courtesy name Xiaozheng , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi . He was renowned for his literary and administrative talents, but his ambitiousness eventually led to his falsely accusing the great general Hulü Guang of treason and Hulü's execution, greatly weakening the...
falsely accused Hulü Guang of plotting rebellion, and Gao Wei executed Hulü Guang, along with his entire clan except his youngest son Hulü Zhong (斛律鍾). Empress Hulü was not killed, but she was deposed and housed in a subsidiary palace. When rival Northern Zhou
Northern Zhou
The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was overthrown by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and...
launched a major attack in 577
577
Year 577 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 577 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Battle of Deorham: The Anglo-Saxons under...
and threatened the capital Yecheng
Ye, China
Ye or Yecheng was an ancient Chinese city located in what is now Linzhang County, Hebei and the neighbouring Anyang County, Henan....
in spring 578
578
Year 578 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 578 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* October 5 – Tiberius II...
, she, along with his other deposed empress Empress Hu
Empress Hu (Gao Wei)
Empress Hu was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. She was Gao Wei's second empress.She was the daughter of Hu Changren the Prince of Longdong, who was the brother of Gao Wei's mother Empress Dowager Hu -- making her and her husband cousins...
, was summoned to the main palace, probably for her protection. Yecheng fell a few days later, and Gao Wei was captured in flight. Northern Zhou took over Northern Qi's territory.
After Northern Qi's fall, the former Empress Hulü married the Northern Zhou official Yuan Ren (元仁). Nothing further was recorded about her in history, including the year of her death.