The Complete Story of the Chinese Empress

Author: Che Jixin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-01-01
Features: ★16-inch hardcover, published by Shandong Education Press ★Edited by the renowned journalist and member of the China Writers Association, Che Jixin, who won the China Excellence Book Award ★The "Biographies of Chinese Empresses" spans 1005 pages and weighs 1.5 kilograms, featuring 339 empresses from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty ★Detailed and comprehensive, incorporating not only official historical records but also extensive collections of essays, notes, and folk histories ★Rich content with objective evaluations, vivid and fluent language, easy to understand, and full of engaging narratives
Note: This is the 1997 edition, with minor flaws in condition. Readers with sensitivities to imperfections should proceed with caution. This book is a companion to "Biographies of Chinese Emperors," maintaining a consistent format and style. Emperors and empresses are arranged chronologically according to their reigns. If an emperor had two or more empresses, they are ordered by the time of their imperial investiture. This ensures a seamless vertical progression and no horizontal omissions, making the book a systematic history of the Chinese feudal imperial court.
The book is meticulously researched, drawing from official histories as well as numerous essays, notes, and folk tales. However, the author adopts a cautious approach, discarding unverified claims. For instance, while some legends suggest Yang Guifei survived the Battle of Mawei and fled to Japan, lacking concrete evidence, the author excludes such tales. Conversely, the marriage of Empress Zhuang of the Qing Dynasty to Prince Dorgon, despite being a sibling union, is included after historical verification. This reflects a commitment to historical truth and accuracy.
The book offers a wealth of content, going beyond individual empresses' biographies to explore their relationships with emperors, imperial families, and major historical events such as politics, economy, military, diplomacy, and culture. It broadens readers' perspectives and provides profound insights into history. The author evaluates historical figures objectively from a materialist perspective, acknowledging both their achievements and their ruthless behaviors. For example, Empresses Lü and Wu are praised for their contributions while also being criticized for their cruelty, offering a balanced understanding of their legacies.
The book also prioritizes literary quality and readability, with engaging and accessible language, rich narratives, and vivid portrayals of empresses in various roles. It brings to life the political dynamics of China's two millennia of feudal monarchy, as well as lesser-known court intrigues and anecdotes from the imperial harem. With this book in hand, readers gain a comprehensive view of the era, leaving them eager for more.
"Biographies of Chinese Empresses" is a hardcover 16-inch volume edited by Che Jixin, documenting 339 empresses from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty (including some famous concubines and empress dowagers). It is nearly exhaustive in covering all empresses recorded in official histories. A few empresses with only surnames and no records are listed in an appendix. Additionally, empresses without official titles but with significant historical influence, such as Yang Guifei of the Tang Dynasty and Zhen of the Qing Dynasty, are included in supplementary biographies for reference.
Empresses were a unique group of women in ancient China, sharing common destinies with ordinary women yet holding distinct positions as the consorts of feudal emperors. Their elevated status gave them unparalleled influence in history, as noted in the "Records of the Grand Historian": "Since ancient times, emperors and their successors have relied not only on inner virtue but also on the support of their maternal relatives. The rise of the Xia Dynasty was linked to Tu Mountain, while the fall of Jie was tied to Mo Xi. The Shang Dynasty rose with Youning, and its downfall was caused by Jie Ji. The Zhou Dynasty flourished with Jiang Yuan and Da Ren, while the fall of King You was due to Bao Si."
Throughout Chinese history, empresses have often been pivotal to the rise and fall of dynasties. From the establishment of the empress system by Qin Shi Huang, empresses like Empress Lü of the Han Dynasty, Empress Sui of the Han Dynasty, Empress Wang of the Han Dynasty, Empress Zhao of the Han Dynasty, Empress Jia of the Jin Dynasty, Empress Feng of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Empress Dugu of the Sui Dynasty, Empress Changsun of the Tang Dynasty, Empress Wu of the Tang Dynasty, Empress Wei of the Tang Dynasty, Empress Gao of the Song Dynasty, Empress Xie of the Song Dynasty, Empress Xiao of the Liao Dynasty, Empress Jabi of the Yuan Dynasty, Empress Ma of the Ming Dynasty, Empress Zhuang of the Qing Dynasty, and Empress Cixi of the Qing Dynasty all played significant roles—whether aiding in founding empires, governing states, reforming, causing chaos, or bringing ruin.
While individual influence should not be exaggerated, their historical impact cannot be ignored. From the perspective of feudal politics, "Biographies of Chinese Empresses" offers valuable insights into the cyclical rise and fall of dynasties and the unique patterns of feudalism in China. It also serves as a reference for studying the history of Chinese women and Chinese political history.
Although the empress system has long faded with feudal monarchy, its legacy of kinship politics persisted for two millennia in Chinese history. Regardless of its impact, this phenomenon warrants deep reflection. This book is a true "Biographies of Chinese Empresses," covering 339 empresses from the Han to the Qing Dynasty (including some famous concubines and empress dowagers), leaving little unexplored in official records. A few empresses with only surnames are listed in an appendix, while empresses without official titles but with historical significance, such as Yang Guifei and Zhen, are included in supplementary biographies for further reference.