外戚世家

From ancient times, emperors who received Heaven's mandate and rulers who inherited and maintained the work of their ancestors succeeded not solely through their own inner virtue — they also had the assistance of their consort families. The Xia dynasty rose through the lady of Tushan, but Jie was banished because of Mo Xi. The Yin dynasty rose through the lady of Yousong, but Zhou was slain because of his infatuation with Da Ji. The Zhou dynasty rose through Jiang Yuan and Tai Ren, but King You was captured because of his indulgence with Bao Si. This is why the Changes takes its foundation from Qian and Kun, the Odes begins with 'Guanju,' the Documents praises the bestowal of brides, and the Spring and Autumn censures those who fail to personally welcome their brides. The bond between husband and wife is the greatest of human relations. In the practice of ritual, nowhere is more careful vigilance required than in marriage. When music is in harmony, the four seasons are in accord — the transformations of yin and yang are the governing principle of all things. Can one not be cautious? A man can broaden the Way, but he cannot contend with fate. How profound it is — the love of a consort! A lord cannot command it from his minister; a father cannot command it from his son — how much less can those of lower station? Having once joined in love, some cannot produce heirs; having produced heirs, some cannot see it through to the end. Is this not fate? Confucius rarely spoke of fate, for it was difficult to discuss. Without comprehending the transformations of the hidden and the manifest, how can one understand the nature of destiny?

The Grand Historian says: Before the Qin dynasty, the record is too sparse to detail. When the Han rose, Lü Eju became the legitimate empress of the High Ancestor, and her son became heir apparent. In his later years, as her beauty faded and his affection waned, Lady Qi came into favor, and her son Ruyi nearly replaced the heir apparent on several occasions. When the High Ancestor died, Empress Lü destroyed the Qi family, executed the King of Zhao, and among the High Ancestor's palace women, only those who had been neglected and kept at a distance escaped unharmed.

Empress Lü's eldest daughter married Zhang Ao, Marquis of Xuanping. Ao's daughter became Empress to Emperor Xiaohui. Because of this double kinship, Empress Dowager Lü tried by every means to make the empress produce a son, but she never did — so a child of a palace woman was fraudulently taken as her own. When Emperor Xiaohui died, the empire had only recently been pacified and the succession was unclear. The empress dowager then elevated her maternal clan, making the Lü kinsmen kings as props, and married Lü Lu's daughter to the Young Emperor, trying to bind the foundations ever more tightly — but it availed nothing.

When Empress Dowager Gao died and was interred with the High Ancestor at Changling, Lü Lu, Lü Chan, and the others feared execution and plotted rebellion. The great ministers mobilized against them. Heaven guided the succession, and the Lü clan was annihilated at last. Only the Empress of Emperor Xiaohui was spared, and she was installed in the Northern Palace. They welcomed and enthroned the King of Dai — this was Emperor Xiaowen — to carry on the ancestral temples of the Han. Was this not the work of Heaven? If not Heaven's mandate, who could have brought it about?

Empress Dowager Bo: her father was a man of Wu, surnamed Bo. During the Qin period, he had an affair with a woman of the former Wei royal house's cadet line, Dame Wei, and they produced Bo Ji. The Bo father died at Shanyin and was buried there.

When the feudal lords revolted against Qin, Wei Bao was established as King of Wei, and Dame Wei placed her daughter in the Wei palace. Dame Wei had previously had the physiognomist Xu Fu read Bo Ji's face, and Xu Fu declared that she would bear a Son of Heaven. At that time Xiang Yu and the King of Han were locked in their standoff at Xingyang, and nothing in All-Under-Heaven was yet settled. Wei Bao had initially joined Han in fighting Chu, but upon hearing Xu Fu's prophecy he was secretly delighted, broke with Han, declared neutrality, and allied with Chu instead. Han sent Cao Can and others to attack and capture King Bao of Wei, made his territory into a commandery, and consigned Bo Ji to the weaving workshops. After Bao was executed, the King of Han entered the workshops, saw that Bo Ji was beautiful, and ordered her taken into the rear palace — but for over a year she received no favor.

When Bo Ji was young, she had been close friends with Lady Guan and Zhao Zi'er, and they had made a pact: "Whichever of us rises first, let her not forget the others." In time, Lady Guan and Zhao Zi'er were both favored by the King of Han before Bo Ji. One day the King of Han was sitting on the Chenggao Terrace of the Henan Palace when the two beauties laughed together about the old pact with Bo Ji. The King of Han overheard, asked what it was about, and the two women told him everything. The King of Han felt a pang of compassion and pitied Bo Ji. That same day he summoned and favored her. Bo Ji said: "Last night I dreamed a blue dragon coiled upon my belly." The High Ancestor said: "This is a sign of nobility. I shall make it come true for you." From that single night she conceived a son — this was the future King of Dai. After that, Bo Ji rarely saw the High Ancestor.

When the High Ancestor died, Empress Dowager Lü was enraged at all the favored consorts such as Lady Qi, imprisoned them all, and would not let them leave the palace. But Bo Ji, precisely because she had been so rarely favored, was allowed to leave. She followed her son to Dai and became the Queen Dowager of Dai. Her younger brother Bo Zhao accompanied her.

After the King of Dai had reigned for seventeen years, Empress Dowager Gao died. The great ministers debated the succession and, detesting the power of the Lü maternal clan, all praised the Bo family as humane and virtuous. They therefore welcomed the King of Dai and installed him as Emperor Xiaowen. The queen dowager's title was changed to Empress Dowager, and her brother Bo Zhao was enfeoffed as Marquis of Zhi.

Empress Dowager Dou was from Guanjin in Qinghe, in Zhao. During Empress Dowager Lü's time, the Dou girl entered the palace as a well-born attendant to the empress dowager. When the empress dowager distributed palace women as gifts to the various kings — five to each — the Dou girl was among those to be sent. Her family was in Qinghe, and she wished to go to Zhao to be near home. She begged the eunuch official in charge: "You must place my name in the Zhao group." The eunuch forgot, and mistakenly placed her name in the Dai group. The roster was submitted, the decree approved it, and she was to go. The Dou girl wept and raged at the eunuch, unwilling to depart. She was compelled, and only then did she consent to go.

Upon reaching Dai, the King of Dai favored the Dou girl alone. She bore a daughter, Piao, and later two sons. The King of Dai's principal queen had borne four sons. Before the King of Dai was summoned to become emperor, his queen died. Once the King of Dai was enthroned as emperor, the queen's four sons all fell ill and died one after another. After Emperor Xiaowen had been on the throne several months, the ministers petitioned him to name an heir. The Dou girl's eldest son was the most senior, and he was made heir apparent. The Dou girl was made empress, and her daughter Piao became the Elder Princess. The following year, her younger son Wu was made King of Dai, and later transferred to Liang — this was King Xiao of Liang.

Empress Dou's parents had died early and were buried at Guanjin. Empress Dowager Bo thereupon issued an edict to the relevant officials, posthumously honoring Empress Dou's father as Marquis of Ancheng and her mother as Lady of Ancheng, with two hundred households established at Qinghe to maintain their park and tomb.

Empress Dou's elder brother was Dou Changjun. Her younger brother was Dou Guangguo, styled Shaojun. When Shaojun was four or five years old, his family was poor. He was kidnapped and sold, and his family did not know his whereabouts. He was passed through more than ten households until he reached Yiyang, where his master sent him into the mountains to make charcoal. One evening, over a hundred men lay sleeping beneath a cliff. The cliff collapsed, crushing and killing all who slept there — Shaojun alone escaped alive. He divined that within a few days he would become a marquis. He traveled from his home to Chang'an, where he heard that Empress Dou had recently been installed, that her family was from Guanjin, and that her surname was Dou. Although Guangguo had been very young when taken, he remembered his county name and surname. He also recalled that he had once been gathering mulberry leaves with his elder sister when he fell from the tree — this he used as proof. He submitted a memorial declaring his identity. Empress Dou told Emperor Wen, who summoned the man. Questioned, he recounted everything fully, and it proved correct. Asked for further proof, he replied: "When my sister left me going west, she parted from me at a relay station. She begged water to wash me and asked for food to feed me, and then departed." At this, Empress Dou seized him and wept, tears streaming down her face. All the attendants prostrated themselves and wept, sharing the empress's grief. She bestowed upon him abundant fields, residences, and money, enfeoffed her brothers, and had them settled in Chang'an.

The Marquis of Jiang and General Guan said: "Our lives now hang upon these two men. They come from humble origins — we must choose proper tutors and advisors for them, lest they repeat the great disaster of the Lü clan." They therefore selected senior gentlemen of upright conduct to serve as their companions. Dou Changjun and Shaojun became modest and deferential gentlemen who never presumed upon their noble status.

Empress Dou fell ill and lost her sight. Emperor Wen favored Lady Shen of Handan and Lady Yin, but neither bore children. When Emperor Xiaowen died and Emperor Xiaojing succeeded, Guangguo was enfeoffed as Marquis of Zhangwu. Changjun had already died; his son Pengzu was enfeoffed as Marquis of Nanpi. During the rebellion of Wu and Chu, Dou Ying, a cousin of Empress Dowager Dou — a man who delighted in acting as a knight-errant — was given command of troops and for his military merit was made Marquis of Weiqi. In total, three members of the Dou family were made marquises.

Empress Dowager Dou loved the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi. The emperor, the heir apparent, and all the Dou kinsmen were required to study the Yellow Emperor and Laozi and to honor their techniques.

Empress Dowager Dou outlived Emperor Xiaojing by six years and died. She was interred with Emperor Xiaowen at Baling. Her testament bequeathed all the gold, money, and property of the Eastern Palace to the Elder Princess Piao.

Empress Dowager Wang was from Huaili. Her mother was Zang Er. Zang Er was the granddaughter of Zang Tu, the former King of Yan. Zang Er married Wang Zhong of Huaili and bore a son named Xin and two daughters. When Zhong died, Zang Er remarried into the Tian family of Changling and bore two more sons, Fen and Sheng. Zang Er's elder daughter was married to Jin Wangsun and had already borne one daughter. But then Zang Er had a divination performed, which said that both her daughters would become noble. Determined to make something extraordinary of them, she took her daughter back from the Jin family. The Jin family was furious and refused a clean break, but the daughter was placed in the palace of the heir apparent. The heir apparent favored and loved her, and she bore three daughters and one son. While she was carrying the boy, Lady Wang dreamed the sun entered her bosom. She told the heir apparent, and he said: "This is a sign of nobility." Before the child was born, Emperor Xiaowen died and Emperor Xiaojing succeeded. Lady Wang then gave birth to the boy.

Prior to this, Zang Er had also placed her younger daughter, Er Xu, in the palace. Er Xu bore four sons.

When Emperor Jing had been heir apparent, Empress Dowager Bo had selected a girl from the Bo family as his consort. Upon Emperor Jing's accession, this consort was made Empress Bo. The empress bore no children and received no favor. When Empress Dowager Bo died, Empress Bo was deposed.

Emperor Jing's eldest son was Rong, whose mother was Lady Li — a woman from Qi. Rong was made heir apparent. The Elder Princess Piao had a daughter she wished to marry to the heir apparent. But Lady Li was jealous. All of Emperor Jing's beautiful consorts had gained access to the emperor and won favor through the Elder Princess, and all of them outranked Lady Li. Lady Li grew daily more resentful, rebuffed the Elder Princess, and refused the match. The Elder Princess then proposed her daughter to Lady Wang instead, and Lady Wang agreed. The Elder Princess was furious at Lady Li and daily slandered her to Emperor Jing, saying: "When Lady Li meets with the other favored consorts, she always has her attendants spit curses at their backs. She practices black magic and seduction arts." Emperor Jing came to regard her with suspicion.

Once, when Emperor Jing was unwell and in low spirits, he entrusted his various sons who had been made kings to Lady Li's care, saying: "After I am gone, look after them well." Lady Li was angry and refused to respond, speaking discourteously. The emperor was incensed but kept his resentment hidden.

The Elder Princess daily praised the beauty of Lady Wang's son; the emperor too recognized his merit, and there was the omen of the dream of the sun. But no decision had been made. Lady Wang knew the emperor resented Lady Li, and while his anger was still fresh, she secretly urged a senior minister to propose Lady Li as empress. The Grand Usher, having completed his report, said: "'The son is honored through his mother, and the mother through her son.' The heir apparent's mother currently holds no title — she should be established as empress." Emperor Jing erupted: "Is this a matter for you to speak of?" He had the Grand Usher investigated and executed, deposed the heir apparent to the rank of King of Linjiang, and Lady Li, consumed by fury and denied all access, died of grief. Finally Lady Wang was made empress, her son was made heir apparent, and her brother Xin was enfeoffed as Marquis of Gai.

When Emperor Jing died, the heir apparent assumed the imperial title. He honored his grandmother Zang Er as Princess of Pingyuan, enfeoffed Tian Fen as Marquis of Wu'an, and Tian Sheng as Marquis of Zhouyang.

Empress Wei, styled Zifu, was born into obscurity. Her household bore the Wei surname and originated from the estate of the Marquis of Pingyang. Zifu served as a singing girl in the household of the Princess of Pingyang. Emperor Wu had been on the throne for several years without producing an heir. The Princess of Pingyang selected more than ten well-born young women, adorned them, and placed them in her household. Emperor Wu performed the purification ceremony at Bashang and on his return called on the Princess of Pingyang. The princess presented her attendant beauties. The emperor was not pleased. Then, over wine, the singing girls were brought forward, and the emperor's gaze fell upon Wei Zifu alone — she alone delighted him. That day, the emperor rose to change his clothes, and Zifu attended him in the robing pavilion, where she was favored. The emperor returned to his seat greatly pleased and bestowed a thousand catties of gold upon the Princess of Pingyang. The princess then memorialized to send Zifu into the palace. As Zifu mounted the carriage, the Princess of Pingyang patted her back and said: "Go now, eat well, take care! If you rise to greatness, do not forget me."

Once in the palace, more than a year passed without her receiving favor again. Emperor Wu was selecting palace women no longer of use to be discharged and sent home. Wei Zifu gained an audience, wept, and begged to be released. The emperor pitied her, favored her again, and she conceived. Her honor and favor grew by the day. Her elder brother Wei Changjun and younger brother Wei Qing were summoned to serve as Attendants-in-Ordinary. Zifu went on to enjoy great favor, bearing in all three daughters and one son. The son was named Ju.

Originally, when the emperor was heir apparent, he had married the daughter of the Elder Princess as his consort. Upon becoming emperor, the consort was made Empress Chen, but she bore no children. The emperor owed his succession in part to the Elder Princess's efforts, and Empress Chen was therefore arrogant in her position. Hearing that Wei Zifu was in great favor, she was so consumed by rage that she nearly died several times. The emperor was increasingly angered. Empress Chen was caught practicing women's black arts and seduction magic, and the matter came largely to light. Empress Chen was thereupon deposed, and Wei Zifu was made empress.

After Wei Zifu was established as empress — by which time her elder brother Wei Changjun had already died — Wei Qing was made a general, won merit fighting the Xiongnu, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Changping. Qing's three sons, still in their swaddling clothes, were all enfeoffed as full marquises. The woman called Wei Shao'er, referred to as Empress Wei's sister, bore a son named Huo Qubing, who was enfeoffed as Marquis of Guanjun for his military merit and given the title General of Swift Cavalry. Wei Qing held the title Grand General. Empress Wei's son Ju was made heir apparent. The Wei clan's branches and connections rose through military merit; five members became marquises.

When Empress Wei's beauty faded, Lady Wang of Zhao came into favor and bore a son who became King of Qi.

Lady Wang died young. Then Lady Li of Zhongshan came into favor and bore one son who became King of Changyi.

Lady Li also died young. Her brother Li Yannian was favored for his musical talents and held the title Director of Music. The Director of Music had originally been an entertainer. The Li brothers were all convicted of sexual offenses and their clan was destroyed. At the time, their eldest brother Li Guangli was serving as the Ershi General on the campaign against Dayuan and thus escaped execution. When he returned, the emperor had already annihilated the Li family, but later he pitied the household and enfeoffed Li Guangli as Marquis of Haixi.

Two other sons by lesser consorts became King of Yan and King of Guangling. Their mothers had no favor and died of grief.

After Lady Li's death, Consort Yin and others came into favor in turn. But all of them had been known as entertainers, not daughters of landed lords — and therefore were not fit matches for the sovereign.

Lady Gouyi was surnamed Zhao, from Hejian. She received the favor of Emperor Wu and bore one son — this was Emperor Zhao. Emperor Wu was seventy years old when Emperor Zhao was born. Emperor Zhao was only five years old when he was enthroned.

After the Wei heir apparent was deposed, no new heir had been installed. The King of Yan, Dan, submitted a memorial requesting permission to return to the capital and enter the palace guard. Emperor Wu was furious and had his messenger beheaded on the spot at the Northern Gate.

The emperor, residing in the Ganquan Palace, summoned a court painter and had him depict the scene of the Duke of Zhou carrying the young King Cheng on his back. At this, the ministers and attendants understood that the emperor intended to install his youngest son. Several days later, the emperor reprimanded Lady Gouyi. She removed her hairpins and earrings and kowtowed. The emperor said: "Take her away! Send her to the prison of the Inner Court!" As she was led out, Lady Gouyi looked back. The emperor said: "Move! You will not survive!" Lady Gouyi died at the Yunyang Palace. At the time, a violent wind arose and dust filled the air. The common people were moved to grief. A messenger brought a coffin by night, buried her, and marked the site.

Afterward, the emperor was sitting at leisure and asked his attendants: "What are people saying?" They replied: "People say: if you intend to install her son, why kill his mother?" The emperor said: "Indeed. This is not something you children and fools can understand. Throughout history, the reason states have fallen into chaos is that the ruler was young and his mother in the prime of life. A female sovereign, dwelling alone, becomes arrogant and willful, indulging in licentiousness with none to restrain her. Have you not heard of Empress Lü?" For this reason, all women who bore sons for Emperor Wu — regardless of sex — every one of their mothers was censured and put to death. Can one not call this the act of a sage and worthy? To see clearly into the distance and plan for posterity is surely beyond the comprehension of shallow scholars and foolish pedants. His posthumous name was 'The Martial' (Wu) — was that bestowed in vain?