The following is a list of empresses and queens consort of China. China has periodically been divided into kingdoms as well as united under empires, resulting in consorts titled both queen and empress. The empress title could also be given posthumously.

Empresses and queens consort

The title of empress consort (皇后, húanghòu) could also be given posthumously. The posthumous empresses are listed separately by the year they were given the title.

Zhou dynasty

Western Han dynasty

Xin dynasty

Eastern Han dynasty

• AD 26–41: Guo Shengtong
• 41–57: Empress Yin Lihua
• 60–75: Empress Ma
• 78–88: Empress Dou
• 96–102: Empress Yin
• 102–106: Empress Deng Sui
• 108–125: Empress Yan Ji
• 132–144: Empress Liang Na
• 147–159: Empress Liang Nüying
• 159–165: Empress Deng Mengnü
• 165–168: Empress Dou Miao
• 171–178: Empress Song
• 180–189: Empress He
• 195–214: Empress Fu Shou
• 215–220: Empress Cao Jie

Three Kingdoms period

Cao Wei

• 222–226: Empress Guo Nüwang
• 227–237: Empress Mao
• 238–239: Empress Guo
• 243–251: Empress Zhen
• 252–254: Empress Zhang
• 254: Empress Wang
• 255–260: Empress Bian
• 263–265: Empress Bian

Shu Han

• 221–223: Empress Wu
• 223–237: Empress Zhang
• 238–263: Empress Zhang

Eastern Wu

• 251–252: Empress Pan
• 252–258: Empress Quan Huijie
• 262–264: Empress Zhu
• 264–280: Empress Teng Fanglan

Jin dynasty

• 265–274: Empress Yang Yan
• 276–290: Empress Yang Zhi
• 290–300: Empress Jia Nanfeng
• 300–301, 301–304, 304, 304–305, 305, 306–307: Yang Xianrong
• 307–311: Empress Liang Lanbi
• 323–326: Empress Yu Wenjun
• 336–341: Empress Du
• 342–344: Empress Chu Suanzi
• 357–361: Empress He Fani
• 361–365: Empress Wang Muzhi
• 365–366: Empress Yu Daolian
• 375–380: Empress Wang Fahui
• 396–403, 404–412: Empress Wang Shen'ai
• 419–420: Chu Lingyuan

Huan Chu dynasty

• 403–404: Empress Liu

Sixteen Kingdoms period

Cheng Han

• 315–334: Empress Ren
• 334–338?: Empress Yan
• 338–343: Empress Yan
• 343–347: Empress Li

Han-Zhao

• 304–?: Empress Huyan
• 310: Empress Dan
• 310–312: Empress Huyan
• 313: Empress Zhang
• 313–314: Empress Liu E
• 315–318: Empress Jin Yueguang
• 315–318: Left Empress Liu
• 315–318: Empress Jin Yuehua
• 316–318: Upper Empress Fan
• 318: Left Empress Wang
• 318: Middle Empress Xuan
• 318: Empress Jin
• 319–322: Empress Yang
• 325–326: Empress Liu
• 326–329: Empress Liu

Later Zhao

• 330–333: Empress Liu
• 337: Zheng Yingtao
• 337–348: Du Zhu
• 348–349: Empress Liu
• 349: Empress Zhang

Ran Wei

• 350–352: Empress Dong

Former Liang

• 324?-346: Princess Yan
• 346?-354: Princess Pei
• 354–355: Empress Xin

Later Liang

• 389–400: Princess Shi
• 400–401: Empress Yang
• 401–403: Empress Yang

Western Liang

• Princess Yin

Northern Liang

• 401–433: Princess Meng
• 433?-437: Princess Li Jingshou
• 437–439: Princess Tuoba

Southern Liang

• 408–414: Queen Zhejue

Former Qin

• 351–355: Empress Qiang
• 355: Empress Liang
• 357–385: Empress Gou
• 385–386: Empress Yang
• 387–389: Empress Mao
• 392–393: Empress Li

Later Qin

• 386–394: Empress She
• 402–?: Empress Zhang
• 412–?: Empress Qi
• 416–417: Yao Hong's empress

Western Qin

• 388–394, 394–400, 409–412: Queen Bian
• 394: Queen Fu
• 414–423: Queen Tufa
• 429–431: Queen Liang

Former Yan

• 337–348: Princess Duan
• 348?–360: Empress Kezuhun
• 369–370: Empress Kezuhun

Later Yan

• 388–396: Duan Yuanfei
• 396–398: Empress Duan
• 404–407: Fu Xunying
• 407–409: Empress Li

Northern Yan

• 409–?: Princess Sun
• 430–?: Princess Murong

Southern Yan

• 398–405: Duan Jifei
• 408–410: Empress Huyan

Xia

• 407–425: Empress Kezuhun
• 425–427: Helian Chang's empress

Northern and Southern dynasties

Liu Song

• 422–424: Empress Sima Maoying
• 424–440: Empress Yuan Qigui
• 453: Empress Yin Yuying
• 453–464: Empress Wang Xianyuan
• 465: Empress Lu
• 465–472: Empress Wang Zhenfeng
• 472–477: Empress Jiang
• 478–479: Empress Xie Fanjing

Southern Qi

• 493–494: He Jingying
• 494: Wang Shaoming
• 498–501: Chu Lingqu
• 501–502: Wang Shunhua

Northern Wei

• 400–409: Empress Murong
• 432–452: Empress Helian
• 456–465: Empress Feng
• 493–497: Empress Feng Qing
• 497–499: Empress Feng Run
• 501–507: Empress Yu
• 508–515: Empress Gao
• 5??–528: Empress Hu
• 528–530: Empress Erzhu Ying'e
• 530–531: Empress Erzhu
• 532: Empress Erzhu
• 533–534: Empress Gao

Western Wei

• 535–538: Empress Yifu
• 538–540: Empress Yujiulü
• 553–554: Empress Yuwen
• 554–556: Empress Ruogan

Eastern Wei

• 539–550: Empress Gao

Northern Qi

• 550–559: Empress Li Zu'e
• 560–561: Empress Yuan
• 561–565: Empress Hu
• 565–572: Empress Hulü
• 572–573: Empress Hu
• 572–577: Empress Mu

Liang dynasty

• 551: Empress Zhang
• Empress Wang
• 560–561: Empress Wang

Chen dynasty

• Zhang Yao'er
• Shen Miaorong
• Wang Shaoji
• Liu Jingyan
• Shen Wuhua

Northern Zhou

• 557–557: Empress Yuan Humo
• 568–568: Empress Dugu
• 568–578: Empress Ashina
• 578–579: Yang Lihua
• 579–580: Empress Sima Lingji

Sui dynasty

• 581–602: Dugu Qieluo, empress consort of Emperor Wen
• 605–618: Empress Xiao, empress consort of Emperor Yang

Tang dynasty

• 626–636: Empress Zhangsun, empress consort of Emperor Taizong
• 650–655: Empress Wang, first empress consort of Emperor Gaozong
• 655–684: Wu Zetian, second empress consort of Emperor Gaozong, later also an empress regnant
• 684–684: Empress Wei, empress consort of Emperor Zhongzong
• 684–690: Empress Liu, empress consort of Emperor Ruizong
• 705–710: Empress Wei (second time), empress consort of Emperor Zhongzong
• 710–710: Empress Lu, empress consort of Emperor Shang
• 712–724: Empress Wang, empress consort of Emperor Xuanzong
• 758–762: Empress Zhang, empress consort of Emperor Suzong
• 786–786: Empress Wang, empress consort of Emperor Dezong
• 898–900: Empress He, empress consort of Emperor Zhaozong
• 901–904: Empress He (second time), empress consort of Emperor Zhaozong

Qin

• Empress Ju

Han (Dingyang)

• Empress Ju

Xia

• Empress Cao

Yan

• Empress Duan
• Empress Xin

Qi

• Empress Cao

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period

Qi

• 907–924: Empress Liu, empress consort of Li Maozhen

Former Shu

• 908–918: Empress Zhou, empress consort of Wang Jian
• 918–921: Empress Gao, first empress consort of Wang Zongyan
• 921–926: Empress Jin Feishan, second empress consort of Wang Yan

Yan

• 911–913: Empress Li and Empress Zhu, empress consorts of Liu Shouguang

Later Liang

• 912–913: Empress Zhang, empress consort of Zhu Yougui

Southern Han

• 919–935: Empress Ma, empress consort of Liu Yan

Later Tang

• 924–926: Empress Liu, empress consort of Li Cunxu
• 930–933: Empress Cao, empress consort of Li Siyuan
• 934–934: Empress Kong, empress consort of Li Conghou
• 934–936: Empress Liu, empress consort of Li Congke

Wu

• 933–937: Empress Wang, empress consort of Yang Pu

Min

• 935–935: Empress Chen Jinfeng, empress consort of Wang Yanjun
• 936–939: Empress Li Chunyan, empress consort of Wang Jipeng
• 942–944: Empress Li, empress consort of Wang Yanxi

Southern Tang

• 937–943: Empress Song, empress consort of Li Bian
• 943–961: Empress Zhong, empress consort of Li Jing
• 961–965: Queen Zhou the Elder, first queen consort of Li Yu
• 968–975: Queen Zhou the Younger, second queen consort of Li Yu

Later Jin

• 941–942: Empress Li, empress consort of Shi Jingtang
• 943–946: Empress Feng, empress consort of Shi Chonggui

Yin

• 943–?: Empress Zhang, empress consort of Wang Yanzheng

Later Han

• 947–948: Empress Li, empress consort of Liu Zhiyuan

Later Zhou

• 954–956: Empress Fu the Elder, first empress consort of Chai Rong
• 959–959: Empress Dowager Fu (Later Zhou), second empress consort of Chai Rong

Northern Han

• ?–968: Empress Guo, empress consort of Liu Jun
• 968–?: Empress Ma, empress consort of Liu Jiyuan

Song dynasty

• 960–963: Empress Wang, first empress consort of Emperor Taizu
• 968–976: Empress Song, second empress consort of Emperor Taizu
• 984–997: Empress Li, empress consort of Emperor Taizong
• 997–1007: Empress Guo, first empress consort of Emperor Zhenzong
• 1012–1022: Empress Liu, second empress consort of Emperor Zhenzong and Senior regent Song dynasty
• 1024–1033: Empress Guo, first empress consort of Emperor Renzong
• 1034–1063: Empress Cao, second empress consort of Emperor Renzong
• 1065–1067: Empress Gao, empress consort of Emperor Yingzong
• 1068–1085: Empress Xiang, empress consort of Emperor Shenzong
• 1092–1096: Empress Meng, first empress consort of Emperor Zhezong
• 1099–1100: Empress Liu, second empress consort of Emperor Zhezong
• 1100–1108: Empress Wang, first empress consort of Emperor Huizong
• 1111–1126: Empress Zheng, second empress consort of Emperor Huizong
• 1126–1127: Empress Zhu, empress consort of Emperor Qinzong
• 1127–1139: Empress Xing, first empress consort of Emperor Gaozong
• 1143–1162: Empress Wu, second empress consort of Emperor Gaozong
• 1162–1167: Empress Xia, first empress consort of Emperor Xiaozong
• 1167–1189: Empress Xie, second empress consort of Emperor Xiaozong
• 1189–1194: Empress Li Fengniang, empress consort of Emperor Guangzong
• 1194–1200: Empress Han, first empress consort of Emperor Ningzong
• 1200–1224: Empress Yang, second empress consort of Emperor Ningzong
• 1227–1264: Empress Xie Daoqing, empress consort of Emperor Lizong
• 1267–1274: Empress Quan, empress consort of Emperor Duzong

Yuan dynasty

• 1260–1281: Chabi, first empress consort of Emperor Shizu
• 1283–1294: Nambui, second empress consort of Emperor Shizu
• 1295–1307: Bulugan, empress consort of Emperor Chengzong
• 1310–1311: Zhenge, empress consort of Emperor Wuzong
• 1313–1320: Radnashiri, empress consort of Emperor Renzong
• 1321–1323: Sugabala, empress consort of Emperor Yingzong
• 1324–1328: Babukhan Khatun, empress consort of Emperor Taiding
• 1328–1329: Budashiri, empress consort of Emperor Wenzong
• 1329–1329: Babusha, empress consort of Emperor Mingzong
• 1329–1332: Budashiri (second time), empress consort of Emperor Wenzong
• 1332–1332: Daliyetemishi, empress consort of Emperor Ningzong
• 1333–1335: Danashri, first empress consort of Emperor Huizong
• 1337–1365: Bayan Khutugh, second empress consort of Emperor Huizong
• 1340–1370: Empress Gi, third empress consort of Emperor Huizong

Ming dynasty

• 1368–1382: Empress Ma, empress consort of the Hongwu Emperor
• 1399–1402: Empress Ma, empress consort of the Jianwen Emperor
• 1402–1407: Empress Xu, empress consort of the Yongle Emperor
• 1424–1425: Empress Zhang, empress consort of the Hongxi Emperor
• 1425–1428: Empress Hu Shanxiang, first empress consort of the Xuande Emperor
• 1428–1435: Empress Sun, second empress consort of the Xuande Emperor
• 1442–1449: Empress Qian, empress consort of the Zhengtong Emperor
• 1449–1452: Empress Wang, first empress consort of the Jingtai Emperor
• 1452–1456: Empress Hang, second empress consort of the Jingtai Emperor
• 1457–1464: Empress Qian (second time), empress consort of the Tianshun Emperor (former Zhengtong Emperor)
• 1464–1464: Empress Wu, first empress consort of the Chenghua Emperor
• 1464–1487: Empress Wang, second empress consort of the Chenghua Emperor
• 1487–1505: Empress Zhang, empress consort of the Hongzhi Emperor
• 1506–1521: Empress Xia, empress consort of the Zhengde Emperor
• 1522–1528: Empress Chen, first empress consort of the Jiajing Emperor
• 1528–1534: Empress Zhang, second empress consort of the Jiajing Emperor
• 1534–1547: Empress Fang, third empress consort of the Jiajing Emperor
• 1566–1572: Empress Chen, empress consort of the Longqing Emperor
• 1578–1620: Empress Wang Xijie, empress consort of the Wanli Emperor
• 1621–1627: Empress Zhang, empress consort of the Tianqi Emperor
• 1628–1644: Empress Zhou, empress consort of the Chongzhen Emperor

Southern Ming

• 1645–1646: Empress Zeng, empress consort of the Longwu Emperor
• 1646–1662: Empress Wang, empress consort of the Yongli Emperor

Qing dynasty

Manchukuo

Empresses dowager

The title of Empress dowager (皇太后, húangtàihòu) was automatically given to a former Empress consort and widow of an Emperor. The title, Empress dowager, could be granted a widow of an Emperor even when she had not been the Empress consort during the reign of her spouse. Therefore, a separate list is given of the Empresses dowager, which, in some cases, equals the list of Empresses consort, and in other cases, not.

Han dynasty

• Empress Dowager Lü
• Empress Dowager Bo
• Empress Dowager Dou
• Empress Dowager Wang
• Empress Dowager Shangguan
• Empress Dowager Wang
• Empress Dowager Wang
• Empress Dowager Zhao
• Grand Empress Dowager Fu
• Empress Dowager Ding
• Empress Dowager Wang
• Empress Dowager Yin
• Empress Dowager Ma
• Empress Dowager Dou
• Empress Dowager Deng
• Empress Dowager Yan
• Empress Dowager Liang
• Empress Dowager Dou
• Empress Dowager He

Northern Dynasties

Northern Wei

• Princess Dowager Helan
• Empress Dowager Helian
• Nurse empress dowager
• Empress Dowager Feng(Empress Dowager Wenming)
• Empress Dowager Gao
• Empress Dowager Hu

Tang dynasty

• 683–690: Empress Dowager Wu
• 710: Empress Dowager Wei
• 805–816: Empress Dowager Wang
• 820–848: Empress Dowager Guo
• 824–845: Empress Dowager Wang
• 826–847: Empress Dowager Xiao
• 846–865: Empress Dowager Zheng
• 904–906: Empress Dowager He

Song dynasty

• Empress Dowager Du
• Empress Dowager Li
• Empress Dowager Liu
• Empress Dowager Yang
• Empress Dowager Cao
• Empress Dowager Gao
• Empress Dowager Xiang
• Empress Dowager Meng
• Empress Dowager Liu
• Empress Dowager Wei
• Empress Dowager Wu
• Empress Dowager Xie
• Empress Dowager Li
• Empress Dowager Yang
• Empress Dowager Xie
• Empress Dowager Quan
• Empress Dowager Yang

Yuan dynasty

• Empress Dowager Khongirad
• Empress Dowager Naimans
• Empress Dowager Oirats
• Empress Dowager Khongirad
• Empress Dowager Khongirad
• Empress Dowager Khongirad
• Empress Dowager Khongirad
• Empress Dowager Khongirad

Ming dynasty

• Empress Dowager Lü
• Empress Dowager Zhang
• Empress Dowager Hu
• Empress Dowager Sun
• Empress Dowager Wu
• Empress Dowager Qian
• Empress Dowager Zhou
• Empress Dowager Wang
• Empress Dowager Zhang
• Empress Dowager Shao
• Empress Dowager Jiang
• Empress Dowager Chen
• Empress Dowager Li
• Empress Dowager Zou
• Empress Dowager Ma
• Empress Dowager Wang

Qing dynasty

• 1643–1649: Empress Xiaoduanwen
• 1643–1688: Empress Dowager Zhaosheng
• 1661–1663: Empress Dowager Cihe
• 1661–1718: Empress Dowager Renxian
• 1722–1723: Empress Dowager Renshou
• 1735–1777: Empress Dowager Chongqing
• 1820–1850: Empress Dowager Gongci
• 1855: Empress Dowager Kangci
• 1861–1881: Empress Dowager Ci'an
• 1861–1908: Empress Dowager Cixi
• 1908–1913: Empress Dowager Longyu

Grand empresses dowager

Empresses whose titles were granted posthumously

Sui dynasty

• 581: Empress Lü Gutao, mother of Emperor Wen of Sui

Tang dynasty

• 618: Empress Dugu (Empress Yuanzhen, mother of Emperor Gaozu of Tang)
• 618: Duchess Dou (Empress Taimu), wife of Li Yuan, Emperor Gaozu of Tang before Li Yuan's ascension

Song dynasty

• 961: Empress Dowager Du, mother of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong
• 960: Empress He, married to Emperor Taizu
• 976: Empress Yin, married to Emperor Taizong
• 976: Empress Fu, married to Emperor Taizong
• 997: Empress Li, mother of Emperor Zhenzong
• 997: Princess Pan, married to Emperor Zhenzong
• 1033: Consort Li, mother of Emperor Renzong
• 1036: Empress Yang, married to Emperor Zhenzong
• 1054: Empress Zhang, married to Emperor Renzong
• 1101: Empress Chen, mother of Emperor Huizong
• 1102: Empress Zhu, mother of Emperor Zhezong
• 1113: Empress Mingda, married to Emperor Huizong
• 1121: Empress Mingzhe, married to Emperor Huizong
• 1159: Empress Xianren, mother of Emperor Gaozong
• 1162: Empress Chengmu, married to Emperor Xiaozong

Yuan dynasty

• 1336: Mailaiti, mother of Emperor Huizong

Ming dynasty and Southern Ming dynasty

• 1504: Empress Xiaosu, mother of the Chenghua Emperor
• 1566: Empress Xiaoke, mother of the Longqing Emperor
• 1566: Empress Xiaoyizhuan, married to the Longqing Emperor
• 1614: Empress Xiaoding, mother of the Wanli Emperor
• 1620: Empress Xiaojing, mother of the Taichang Emperor
• 1644: Empress Xiaozhejian
• 1644: Empress Xiaoyi
• 1644: Empress Xiaoxu

Qing dynasty

• 1626: Empress Xiaoliewu, married to Nurhaci
• 1636: Empress Xiaocigao, mother of Hong Taiji
• 1660: Consort Donggo, married to the Shunzhi Emperor
• 1663: Empress Xiaokangzhang, mother of the Kangxi Emperor
• 1723: Empress Xiaogongren, mother of the Yongzheng Emperor
• 1777: Empress Xiaoshengxian, mother of the Qianlong Emperor
• 1796: Empress Xiaoyichun, mother of the Jiaqing Emperor
• 1820: Empress Xiaomucheng, married to the Daoguang Emperor
• 1850: Empress Xiaodexian, married to the Xianfeng Emperor
• 1855: Empress Xiaojingcheng, married to the Daoguang Emperor
• 1908: Xingzhen, Empress Xiaoqinxian, married to Xianfeng Emperor, mother of Tongzhi Emperor

See also

• Chinese nobility
• Ranks of imperial consorts in China
• Imperial consorts of Tang China
• Grand empress dowager
• Empress dowager
• Nurse empress dowager
• Consort clan
• List of Chinese monarchs

References

Bibliography

• Stefanowska, A.D.; Lee, Lily Xiao Hong; Wiles, Sue, eds. (2015). Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E. - 618 C.E. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781317475910.
• Stefanowska, A.D.; Lee, Lily Xiao Hong; Wiles, Sue, eds. (2015). Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: V. 1: The Qing Period, 1644-1911. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781317475880.