Chronicles of Changes: The Transforming Image of Empress Liu in the Northern Song [1033-1089]
Ren, Zike, History - Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia
Zhang, Cong, AS-History (HIST), University of Virginia
Empress Liu (969-1033, r. 1022-1033), the first empress regent of the Song (960-1279), is generally viewed by contemporary scholars as the exemplary precedent for empress regency in the dynasty. However, contradictory Song sources reveal that her reputation was divided between that of a benevolent mother-empress who nurtured the emperor and stabilized the state, and a woman who exceeded boundaries with a strong desire for power. This thesis explains this contradiction by demonstrating that Empress Liu’s image underwent a transformation from 1033 to 1089. It argues that, over nearly sixty years, Song scholar-officials continually reshaped her image to better align with their Confucian ideals and the shifting political circumstances during the reigns of Renzong (1010-1063, r. 1022-1063), Yingzong (1032-1067, r. 1063-1067), and Zhezong (1077-1100, r. 1085-1100), three reigns that witnessed three empress regencies. Spanning the Mingdao (1032-1033) to Yuanyou (1086-1094) eras, diverse sources, including epitaphs, anecdotes, petitions, and imperial edicts, present varying portrayals of Empress Liu’s image and actions. Individually, each source represents a distinct moment in this transformation. Collectively, they reveal how her image was gradually reshaped from a flawed empress who exceeded her proper boundaries into a virtuous protector of the Song, unmatched by any later empress of the dynasty.
MA (Master of Arts)
Song Dynasty, Empress Regency, Empress Liu
English
All rights reserved (no additional license for public reuse)
2025/03/21