Daughter of Liu Tong, Commander-in-chief of the Tiger Troops, Liu E was pretty and versed in classics and history. After Liu Tong died in battle, Liu E wandered about as a folk entertainer. In 988, when Zhao Heng was designated as King of Xiang, E was called into the Palace of Xing. In 997, Zhao...

Praised as “with superb strategy and wonderful foresight” and “knowing the way for government”, she was a stateswoman of the Liao Dynasty. Emperor Jingzong was timid and afraid of trouble. All the punishments and rewards, administration, military actions and taxation were decided by Empress Xiao. Emperor Jingzong died. Empress Xiao’s son Yelü Longxu mounted the...

Xiao was empress of Li Heng, Emperor Muzong of the Tang Dynasty. In the 15th year of Yuanhe, Emperor Xianzong died. Li Heng succeeded to the throne and became Emperor Muzong. He set up Xiao as empress. Five years later, Emperor Muzong died. In the first year of Dahe, Li Ang was set up as...

In 738, Li Heng was designated as crown prince and Zhang as his concubine entitled Related Lady of Excellence. In 755, An Lusan launched a rebellion. Emperor Xuanzong fled westwards, followed by Li Heng and Zhang. Zhang asked Emperor Xuanzong to leave the crown prince behind within Hangu Pass, so as to recover Chang’an. In...

Yang Yuhuan was the daughter of Yang Xuanyan, Revenue Manager of Shuzhou. With a plump figure and dignified bearing, she was the most beautiful of all among the palace women. Good at singing and dancing and versed in music, she was a famous beauty in ancient China. She was originally consort of King of Shou,...

Lady of Plum, whose name was Jiang Caiping, was from Putian, Fujian. She was intelligent and well versed in writing. Fond of plum blossoms, she planted a lot of plum trees in the palace and built the Pavilion of Plum for her to watch them. So she was called Lady of Plum by Emperor Xuanzong....

Born in a government official’s family, Zhangsun was well educated at home in her childhood. She studied the classics and knew the rules of propriety. At the age of thirteen, she married Li Shimin. When Li Shimin mounted the throne and became Emperor Taizong, he set her up as empress. She showed respect for Wei...

Of humble origin, Zhang Lihua was a beauty with a good memory. She became a maidservant at the age of ten. Seeing that she was so beautiful, the crown prince Chen Shubao called her in and slept with her. They bore the imperial grandson-heir Chen Shen. In the fourteenth year of Taijian, Chen Shubao mounted...