外戚世家 — Shiji

From ancient times, the emperors who received the Mandate of Heaven, as well as those rulers who inherited the throne and maintained the established cultural order, were not blessed by virtue alone—consort families also lent them crucial support. The Xia dynasty rose through the influence of Mount Tu, yet King Jie's downfall came through Meixi. The Shang rose through Yousong, while King Zhou's destruction was caused by his beloved Daji. The Zhou flourished through Jiang Yuan and Da Ren, yet King You's capture resulted from his indulgence with Bao Si. Thus the Book of Changes begins with the hexagrams of Qian and Kun, the Book of Songs opens with 'Guan Ju,' the Book of Documents celebrates proper marital arrangements, and the Spring and Autumn Annals criticizes failure to receive one's bride in person. The union of husband and wife represents the great principle of human ethics. In the application of ritual, none demands more vigilance than marriage.

When music is harmonious, the four seasons are in balance; the transformations of yin and yang are the guiding thread of all things. Can one be anything but cautious? A person may endeavor to propagate the Way, but cannot contend with fate. How profound is the love between husband and wife! A ruler cannot command it from his ministers, a father cannot demand it from his children—how much less can those of humble station! Even when a couple joins in joy, some cannot produce offspring; and if they do, they may not live to see the outcome. Is this not fate? Confucius rarely spoke of fate, for it was difficult to address.

The Grand Historian remarks: The records before the Qin dynasty are sparse, their details lost to history. When the Han dynasty rose, Lü E'xu became Empress Consort to Emperor Gaozu, and their son was established as Crown Prince. In her later years, as her beauty faded and the emperor's affection waned, Consort Qi gained favor, and her son Ruyi nearly displaced the Crown Prince on several occasions. When Emperor Gaozu died, Empress Dowager Lü exterminated the Qi clan and executed the Prince of Zhao. Only those consorts who had never received imperial favor or had been neglected and distant from the throne escaped harm.

Empress Dowager Lü's eldest daughter was married to Zhang Ao, Marquis of Xuanping, and their daughter became Empress to Emperor Hui. Because of this close kinship, Empress Dowager Lü tried every means to bear a child, but never succeeded; she resorted to deception, taking infants from other women in the harem and presenting them as her own. When Emperor Hui died, the realm was newly settled and succession remained unclear. She therefore elevated her natal family, enfeoffing the Lü clan as supports of the state, and installed Lü Lu's daughter as Empress to the young emperor, seeking to bind the foundation firmly—yet it was to no avail. Upon her death, she was buried alongside Emperor Gaozu at Changling.

Han dispatched Cao Shen and others to attack and capture Wei Bao, converting his domain into a commandery. Bo Ji was sent to the weaving chambers. When Wei Bao was killed and the King of Han entered the weaving establishment, he saw Bo Ji and found her beautiful. He ordered her brought to the harem, but more than a year passed without her receiving favor.

Bo Ji said: "Last night I dreamed a azure dragon coiled upon my belly." The Emperor replied: "This is an auspicious sign of great fortune. I shall fulfill it for you." One favor led to pregnancy, and she bore a son—the Prince of Dai. Thereafter Bo Ji rarely saw Emperor Gaozu. When Gaozu died, all the consorts who had received his favor—those like Consort Qi—were imprisoned by Empress Dowager Lü and could not leave the palace. But Bo Ji, because she had so seldom been seen, was permitted to accompany her son to Dai, becoming Princess Dowager of Dai. Her brother Bo Zhao accompanied them.

Empress Dowager Bo's mother had died earlier and was buried north of Liyang. The court posthumously honored Bo Ji's father as Marquis of Lingwen, establishing in the Commandery of Kuaiji a garden estate of three hundred households, with a full staff of officials to guard the tomb and maintain the ancestral shrine with offerings as prescribed by law. North of Liyang, a garden for the Marquis of Lingwen's wife was also established, following the same rituals. Empress Dowager Bo believed that her mother's family were descendants of the Prince of Wei, and that since she had lost her parents early, members of the Wei family who had served her well deserved recognition. She therefore summoned and reinstated the Wei clan, distributing rewards according to degree of kinship. A total of one person from the Bo clan was enfeoffed.

Empress Dowager Bo died two years after Emperor Wen and two years before Emperor Jing, and was buried at Nanling. Because Empress Dowager Lü was interred at Changling, she specifically had her own tomb constructed near the Baling of Emperor Wen.

Empress Dowager Dou was from Qinghe Guanjin in Zhao. During Empress Dowager Lü's reign, Dou Ji entered the palace as a lady-in-waiting from a respectable family. The Empress Dowager released palace women to be given to the princes, five each. Dou Ji was from Qinghe and wished to be sent to Zhao, nearer her family. She entreated the chief eunuch in charge: "Be sure to place my name in the Zhao roster." The eunuch forgot and mistakenly entered her in the Dai roster. When the roster was submitted and approved by imperial decree, Dou Ji wept bitterly, blaming the eunuch and unwilling to go. Only after being coerced did she consent.

In Dai, the Prince favored only Dou Ji. She bore a daughter named Piao, then two sons. The Prince's original consort had borne four sons. Before the Prince entered the capital to be enthroned, his consort died. When the Prince ascended the throne, his consort's four sons all died of illness in succession. Several months after Emperor Wen took the throne, the ministers requested that a crown prince be named. Dou Ji's eldest son was the eldest surviving, so he was installed as Crown Prince. Dou Ji was made Empress, and Piao was titled Eldest Princess. The following year, her younger son Wu was made Prince of Dai, then later transferred to Liang, becoming Prince Xiao of Liang.

Empress Dou had an elder brother, Dou Changjun, and a younger brother, Dou Guangguo, whose style name was Shaojun. When Shaojun was four or five years old, his family was poor and he was kidnapped and sold. His family did not know his whereabouts. He passed through more than ten households until he reached Yiyang, where he worked for his master mining charcoal in the mountains. One evening he lay sleeping under a riverbank with over a hundred others. The bank collapsed and crushed everyone sleeping there—but Shaojun alone escaped, unharmed.

Empress Dou later fell ill and lost her sight. Emperor Wen favored Shen Furenv of Handan and Yin Ji, but neither bore children. When Emperor Wen died and Emperor Jing ascended, Shaojun was enfeoffed as Marquis of Zhangwu. Changjun had died earlier, so his son Pengzu was made Marquis of Nanpi.

Earlier, Zang Er had also sent her youngest daughter, Er Xu, into the palace; Er Xu bore four sons. When Emperor Jing was Crown Prince, Empress Dowager Bo arranged for a daughter of the Bo clan to become his consort. After Emperor Jing ascended the throne, he made this consort Empress Bo. Empress Bo had no sons and no favor. When Empress Dowager Bo passed away, Emperor Jing deposed Empress Bo. Emperor Jing's eldest son was Liu Rong, whose mother was Consort Li. Consort Li was a woman of Qi. Liu Rong was made Crown Prince. The eldest princess Piao had a daughter and wished to offer her as consort to the Crown Prince. Consort Li was jealous, and because all the other beauties of Emperor Jing had been introduced to the emperor by the princess and thereby gained honor and favor, all surpassing Consort Li, she grew daily resentful and angry. She refused the princess's proposal outright. The princess then sought to give her daughter to Lady Wang, and Lady Wang consented. The princess was enraged and slandered Consort Li constantly before Emperor Jing, saying: 'Whenever Consort Li meets with other honored ladies and favored concubines, she often orders her attendants to curse them and spit on their backs, resorting to evil and seductive arts.' Because of this, Emperor Jing came to resent and alienate Consort Li.

Emperor Jing's eldest son Rong, whose mother was Lady Li, was installed as Crown Prince. Eldest Princess Piao had a daughter whom she wished to betroth to the Crown Prince. Lady Li, jealous because all the emperor's other consorts had gained prominence through the Eldest Princess and received imperial favor, surpassing her, grew resentful and refused the Princess's proposal.

The Eldest Princess then wished to offer her daughter to Lady Wang. Lady Wang agreed. The Princess, enraged, began daily speaking ill of Lady Li before the emperor: "Lady Li, when meeting the noble ladies and favored consorts, often orders her attendants to spit upon their backs and employs wicked sorcery." The emperor, because of this, grew to despise Lady Li.

The Eldest Princess continually praised the virtue of Lady Wang's son, and the emperor also admired him. Moreover, there was the dream of the sun from before, and no decision had yet been made. Lady Wang, knowing the emperor resented Lady Li and his anger was unresolved, secretly sent agents to urge the ministers to establish Lady Li as Empress.

The Grand Officer presented the matter: "A son is honored through his mother, a mother is honored through her son. Now the Crown Prince's mother lacks a title—she should be established as Empress." The emperor flew into a rage: "Is this something you ought to say!" He investigated and executed the Grand Officer, deposed the Crown Prince, and reduced him to Prince of Linjiang. Lady Li grew more resentful and bitter, unable to see the emperor, and died of sorrow.

Lady Wang was finally installed as Empress, her son became Crown Prince, and her brother Xin was enfeoffed as Marquis of Gai.

When Emperor Jing died, the Crown Prince succeeded him as Emperor. He honored his mother Zang Er as Princess of Pingyuan. Tian Fen was made Marquis of Wu'an, and Tian Sheng was made Marquis of Zhouyang. Emperor Jing had thirteen sons: one became emperor and twelve became princes. Ni Xu died early, and her four sons all became princes.

Empress Dowager Wang's eldest daughter was titled Princess of Pingyang, the second was Princess of Nanyang, and the third was Princess of Linlu. Marquis Gai Xin was fond of wine. Tian Fen and Tian Sheng were greedy and skilled at rhetoric. Wang Zhong had died young and was buried at Huaili. He was posthumously honored as Marquis of Gong, with a garden estate of two hundred households. When Princess of Pingyuan died, she was buried at Changling with the Tian family, with a garden comparable to the Marquis of Gong's estate.

When Emperor Wu first ascended the throne, several years passed without his producing an heir. The Princess of Pingyang sought out more than ten virtuous young women, dressed them up, and installed them in her residence. The emperor had just completed the ceremony at Bashang and was returning; he stopped by the Princess of Pingyang's residence. The Princess presented the beauties she had assembled, but the emperor was displeased. When wine was served, a singer stepped forward. The emperor glimpsed her and was delighted. That very day, as the emperor rose to change his clothes, Zifu attended him in the garment pavilion and received his favor.

The Grand Historian's narrative continues with imperial succession and palace intrigue during the reigns of Emperors Hui, Wen, Jing, and Wu, detailing how consort families rose and fell in influence. The text emphasizes the capricious nature of imperial favor, the power of fate, and the strategic marriages that shaped dynastic politics—particularly how Empress Dowager Lü consolidated control after Gaozu's death, how Bo Ji rose from obscurity to become empress through a prophetic dream, and how the Wei and Wang clans attained prominence through their daughters' relationships with successive emperors.

The Emperor took pity on her and visited her again, and she became pregnant. Her favor and status grew daily. He summoned her elder brother Wei Changjun and her brother Wei Qing to serve as Court Gentlemen. Wei Zifu later gained the Emperor's great favor, bearing three daughters and one son. The son was named Ju.

Earlier, when the Emperor was Crown Prince, he had married the daughter of the Princess of Changshan as his consort. When he ascended the throne, the consort was made Empress, surname Chen. She had no children. The Emperor's succession to the throne had been greatly aided by the Princess of Dachang, so Empress Chen grew arrogant and haughty. When she heard that Wei Zifu had gained great favor, she flew into jealous rage, nearly dying from spite several times. The Emperor grew only more furious. Empress Chen practiced shamanic arts and female charms, and when this was discovered, the Emperor deposed Empress Chen and installed Wei Zifu in her place.

Empress Chen's mother was the Princess of Dachang, Emperor Jing's sister. She repeatedly upbraided the Emperor's sister, Princess Pingyang: "The Emperor could never have ascended without me, yet he has abandoned my daughter. How can he fail to cherish what is his own and betray his roots?" Princess Pingyang replied, "It was only because she bore no children that she was deposed."

When Wei Zifu was installed as Empress, Wei Changjun had already died. Wei Qing was made a general and won distinction fighting the Xiongnu, receiving the title of Marquis of Changping. All three of his sons, still in swaddling clothes, were made marquises. Wei Zifu's sister, Wei Shao'er, gave birth to Huo Qubing, who earned the title of Marquis of Guanjun and the rank of General of the Flying Cavalry. Wei Qing held the rank of Grand General. Wei Zifu's son Ju was made Crown Prince.

The Wei family rose to prominence through military achievements, with five men becoming marquises. When Wei Zifu's beauty faded, Lady Wang of Zhao gained the Emperor's favor and bore a son, the Prince of Qi. Lady Wang died young. Lady Li of Zhongshan then became beloved, bearing a son who became the Prince of Changyi. Lady Li also died young. Her brother Li Yannian rose to favor through his musical talents, receiving the title of Xielü. The Xielü had been a performer. All the brothers were later implicated in a scandal and executed along with their clans.

Mr. Chu observes: When I was a palace attendant, I asked one Zhongli Sheng, who was well-versed in Han dynastic precedents. He said: The Empress Dowager, while among the common people, gave birth to a daughter. The father was one Jin Wangsun. Wangsun had already died. After Emperor Jing died and Emperor Wu had taken the throne, the Empress Dowager alone remained. A certain Han princes' descendant named Han Yanzi had long enjoyed Emperor Wu's favor, and he took the opportunity to tell the Emperor that the Empress Dowager had a daughter living at Changling.

The Emperor exclaimed, "Why didn't you tell me sooner!" He dispatched an envoy to investigate first, and learned she was at home. The Emperor then went personally to fetch her. The roads were cleared, outriders rode ahead, and the imperial carriage sped from Hengcheng Gate to Changling. Entering the western side of the small market, the carriage passed through the village gate, which burst open. The carriage drove straight through the village to the Jin residence, where imperial guards surrounded the house to prevent escape. Even the Emperor's personal search would have been in vain. So he sent his attendants into the village calling out. The family was terrified. The daughter had hidden inside beneath a bed. They helped her out the door and made her bow in audience. The Emperor descended from his carriage, weeping: "Ah! Elder sister, how deeply you have concealed yourself!"

He ordered an escort carriage for her, and they set off at a gallop, entering the palace directly. Proceeding to the Empress Dowager's quarters, he announced himself at the gate, his credentials verified. He went to pay his respects to his mother. The Empress Dowager asked, "The Emperor looks weary. Where has he been?" The Emperor replied, "Today I went to Changling and found your subject, your sister. I have brought her with me." Then, turning, he said, "Pay your respects to the Empress Dowager!" The Empress Dowager asked, "Is this a certain daughter?" "Yes," answered the Emperor. The Empress Dowager wept; her daughter also wept, prostrating herself. The Emperor presented wine and offered a toast, then granted her a thousand strings of cash, three hundred servants, a hundred qing of public fields, a magnificent mansion, and other gifts for his sister. The Empress Dowager expressed gratitude: "This has been an expense to the Emperor."