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Princess Dowager Liu
{{Short description, Chinese princess Princess Dowager Liu (劉太妃/劉太后, personal name unknown) was a princess dowager of the Chinese state Former Liang. She was a concubine of Zhang Jun (Duke Zhongcheng) and the mother of his youngest son, Zhang Tianxi (Duke Dao). Lady Liu gave birth to Zhang Tianxi in 346. That year, Zhang Jun died. Nothing is known about her life between that year and 363, when Zhang Tianxi seized the throne from his nephew Zhang Xuanjing (Duke Jingdao) and honored her as princess dowager. (The exact title he honored her with is disputed historically; ''Zizhi Tongjian'' gave it as ''Taifei'' (太妃, translate as princess dowager), while ''Spring and Autumn Annals of the Sixteen Kingdoms'' gave it as ''Taihou'' (太后, translate as queen dowager or empress dowager). No other mention was made of her until an arguable one in 376, when Zhang Tianxi, under attack from Former Qin, received a rebuke from, according to historical accounts, "his mother Lady Yan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
History Of China
The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign of king Wu Ding. Ancient historical texts such as the '' Book of Documents'' (early chapters, 11th century BC), the '' Bamboo Annals'' (c. 296 BC) and the ''Records of the Grand Historian'' (c. 91 BC) describe a Xia dynasty before the Shang, but no writing is known from the period, and Shang writings do not indicate the existence of the Xia. The Shang ruled in the Yellow River valley, which is commonly held to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. However, Neolithic civilizations originated at various cultural centers along both the Yellow River and Yangtze River. These Yellow River and Yangtze civilizations arose millennia before the Shang. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is among the world's oldest civilizations and is regarded as one of the cradles of civilization. The Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC) supp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Former Liang
The Former Liang (; 320–376) was a dynastic state, one of the Sixteen Kingdoms, in Chinese history. It was founded by the Zhang family of the Han ethnicity. Its territories included present-day Gansu and parts of Ningxia, Shaanxi, Qinghai and Xinjiang. All rulers of the Former Liang remained largely titularly under the court of the Eastern Jin dynasty as the Duke of Xiping except Zhang Zuo who proclaimed himself ''wang'' (prince/king). However, at times the other Former Liang rulers also used the ''wang'' title when imposed on them when they were forced to submit to their powerful neighbour states - initially the Han Zhao, then the Later Zhao, and finally Former Qin. In 327, the Gaochang commandery was created by the Former Liang under Zhang Jun. After this, significant Han settlement occurred in Gaochang, a major, large part of the population becoming Han. In 376, the final ruler of Former Liang Zhang Tianxi surrendered to Former Qin, ending the state. However, in the after ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Concubine
Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive. Concubinage was a formal and institutionalized practice in China until the 20th century that upheld concubines' rights and obligations. A concubine could be freeborn or of slave origin, and their experience could vary tremendously according to their masters' whim. During the Mongol conquests, both foreign royals and captured women were taken as concubines. Concubinage was also common in Meiji Japan as a status symbol, and in Indian society, where the intermingling of castes and religions was frowned upon and a taboo, and concubinage could be practiced with women with whom marriage was considered undesirable, such as those from a lower caste and Muslim women who wouldn't be accepted in a Hindu household and Hindu women who wouldn't be accepted in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zhang Jun (Former Liang)
Zhang Jun (張駿 ''Zhāng Jùn''; 307–346), courtesy name Gongting (公庭), formally Duke Zhongcheng of Xiping (西平忠成公, posthumous name given by Jin Dynasty) or Duke Wen of Xiping (西平文公, posthumous name used internally in Former Liang) was a ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang. During his reign, he at times used the Jin-created title of Duke of Xiping, but when forced to submit to Han Zhao and Later Zhao, he used the title Prince of Liang. Late in his reign, even when not under Later Zhao's pressure, he claimed the title of "Acting Prince of Liang." During the brief reign of his son Zhang Zuo, he was honored as Prince Wen of Liang (涼文王). The Book of Jin describes Zhang Jun as having an extraordinary appearance and was talented at literature, however he was also an extravagant and dissipated man. Early life Zhang Jun was the son of Zhang Shi (張寔), the Jin governor of Liang Province (涼州, modern central and western Gansu) and the Duke ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zhang Tianxi
Zhang Tianxi (; 346–406), original courtesy name Gongchungu (), later Chungu (), nickname Duhuo (), formally Duke Dao of Xiping (), was the last ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang. He was the youngest son of Zhang Jun (Duke Zhongcheng), and he seized the throne from his nephew Zhang Xuanjing (Duke Jingdao) in 363. During his reign, he claimed vassal status with regard to both Jin Dynasty and Former Qin, but eventually, under Former Qin pressure to completely submit, he tried to resist militarily, but could not and surrendered in 376, ending Former Liang. He became a Former Qin official (with the title Marquess of Guiyi (), but after Former Qin's failed attempt to conquer Jin in 383 at the Battle of Fei River, he fled to Jin. Although the Jin imperial government was not happy about some of his actions as the ruler of Former Liang (including his vacillation and his use of an era name), it recognized how his ancestors had long formally held out as a Jin vassal, and Empero ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zhang Xuanjing
Zhang Xuanjing (張玄靚 or 張玄靖) (350–363), courtesy name Yuan'an (), formally Duke Jingdao of Xiping (西平敬悼公, posthumous name given by Jin Dynasty (266–420)) or Duke Chong of Xiping (西平沖公, posthumous name used internally in Former Liang) was a ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang. He became the titular ruler at the young age of five after his violent uncle Zhang Zuo, who had seized the title from his older brother Zhang Yaoling and subsequently killed him, was himself killed in a coup. Zhang Xuanjing was addressed as Prince Chong of (Former) Liang () The years of his rule were characterized by political instability, as he went through a progression of regents who overthrew each other -- Zhang Guan (), Song Hun (), Song Cheng (), Zhang Yong (), and finally his uncle Zhang Tianxi, who eventually had him killed and took over the title in 363. During Zhang Guan's regency, he temporarily used the title Prince of Liang, but after Song Hun overthrew Zh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is arranged into 294 scrolls (''juan'' , equivalent to a chapter) totaling about 3 million Chinese characters. In 1065 AD, Emperor Yingzong of Song commissioned his official Sima Guang (1019–1086 AD) to lead a project to compile a universal history of China, and granted him funding and the authority to appoint his own staff. His team took 19 years to complete the work and in 1084 AD it was presented to Emperor Yingzong's successor Emperor Shenzong of Song. It was well-received and has proved to be immensely influential among both scholars and the general public. Endymion Wilkinson regards it as reference quality: "It had an enormous influence on later Chinese historical wri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spring And Autumn Annals Of The Sixteen Kingdoms
The ''Spring and Autumn Annals of the Sixteen Kingdoms'', also known by its Chinese title ''Shiliuguo Chunqiu'' () is a Chinese biographical historical work of the Sixteen Kingdoms compiled by the Northern Wei official Cui Hong between 501 and 522. It became one of the chief sources for the compilation of the ''Book of Wei'' and ''Book of Jin''. Parts of the book went missing from the early Tang dynasty and did not survive intact. It originally contained 100 volumes, a preface and a chronological table. By the time of the early Song dynasty, many of them were lost and only about 20 volumes remained, which were quoted extensively by Sima Guang. There are two extant versions dating from the late Ming dynasty, the edition by Tu Qiaosun containing 100 volumes, and the one by He Tang containing 16 volumes, reprinted in the ''Hanwei Congshu'', a compilation of histories. Tu's edition was published for the third time in 1781. Also there is a 100 volumes edition together with a chronologi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Former Qin
The Former Qin, also called Fu Qin (苻秦), (351–394) was a dynastic state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in Chinese history ruled by the Di ethnicity. Founded by Fu Jian (posthumously Emperor Jingming) who originally served under the Later Zhao dynasty, it completed the unification of northern China in 376. Its capital was Xi'an up to the death of the Emperor Xuanzhao in 385. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than the Qin dynasty which had ruled all of China proper during the 3rd century BC. The adjectival prefix "former" is used to distinguish it from the "Later Qin dynasty" (384-417). In 383, the severe defeat of the Former Qin by the Jin dynasty at the Battle of Fei River encouraged uprisings, splitting Former Qin territory into two noncontiguous pieces after the death of Fu Jian. One fragment, at present-day Taiyuan, Shanxi was soon overwhelmed in 386 by the Xianbei under the Later Yan and the Dingling. The other struggled in greatly ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Princess Yan
Princess Yan (嚴王后, personal name unknown) was the wife of the Chinese state Former Liang's ruler Zhang Jun. It is not known when Zhang Jun married her, but it is known that she carried the title of princess even though Zhang, for most of his reign, used the Jin Dynasty (266–420)-created title of Duke of Xiping, and only late in his reign used the title "Acting Prince of Liang" (假涼王). After Zhang Jun's death in 346, his son and heir Zhang Chonghua honored her as "Grand Princess Dowager" and his own mother Lady Ma as "Princess Dowager." The fact that Zhang Chonghua was not her son but yet was made heir implies that she had no sons. No further reference was made to her, and by the time that Zhang Chonghua died in 353, she appeared to have died, because only Zhang Chonghua's mother Princess Dowager Ma was mentioned, not she. References * The first recognized ruler of Former Liang, Zhang Jun's uncle Zhang Mao Zhang Mao (; 277–324), courtesy name Chengxun ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
