Consort Liang (梁貴人, personal name unknown) (62(?)-83?), posthumous title Empress Gonghuai (恭懷皇后, literally, "empress of reverent recollection"), was an imperial consort to

Emperor Zhang of Han Emperor Zhang of Han (; 56 – 9 April 88), born Liu Da (), was an emperor of the Chinese Han dynasty from 75 to 88. He was the third emperor of the Eastern Han. Emperor Zhang was a hardworking and diligent emperor. He reduced taxes and paid ...

. She gave birth to his son Liu Zhao (劉肇) in 79, but her son was adopted by Emperor Zhang's wife Empress Dou and would not know his birth mother's identity until a long time later, after he became emperor (as Emperor He).

Life

Consort Liang was a daughter of Liang Song (梁竦), the son of one of

Emperor Guangwu Emperor Guangwu of Han (; 15 January 5 BC – 29 March AD 57), born Liu Xiu (), courtesy name Wenshu (), was a Chinese monarch. He served as an emperor of the Han dynasty by restoring the dynasty in AD 25, thus founding the Eastern Han (Later ...

's officials, Liang Tong (梁統). When she was 15, in 77, both she and her older sister became consort to Emperor Zhang (who was then 20). At the time Consort Liang's son Prince Zhao was adopted by Empress Dou, Emperor Zhang had already created his son Liu Qing (劉慶), by another favorite, Consort Song,

crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the w ...

. Empress Dou made false accusations against Consort Song and her sister (also an imperial consort), however, and the Consorts Song were forced to commit suicide in 82. Crown Prince Qing was deposed, and Prince Zhao was created crown prince in his stead. The Liang clan did not dare to celebrate openly, but they were happy about that development. Empress Dou and her clan were not pleased, and, wanting to make sure that the Liangs would not step in and exert influence on the young prince, they also made false accusations against Liang Song, and he was arrested and died in prison in 83. His family was exiled to modern northern

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...

. Consort Liang and her sister died in sadness, probably in 83 as well. Her son would succeed to the throne in 88, believing that Empress Dowager Dou was his mother. After Empress Dowager Dou died in 97, officials revealed to Emperor He that Consort Liang was actually his birth mother. While Emperor He rejected a recommendation to posthumously demote Empress Dowager Dou, he reburied his mother and aunt with great honors (but not with his father -- that honor was reserved for Empress Dowager Dou, as his father's wife). He also posthumously rewarded his mother the title of empress.''Empresses and Consorts: Selections from

Chen Shou Chen Shou (; 233–297), courtesy name Chengzuo (), was a Chinese historian, politician, and writer who lived during the Three Kingdoms period and Jin dynasty of China. Chen Shou is most known for his most celebrated work, the '' Records of ...

's Records of the Three States with

Pei Songzhi Pei Songzhi (372–451), courtesy name Shiqi, was a Chinese historian and politician who lived in the late Eastern Jin dynasty and Liu Song dynasty. His ancestral home was in Wenxi County, Shanxi, but he moved to the Jiangnan region late ...

's Commentary'', translated by Robert Joe Cutter and William Gordon Crowell (University of Hawaii Press, 1999), p. 116.

References

62 births 83 deaths Han dynasty imperial consorts 1st-century Chinese women 1st-century Chinese people Han dynasty posthumous empresses {{China-royal-stub