The
Northern Zhou dynasty
Zhou (), known in historiography as the Northern Zhou (), was a Xianbei-led dynasty of China that lasted from 557 to 581. One of the Northern dynasties of China's Northern and Southern dynasties period, it succeeded the Western Wei dynasty an ...
of China had nine
empresses consort in its history (although the first two used the alternative title of "Heavenly Princess" (天王后, ''Tian Wanghou''), five of whom were the wives of emperors:
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Yuan Humo
Yuan Humo, also known Tuoba Humo, (; died 616) was an empress of the Xianbei-led Chinese Northern Zhou dynasty (although during her husband Emperor Xiaomin (Yuwen Jue)'s reign, her title was actually "princess" since he used the alternative title ...
(r. 557), the wife of
Emperor Xiaomin.
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Empress Dugu (r. 558), the wife of
Emperor Ming.
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Empress Ashina
Empress Ashina (阿史那皇后, personal name unknown) (551–582) was an empress of the Xianbei-led Chinese Northern Zhou dynasty. She was the daughter of Göktürk's Muqan Qaghan, and her husband was Emperor Wu.
Biography
She was born in 551 ...
(r. 568-578), the wife of
Emperor Wu.
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Yang Lihua
Yang Lihua (; 561–609) was an empress of the Xianbei-led Chinese Northern Zhou dynasty, and later a princess of Sui dynasty. Her husband was Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou (Yuwen Yun), and her father was Yang Jian who later usurped the Northe ...
(r. 578-579), the wife of
Emperor Xuan.
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Sima Lingji
Sima Lingji () (570s to 630s) was, briefly, an empress of the Xianbei-led Northern Zhou dynasty of China. Her husband was Emperor Jing, the final emperor of the dynasty.
Sima Lingji was the daughter of the Northern Zhou general Sima Xiaonan () t ...
(r. 579-580), the wife of
Emperor Jing.
Further, Emperor Xuan, after he had become
retired emperor
Retired Emperor, Grand Emperor, or Emperor Emeritus is a title occasionally used by the monarchical regimes in the Sinosphere for former emperors who had (at least in name) abdicated voluntarily to another member of the same clan, usually their s ...
, created four of his
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.
Concubi ...
s empresses as well, in contravention to the convention of having only the emperor's wife being empress:
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Chen Yueyi Chen Yueyi (; 565?-650?), later Buddhist nun name Huaguang (華光), was a concubine of Emperor Xuan of the Northern Zhou dynasty of China.
Chen Yueyi's father was Chen Shanti (陳山提), and she was his eighth daughter. Chen Shanti was initiall ...
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Yuchi Chifan
Yuchi Chifan () or Yuchi Fanchi ()The ''Book of Zhou'' gives her given name as Chifan, while the ''History of Northern Dynasties'' gives her given name as Fanchi. (566–595), later Buddhist nun name Huashou (華首), was a concubine of the Emper ...
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Yuan Leshang
Yuan Leshang (; born 565), later Buddhist nun name Huasheng (華勝), was a concubine of the Emperor Xuan of the Northern Zhou dynasty of China.
Yuan Leshang's father was Yuan Sheng (元晟), a Northern Zhou official and a descendant of the No ...
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Zhu Manyue
Zhu Manyue (; 547–586), later known by her Buddhist name Fajing (法淨), was a concubine of the Emperor Xuan (Yuwen Yun) of the Xianbei-led Northern Zhou dynasty of China. She was the mother of the Emperor Jing (Yuwen Chan).
Zhu Manyue was s ...
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