| NAME | |
|---|---|
| Chinese Name | 吕雉, 呂雉, Lǚ Zhì |
| Other name | Lã Hậu Lã Trĩ |
| Courtesy name | 娥姁, 娥姁, Éxǔ, E Xu, tự Nga Hủ |
| INFORMATION | |
| Born | 241 BC |
| Birth Place | Shanfu, Dang Commandery (砀郡单父; huyện Đơn Phụ, quận Đãng) |
| Died | 180 BC |
| Death Reason | Illness (rabies/phobia recorded in legend) |
| FAMILY | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | |
| Relatives | |
| CAREER | |
| Allegiance | Western Han |
Empress Lü (吕后 / 吕雉, Lữ hậu / Lữ Trĩ; 241–180 BC; posthumously Empress Gao 高皇后), native of Shanfu, was the formidable founding empress of the Western Han Dynasty, principal wife of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, and the first woman to rule China as supreme imperial sovereign, presiding over the court for fifteen years (195–180 BC).
Enduring grueling poverty and years of harsh captivity under Xiang Yu during the Chu-Han Contention, Empress Lü was a seasoned, iron-willed political strategist. Following the founding of Han, she ruthlessly eliminated threats to the imperial throne: in 196 BC, she colluded with Chancellor Xiao He (Xiao He) to lure Grand General Han Xin into the Bell Chamber of Changle Palace, executing him on treason charges, and ordered the execution of Peng Yue. Following Liu Bang’s death, she unleashed ferocious vengeance upon her former rival Consort Qi, poisoning young prince Liu Ruyi and ordering Consort Qi’s limbs amputated, eyes gouged out, vocal cords burned, and throwing her into a latrine as a ‘human swine’ (人彘).
When her gentle son Emperor Hui (Liu Ying) saw the horrific spectacle, he was psychologically destroyed, weeping that no human could rule thus, and died young in grief. Empress Lü then held supreme imperial power directly, issuing imperial decrees in her own name and elevating the Lü clan to kingly ranks. Despite her terrifying cruelty toward internal rivals, Sima Qian praised her national administration: she continued the Daoist policy of non-action (*wuwei*), reduced taxes, lowered statutory penalties, and fostered agricultural recovery, leaving the empire wealthy and peaceful before her death in 180 BC.
Role in History (Shiji)
Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji, vol. 9, Annals of Empress Lü): Sima Qian wrote: “Empress Gao was a woman of iron resolve. She assisted Emperor Gaozu in stabilizing the realm, eliminating powerful generals. When Emperor Hui passed, she ruled the empire from behind the silk screen; punishments were rarely employed, the people prospered in the fields, and granaries overflowed with food.”
Empress Lü — Historical & Literary Timeline
241 BC
Birth in Shanfu
Born to gentry patriarch Lü Wen; married to humble village patrol officer Liu Bang.
205–203 BC
Captivity under Xiang Yu
Held hostage in Western Chu camps; endures threats of execution with stoic courage.
196 BC
The Execution of Han Xin
Lures Han Xin into Changle Palace with Xiao He; executes the supreme general.
195 BC
Empress Dowager & The Human Swine
Liu Bang dies; poisons Liu Ruyi and mutilates Consort Qi into a ‘human swine’.
188–180 BC
Supreme Imperial Rule
Presides over court directly following Emperor Hui’s death; ennobles the Lü clan.
180 BC
Passing in Chang’an
Passes away at age sixty-two; the Lü clan is exterminated in the subsequent restoration.
Key Relationships
Family
- Husband Liu Bang (刘邦, Lưu Bang – Emperor Gaozu): Founding emperor of Han.
- Son Liu Ying (Emperor Hui of Han): Gentle emperor psychologically broken by the human swine atrocity.
- Daughter Princess Luyuan (鲁元公主): Only daughter whom she fiercely protected from nomadic marriage.
- Brothers Lü Ze (吕泽), Lü Chan (吕产), Lü Lu (吕禄): Commanders elevated to princely ranks during her regency.
Friends
- Founding Chancellor Xiao He (萧何): Collaborated with her to eliminate Han Xin.
- Trusted Minister Shen Yiji (审食其, Thẩm Thực Kỳ): Loyal confidant who served her through Chu captivity.
Enemies
- Mutilated Rival Consort Qi (戚夫人, Thích phu nhân): Liu Bang’s beloved concubine, horrifically turned into a ‘human swine’.
- Poisoned Prince Liu Ruyi (刘如意): Son of Consort Qi, poisoned in Chang’an.
- Executed General Han Xin (韩信 – Marquis of Huaiyin): Grand General lured and executed in Changle Palace.
Other
- Imperial Successor Liu Heng (Emperor Wen): Enthroned after the fall of the Lü clan.
In Shiji
The Terror of the Human Swine
"She severed her limbs, gouged out her eyes, burned her ears with smoke, poured medicine down her throat to silence her tongue, and cast her into the latrine, calling her the Human Swine. Emperor Hui wept bitterly, crying: 'This is not the deed of a human being!'"
Historical Significance
Empress Lü was the first female ruler of unified China, establishing the template for imperial empress dowager regencies while ensuring the economic stabilization of the early Han Dynasty.
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