We read all the lead to present a different history.
Throughout history, most of the emperor's harem concubines came from famous families, and the empress's birth was often more noble. The reason why there are strict requirements for the origin of empresses is not only because they have received strict etiquette education from an early age, suitable for entering the palace to manage the harem and solve problems for the emperor, but also the emperor often needs to consolidate his rule through political marriage. However, there have also been some empresses born of commoners in history, and in the five dynasties period at the end of the Tang Dynasty, there was such an empress who was born from a commoner, she was born in a peasant family, but she was snatched as a wife by a pawn, and the pawn turned over and became the emperor, and she also became an empress.
▲Ming Dynasty empress stills
This poor couple is Liu Zhiyuan and his wife Li Sanniang. Liu Zhiyuan, whose ancestral home is Taiyuan, Hedong, is a native of Shatuo. Liu Zhiyuan grew up in a poor family, and at that time, the Jin king Li Ke used to divide Taiyuan, and Liu Zhiyuan was a pawn under Li Ke's adopted son Li Siyuan (later Tang Mingzong), who was mainly responsible for raising horses in the army. When Liu Zhiyuan was herding horses in Jinyang, he met Li Sanniang one day, and he fell in love at first sight.
▲ "White Rabbit" Liu Zhiyuan and Li Sanniang dressed up
For several days after that, Liu Zhiyuan did not think about tea and dinner all day, and kept thinking about the Li Sanniang he saw that day, and finally he plucked up the courage to entrust someone to propose to Li Sanniang's family, and learned that Liu Zhiyuan was only a pawn, and Li Sanniang's parents resolutely refused. In desperation, Liu Zhiyuan, who was eager to ask for relatives, had to call a partner and sneak into Li's house one night to kidnap Li Sanniang. The story of the couple's union has been relished by later generations, and even made up classic songs such as "The White Rabbit".
▲ Portrait of Shi Jingyao of the Later Tang Dynasty
In the course of the ensuing battles, Liu Zhiyuan was promoted to the rank of Yamen Du (雅門都校) for his meritorious efforts in saving Li Siyuan's general Shi Jingyao (石敬瑭), and later promoted to commander of the Ma Infantry Army. In the third year of the Later Tang Dynasty (936 AD), with the help of the Khitan army, Shi Jingyao attacked the Later Tang and established the Later Jin Dynasty as emperor in Taiyuan. As a founding hero and a confidant of Shi Jingyao, Liu Zhiyuan continued to improve his official position, successively serving as the inspector sikong, the bodyguard Ma Budu commanding envoy, and the Xuzhou Jiedu envoy, and jumped from a low-status pawn to a prominent person.
▲Murals of war scenes from the five dynasties period at the end of the Tang Dynasty
After Shi Jingyao's death, his adopted son Shi Chonggui succeeded to the throne, and Liu Zhiyuan moved to the post of Inspector Taishi and took the throne as Zhongshu Ling. For his merits in repelling the Khitan army, Liu Zhiyuan was made the Prince of Beiping Commandery and a Lieutenant, and his wife Li Sanniang was also named Lady of the State of Wei, obtaining the highest status that an ordinary woman could achieve in feudal society. On the first day of the first lunar month in the fourth year of the Later Jin Dynasty (947 AD), the Khitan army launched another attack, and the capital of the Later Jin fell, and Shi Chonggui was also captured by the Khitan army, and the Later Jin was completely destroyed. On February 1 of the same year, Emperor Taizong of Liao, Yelü Deguang, received a courtesy from his courtiers at the Chongzheng Hall, officially ascended the throne as emperor, and changed the State of Jin to the State of Great Liao.
▲ Wax statue of Khitan nobles
Liu Zhiyuan judged the situation and knew that it was impossible to resist, so he took the initiative to send his confidant Wang Jun to express his intention of surrendering. Yelü Deguang was very happy to see the envoy, and not only issued an edict praising Liu Zhiyuan, but also rewarding him with a wooden crutch (similar to a false festival). After Wang Jun returned, he informed Liu Zhiyuan of the current situation in the Khitan and said that the Khitan was in internal chaos, and at this time he did not have the heart to occupy the Central Plains, so he suggested that Liu Zhiyuan take the opportunity to start the state. In February of the same year, Liu Zhiyuan was proclaimed emperor in Taiyuan with the support of everyone, and Li Sanniang became empress. In order to win the hearts and minds of the people and consolidate the power, Liu Zhiyuan did not rush to change the name of the country, but only abandoned the era name of Shi Chonggui and used the era name of Shi Jingyao, the ancestor of the Later Jin Dynasty, called Tianfu Twelve Years. After Liu Zhiyuan ascended the throne, he took a series of measures to execute all the Khitan people in the territory, and many of the later Jin courtiers were relieved to learn of this and came to surrender.
▲Liu Zhiyuan stills
Unfortunately, Liu Zhiyuan died of illness after only one year on the throne, and the crown prince Liu Chengyou succeeded him (for Emperor Yin of Later Han) and honored his mother Li Sanniang as empress dowager. During the reign of The Later Han Emperor Liu Chengyou, many wrong decisions were made due to listening to the traitorous ministers Guo Yunming, Li Ye, and others. At the instigation of the two, Liu Chengyou prepared to get rid of the Privy Counsellor Yang Ying and Du Commander Shi Hongzhao and others. When Empress Li found out, she tried her best to persuade liu Chengyou to consult with the courtiers, but Emperor Yin refuted that "why bother with the boudoir", saying that he would leave with his sleeves covered. After getting rid of Yang And Shi Hongzhao, Emperor Yin planned to put Guo Wei to death. Empress Li once again stepped forward to dissuade: "Guo Wei's family, if it is not his danger, why should he be here!" However, Liu Chengyou still did not listen, and ordered the entire clan to be killed in the name of Guo Wei's rebellion.
▲ Qing people painted a statue of Guo Wei of the Later Zhou Taizu
When Guo Wei learned of this, he was furious and resolutely raised an army, and finally attacked the Kaifeng and destroyed Hou Han. Afterwards, Guo Wei sent people to honor Empress Li, and in her name issued an edict to establish Gaozu's adopted son and Xuzhou Jiedu to make Liu Yun emperor, and Empress Li was put in charge of the dynasty. After Guo Wei was ordered to return from the Khitan expedition, he enjoyed extremely high prestige in the army and won the hearts and minds of the people of the world. The clever Empress Li knew that the overall situation had been decided, so she demoted Liu Yun to the title of Duke of Xiangyin, and moved to the Taiping Palace herself, indicating that she had no intention of interfering in politics. Guo Wei then honored Empress Li as his adoptive mother and gave her the title of "Empress Dowager Zhaosheng". In the first year of Guangshun (951 AD), Guo Wei officially declared himself emperor, and because Li Sanniang had tried his best to dissuade Liu Chengyou from acting against Guo Wei's family, Guo Wei remembered his kindness and continued to honor Li Sanniang as Empress Li. In this way, Li Sanniang became one of the rare empresses of the two dynasties in history because of her benevolent heart.
Resources:
"The History of the Old Five Dynasties: The Chronicle of the Hidden Emperor", "The History of the New Five Dynasties, Volume 18, The Biography of the Han Family, the Sixth Empress Gaozu, Empress Li"
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