Empress Lü Zhi Royalty
Lü Zhi (241–180 BC), courtesy name Exu (Chinese: 娥姁; pinyin: Éxǔ), commonly known as Empress Lü (simplified Chinese: 吕后; traditional Chinese: 呂后; pinyin: Lǚ Hòu) and Empress Dowager Lü (simplified Chinese: 吕太后; traditional Chinese: 呂太后; pinyin: Lǚ Tàihòu), or formally Empress Gao of Han (simplified Chinese: 汉高后; traditional Chinese: 漢高后; pinyin: Hàn Gāo Hòu), was the empress consort of Emperor Gaozu, the founder and first ruler of the Han Dynasty. They had two known children, Liu Ying (later Emperor Hui of Han) and Princess Yuan of Lu. Lü Zhi was the first woman to assume the title Empress of China. After Emperor Gaozu's death, she was honoured as Empress Dowager and later as Grand Empress Dowager (太皇太后) during the short reigns of Emperor Hui and his successors Liu Gong (Emperor Qianshao) and Liu Hong (Emperor Houshao).Less than a year after Emperor Hui's accession to the throne in 194 BC, Lü Zhi had Concubine Qi (one of the late Emperor Gaozu's consorts), whom she deeply hated, put to death in a cruel manner. She also had Concubine Qi's son Liu Ruyi poisoned to death. Emperor Hui was shocked by his mother's cruelty and fell sick for a year, and thereafter no longer became involved in state affairs. Lü Zhi dominated the political scene for 15 years until her death in 180 BC.
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