Royals › Empress / Consort
Lu Zhi
Empress of Liu Bang and mother of Emperor Hui who, after her son's death, ruled the Han court as regent for eight years and made her Lu kinsmen kings
In a spring palace garden, a pavilion with round windows stands over a pond of goldfish; a peony-painted round fan, a zither and a lacquer box of pearl hairpins lie in the foreground, and one small figure in a long-sleeved gown stands at the far end of a covered walkway.
Also known as Lu Hou
Lu Zhi, courtesy name Exu, daughter of Lord Lu of Shanfu, married Liu Bang before his rise and bore the future Emperor Hui and Princess Yuan of Lu. Xiang Yu held her hostage during the Chu-Han war, and when Liu Bang became emperor in 202 BCE she was made empress; she helped bring about the deaths of Han Xin and Peng Yue. Once her son took the throne in 195 BCE she poisoned Liu Ruyi, Prince of Zhao, and mutilated his mother, Lady Qi. After Emperor Hui died in 188 BCE she set up two child emperors and ruled in her own name for eight years, made Lu Tai, Lu Chan and Lu Lu kings, and abolished the punishment of the three kindreds. She died in 180 BCE and was buried with Liu Bang at the Changling; Zhou Bo and Chen Ping then destroyed her clan and enthroned Liu Heng. Sima Qian gave her a basic annal of her own and wrote that under her the realm was at peace.
Life and times
Dates Birth unknown–180 BCE