Chronicles of Changes: The Transforming Image of Empress Liu in the Northern Song [1033-1089]

Empress Liu (969-1033, r. 1022-1033), the first empress regent of the Song (960-1279), is generally viewed by contemporary scholars as the exemplary precedent for empress regency in the dynasty. However, contradictory Song sources reveal that her reputation was divided between that of a benevolent mother-empress who nurtured the emperor and stabilized the state, and a woman who exceeded boundaries with a strong desire for power. This thesis explains this contradiction by demonstrating that Empress Liu’s image underwent a transformation from 1033 to 1089. It argues that, over nearly sixty years, Song scholar-officials continually reshaped her image to better align with their Confucian ideals and the shifting political circumstances during the reigns of Renzong (1010-1063, r. 1022-1063), Yingzong (1032-1067, r. 1063-1067), and Zhezong (1077-1100, r. 1085-1100), three reigns that witnessed three empress regencies. Spanning the Mingdao (1032-1033) to Yuanyou (1086-1094) eras, diverse sources, including epitaphs, anecdotes, petitions, and imperial edicts, present varying portrayals of Empress Liu’s image and actions. Individually, each source represents a distinct moment in this transformation. Collectively, they reveal how her image was gradually reshaped from a flawed empress who exceeded her proper boundaries into a virtuous protector of the Song, unmatched by any later empress of the dynasty.