Why was Empress Chen, who once hid in the Golden House, deposed? The result?
In the long history of China, Empress Chen of Emperor Liu Che of the Han Dynasty is undoubtedly a legendary figure. She was once famous for the allusion of "the golden house hides the beauty", but in the end she was abolished. This article will delve into the reasons why Empress Chen was deposed and her ultimate fate.
1. The Legend of Empress Chen and the "Golden House Treasure"
Empress Chen, whose name is unknown, was originally from Dongyang County (now Tianchang, Anhui), and was the first empress of Emperor Liu Che of the Han Dynasty. She was born in a noble family, and was the daughter of Chen Wu, the Marquis of Tangyi, and Liu Yan, the eldest princess of Guantao. When Liu Che was a child, his grandmother Empress Dowager Dou asked him what kind of daughter-in-law he wanted to marry when he grew up, and Liu Che replied that he wanted to marry his cousin Gillian as his wife, and built a golden house for Chen Gillian.
During the reign of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, Empress Chen married the crown prince Liu Che as the crown princess. In the first year of the founding of the Yuan Dynasty (140 BC), Liu Che ascended the throne as Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and Empress Chen was also made empress. However, this seemingly happy marriage did not last long.
2. The reason for Empress Chen's depose
Arrogant and spoiled, jealous and childless
Empress Chen believed that her mother was kind to Liu Che, and she was arrogant and favored, which aroused Liu Che's disgust. She is not tolerant of people and is unwilling to share her husband with other harem women, which is very inconsistent with the ancient definition of the queen's deference and generosity, and also makes her known as "jealous". In addition, Empress Chen did not come out all the year round, which was regarded as a great sin of the empress in ancient times. It is difficult for a childless queen to gain a foothold in the harem and even more difficult to maintain her status.
The witch said flatteringly, causing trouble in the harem
In the third year of the founding of the Yuan Dynasty, the singer Wei Zifu in the palace of Princess Pingyang won the favor of Emperor Wu and became pregnant with an heir. Empress Chen was jealous of Wei Zifu because of this, and the princess of the pavilion sent people to arrest Wei Zifu's younger brother Wei Qing, wanting to kill Wei Qing to intimidate Wei Zifu. This kind of arrogant behavior that no one has in his eyes made Emperor Wu gradually snub Empress Chen. After Empress Chen fell out of favor, she felt unwilling, and gradually pinned her hopes on witchcraft. She learns the art of charm and is taught by some witches to curse the concubines favored by Emperor Wu with spells. This behavior seriously violated the rules of the court and also angered Emperor Wu of Han.
The emperor intended to strike at the forces of his relatives
In addition to Empress Chen's own problems, another reason why Emperor Wu of Han deposed her was also due to political considerations. Emperor Wu of Han needed a wise and wise person to manage the harem, but Empress Chen obviously did not possess this ability. At the same time, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty also had the intention of taking the opportunity to attack the forces of his relatives. Empress Chen's mother, Princess Guantao, was one of the relatives of the Han Dynasty, and her family had a certain influence in the court. By deposing Empress Chen, Emperor Wu of Han could weaken the influence of his relatives in the court, thereby strengthening his imperial power.
3. The ultimate fate of Empress Chen
In the fifth year of Yuanguang (130 BC), Empress Chen's witchcraft was discovered. In the face of conclusive evidence, she was demoted to a concubine and imprisoned in Nagato Palace. Since then, the once beautiful queen has begun her miserable old age. During the three years from Yuan Ding to Yuan Feng (116 BC-107 BC), Empress Chen died. The exact cause of her death is not well documented, but it is conceivable that her life must have been full of pain and suffering in the days of loss of status and favor.
The story of Empress Chen has left us with a profound enlightenment: even a queen with a noble background and a respected status cannot be pampered and arrogant, jealous and childless, and cause trouble in the harem. Only by maintaining the qualities of humility, deference, and generosity can you win the favor of your husband and the respect of the court. At the same time, it also reflects the ruthlessness and cruelty of ancient imperial power and the difficult situation of women in the court.
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