Chu Suanzi

Chu Suanzi
褚蒜子
Empress dowager of the Eastern Jin Dynasty
Tenure18 November 344 – 5 July 384
PredecessorEmpress Yu Wenjun
SuccessorLi Lingrong
Regent of the Eastern Jin Dynasty
Reign344–357, 364–366, 373–376
MonarchsEmperor Mu
Emperor Ai
Emperor Fei
Emperor Xiaowu
Empress consort of the Eastern Jin dynasty
Tenure10 February 343 – 18 November 344
PredecessorEmpress Du Lingyang
SuccessorEmpress He Fani
Born324
Died5 July 384(384-07-05) (aged 59–60)
Jiankang, Eastern Jin
SpouseEmperor Kang of Jin
IssueEmperor Mu of Jin
Posthumous name
Empress Kangxian (康獻皇后)
FatherChu Pou
MotherXie Zhenshi[1]

Chu Suanzi (Chinese: 褚蒜子; 324[2] – 5 July 384[3]), formally Empress Kangxian (康獻皇后, literally "the joyful and wise empress"), at times as Empress Dowager Chongde (崇德太后), was an empress of the Jin Dynasty (266–420). Her husband was Emperor Kang, and, outliving him by 40 years, she was an empress dowager during the reigns of five emperors, including serving as regents for three of them: her son Emperor Mu (344–357), her nephew Emperor Ai (364–366), and her cousin Emperor Xiaowu (373–376). Despite the power she held, she appeared to largely yield to the judgement of high-level officials who advised her and rarely made decisions on her own.

  1. ^ Xie Shang's biography in Book of Jin recorded that Chu Suanzi was his niece (时康献皇后临朝,即尚之甥也,...) Jin Shu, vol.79. Their father Xie Kun's epitaph recorded that he had only one daughter, named Zhenshi.
  2. ^ According to Empress Chu's biography in Book of Jin, she was 61 (by East Asian reckoning) when she died. (太元九年,崩于显阳殿,年六十一...) Jin Shu, vol.32. Thus by calculation, her birth year should be 324.
  3. ^ According to Sima Yao's biography in Book of Jin, Empress Chu died on the guichou day in the 6th month of the 9th year of the Taiyuan era of Yao's reign. This corresponds to 5 Jul 384 in the Julian calendar. [(太元九年)六月癸丑朔,崇德皇太后褚氏崩。] Jin Shu, vol.09