Consort Bo | |||||
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Empress dowager of China | |||||
Tenure | 180–157 BC | ||||
Grand empress dowager of China | |||||
Tenure | 157 – 9 June 155 BC | ||||
Predecessor | Empress Lü Zhi | ||||
Successor | Empress Dou | ||||
Died | 9 June 155 BC[1] | ||||
Spouse | Wei Bao, Prince of Western Wei Emperor Gaozu of Han | ||||
Issue | Emperor Wen of Han | ||||
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Father | Lord Bo, Marquess of Linwen | ||||
Mother | Lady Wei, Marchioness of Linwen |
Empress Dowager Bo (薄太后), personal name lost into history, was an imperial concubine of Emperor Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang). She was also known as Consort Bo (薄姬) during the life of the Emperor, and more formally as either Empress Dowager Xiaowen (孝文太后) or (rarer) Empress Gao (高皇后). Despite being a concubine of lower standing, her son, Liu Heng, became Emperor Wen of Han, cementing her place in history. The year of her birth is not known. She died on 9 June 155 BC.
Empress Dowager Bo is formally the first grand empress dowager in Chinese history, as Empress Dowager Lü, the only other empress dowager till then who lived to see her grandson become emperor, never claimed the title.