Beneath the Phoenix Crown
Behind the splendor of the imperial crown, not every empress lived up to the ideal of virtue and dignity.
Within the secretive and ruthless world of the imperial harem, power and desire often intertwined in ways that shattered moral boundaries. Some women murdered their own children for power, manipulated emperors, or even turned the palace into a theater of intrigue and lust.
From poison and betrayal to political coups and moral collapse, these six empresses became notorious figures in Chinese history—symbols of how absolute power could corrupt absolutely.
1. Empress Jia Nanfeng — The Tyrant Behind the Throne (Western Jin Dynasty)
Born into the powerful Jia family, Jia Nanfeng married Emperor Hui of Jin, a weak and impressionable ruler. Cunning and jealous, she once killed a pregnant concubine with her own hands and later seized power through a bloody coup that eliminated high-ranking ministers and even imperial princes.
To maintain control, Jia indulged in debauchery, secretly bringing young men into the palace for pleasure before executing them to silence witnesses. Her most infamous act was framing and poisoning the crown prince, her husband’s eldest son.
Her decade-long rule plunged the Jin court into chaos, sparking the War of the Eight Princes, a devastating civil conflict that ultimately led to the collapse of the Western Jin dynasty.
2. Wu Zetian — The Only Female Emperor in Chinese History (Tang Dynasty)
A figure both admired and condemned, Wu Zetian rose from concubine to become the only woman in Chinese history to rule as emperor. Brilliant yet ruthless, she allegedly killed her own infant daughter to frame the reigning empress, paving her path to power.
As empress and later emperor, she executed royal family members, empowered secret police, and elevated her male favorites, the Zhang brothers, to high office.
Yet, Wu was also a reformer—introducing imperial examinations, promoting capable officials regardless of birth, and supporting agriculture and education. Her reign remains one of the most debated: a mix of political achievement and moral controversy.
3. Empress Dowager Hu — From Savior to Sinner (Northern Wei Dynasty)
Born to a noble family, Hu Chonghua challenged the “mother must die when the prince is born” custom to give birth to Emperor Xiaoming and survive. Initially praised for her political skill, she later became obsessed with power and pleasure.
She openly took lovers, including high-ranking officials, and murdered her own son, the emperor, when he tried to reclaim authority.
Her final act of betrayal triggered the Heyin Massacre (528 CE), where thousands of officials were slaughtered. Her corruption and moral decay accelerated the fall of Northern Wei.
4. Empress Hu — The Queen Who Became a Brothel Madam (Northern Qi Dynasty)
Another empress surnamed Hu, she first gained influence as the wife of Emperor Wucheng. Known for her promiscuity and shamelessness, she conducted open affairs with courtiers and monks alike.
After the fall of Northern Qi, she was captured and taken to Chang’an. There, she and her daughter-in-law opened a brothel, where she reportedly bragged,
“It is more joyful to be a courtesan than an empress.”
Her shocking downfall—from imperial matron to prostitute—remains one of the most scandalous episodes in Chinese imperial history.
5. Empress Wei — The Ambitious Copy of Wu Zetian (Tang Dynasty)
Empress Wei, wife of Emperor Zhongzong, spent years in exile before returning to power. Once back, she quickly became the real ruler of the court. She colluded with Wu Sansi, nephew of Wu Zetian, engaging in political and romantic entanglements that destabilized the empire.
She and her daughter, Princess Anle, sold official positions and flaunted extravagant luxuries. Historical records suggest they poisoned Emperor Zhongzong to seize control.
Her attempt to emulate Wu Zetian’s rule lasted only sixteen days before she was overthrown and killed during the Tanglong Coup, led by Li Longji (Emperor Xuanzong) and Princess Taiping.
6. Empress Feng — The Cursed Consort of Emperor Xiaowen (Northern Wei Dynasty)
Empress Feng, niece of the powerful Empress Dowager Wenming, was known for beauty and intelligence. But her story turned dark when she had an affair with a eunuch, used witchcraft to curse the emperor, and eventually provoked his death.
Though Emperor Xiaowen spared her dignity in life, he later ordered her execution before his death, declaring she had “abandoned the virtue of womanhood.”
Her fall marked a tragic end to the emperor’s reformist era, as the Northern Wei soon descended into rebellion and fragmentation.
The Dark Mirror of Imperial Power
From Jia Nanfeng’s cruelty to Wu Zetian’s manipulation, and from Hu’s decadence to Empress Wei’s fatal ambition, these women reveal a disturbing truth about imperial history:
When power becomes an obsession, morality and humanity often collapse under its weight.
They were not merely “wicked women,” but reflections of the toxic intersection between politics, patriarchy, and personal desire in ancient China.
References:
- Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance)
- Book of Jin, Book of Tang, Book of Wei
- Academic commentary on imperial politics, Peking University Historical Review
