Empress Lü Zhi

Who was Empress Lü Zhi?

Lü Zhi, courtesy name Exu, commonly known as Empress Lü and Empress Dowager Lü, or formally Empress Gao of Han, was the empress consort of Emperor Gaozu, the founder and first ruler of the Han Dynasty. They had two known children, Liu Ying and Princess Yuan of Lu. Lü Zhi was the first woman to assume the title Empress of China. After Emperor Gaozu's death, she was honoured as Empress Dowager and later as Grand Empress Dowager respectively during the short reigns of Emperor Hui and his successors Liu Gong and Liu Hong.

Less than a year after Emperor Hui's accession to the throne in 194 BC, Lü Zhi had Concubine Qi, whom she deeply hated, put to death in a cruel manner. She also had Concubine Qi's son Liu Ruyi poisoned to death. Emperor Hui was shocked by his mother's cruelty and fell sick for a year, and thereafter no longer became involved in state affairs. Lü Zhi dominated the political scene for 15 years until her death in 180 BC.