Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi – The legendary Empress Dowager who was regent three times and reigned for over forty years

Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi was one of China’s most legendary figures.^[1] She was also one of China’s most powerful women.^[2] She was the empress to Emperor Kang of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the mother of Emperor Mu.^[3] However, she was regent three times and reigned for over forty years.^[4] She also influenced the reign of six emperors.^[5] Therefore, Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi had many accomplishments.^[6]

In 324 C.E., Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi was born. She was the daughter of Chu Pou (a middle official) and Xie Zhenshi.^[7] Emperor Cheng arranged for Chu Suanzi to marry his younger brother, Sima Yue (the Prince of Langye).^[8] Therefore, Chu Suanzi married him and became the Princess of Langye.^[9] On 26 July 342 C.E., Emperor Cheng died. Emperor Cheng chose his younger brother, Prince Sima Yue, to succeed him rather than his own sons.^[10] On 27 July 342 C.E., Sima Yue ascended the throne as Emperor Kang of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Chu Suanzi became the empress.^[11] In 343 C.E., Empress Chu Suanzi gave birth to a son named Prince Sima Dan (the future Emperor Mu).^[12]

On 17 November 344 C.E., Emperor Kang died. His death left his infant son as the next emperor.^[13] Sima Dan ascended the throne as Emperor Mu. Empress Chu Suanzi was appointed as regent and was made the Empress Dowager.^[14] She was twenty years old.^[15] Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi “put up a white gauze curtain in the Taiji Palace and held court with the emperor in her arms.”^[16] This was “notable”^[17] because she was the “first dowager-regent to separate herself from courtiers with a curtained divide, a practice that became the rule of the Song Dynasty and was one of the most prominent rituals of proper female rulership.”^[18]

In 356 C.E., Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi thought that Emperor Mu was old enough to rule on his own.^[19] She formally stepped down as regent by issuing a decree.^[20] It said:

“Now the Emperor has grown up, so he should assume power. However, China at this time is not a peaceful land. Neighboring states are casting covetous eyes at the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and the common people live in misery. You need to make a concerted effort to assist the Emperor in governing the State. As long as you do so with all your heart, there is no need for my help anymore in government matters. From now on, I will retire and live out the remainder of my life in another place.”^[21]

Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi took up residence in Chongde Palace.^[22] When Emperor Mu had full authority over the country, the Eastern Jin Dynasty was very stable.^[23] This was because Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi worked with the ministers to ensure the stability of the kingdom.^[24] On 10 July 361 C.E., Emperor Mu died of illness at the age of eighteen.^[25] He had no sons.^[26] Therefore, Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi chose Emperor Mu’s twenty-one-year-old cousin, Prince Sima Pi, to be his successor.^[27] Sima Pi ascended the throne as Emperor Ai.

Emperor Ai proved to be a major disappointment for Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi.^[28] Emperor Ai often refused to eat or drink.^[29] Instead, he spent his reign searching for immortality.^[30] One day, he fell gravely ill after taking an immortality pill that was given to him by a magician.^[31] Therefore, he could not handle state affairs.^[32] Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi was chosen as regent for the second time.^[33] On 30 March 365 C.E., Emperor Ai died. Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi chose Emperor Ai’s younger brother, Sima Yi (the Prince of Langye), to be the next emperor.^[34] Sima Yi ascended the throne as Emperor Fei. However, Emperor Fei was merely a puppet.^[35] The real ruler was Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi.^[36]

During Emperor Fei’s reign, General Huan Wen desired to have sole power over the Eastern Jin Dynasty.^[37] He plotted to overthrow Emperor Fei and choose a puppet emperor whom he could control.^[38] General Huan Wen spread rumours that Emperor Fei was impotent.^[39] He claimed that Emperor Fei’s sons were not actually his own.^[40] Instead, they were the sons of his supporters whom he adopted.^[41] These rumours spread doubt in the people’s minds about their Emperor.^[42] They began to view him as incompetent.^[43] Thus, these rumours paved the way for Emperor Fei’s deposition and for General Huan to choose a puppet ruler.^[44] However, General Huan Wen still needed Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi’s support.^[45]

One day in 371 C.E., General Huan Wen gave a proposed edict to Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi while she was praying in her Buddhist shrine in her palace.^[46] This proposed edict was about Emperor Fei’s deposition.^[47] She signed it and included a few more sentences.^[48] She wrote:

“This poor widow has suffered more than a hundred kinds of grief. When I consider the two who have died and those who still live, my heart feels like it is being cut by knives.”^[49]

General Huan Wen was very happy that Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi agreed with his plan because he feared that she would refuse.^[50] However, Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi was afraid to oppose General Huan Wen.^[51] She believed that if she took action against him, then she would be defeated and would suffer the consequences.^[52] Therefore, she felt that she had no choice but to go along with his plan.^[53] After gaining Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi’s support, General Huan Wen deposed Emperor Fei on 6 January 372 C.E.^[54] He installed Emperor Fei’s fifty-year-old grand uncle, Sima Yu, on the throne. Sima Yu ascended the throne as Emperor Jianwen.^[55]

Emperor Jianwen gave Chu Suanzi the title of Empress Dowager Chongde.^[56] However, Emperor Jianwen had no power.^[57] He was merely a puppet emperor under General Huan Wen, who was made regent.^[58] Throughout Emperor Jianwen’s short, eight-month reign, he never had power.^[59] On 12 September 372 C.E., Emperor Jianwen died. He was succeeded by his son, Sima Yao. He ascended the throne as Emperor Xiaowu.

On 13 August 373 C.E., General Huan Wen died. This left the regent position vacant because Emperor Xiaowu was still too young to reign on his own.^[60] The ministers chose Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi to be regent again.^[61] This was Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi’s third and final time as regent.^[62] During her final regency, The Former Qin Dynasty attempted to invade the Eastern Jin Dynasty.^[63] The Former Qin had 600,000 infantry and 270,000 cavalry.^[64] These troops were led by Fu Jian.^[65] However, a minister of the Eastern Jin Dynasty named Xie An defeated the Former Qin Dynasty with only 80,000 troops.^[66] This battle was known as the Feizhou Battle.^[67] It became famous in history because a small army managed to defeat a large army.^[68]

In 376 C.E., Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi stepped down as regent and let Emperor Xiaowu reign on his own.^[69] She would never hold power again.^[70] On 5 July 384 C.E., Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi died in Xianyang Palace.^[71] She was sixty years old.^[72] She was buried beside her husband on Mound Chongping.^[73]

Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi’s long regency helped stabilise the Eastern Jin Dynasty.^[74] Whenever the dynasty experienced a crisis, Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi solved it.^[75] It is clear that Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi was a talented and capable politician.^[76] She put the needs of her dynasty first before her own personal needs.^[77] Therefore, Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi “is an extremely important figure in ancient times.”^[78] She is truly one of China’s greatest rulers.^[79]

Sources:

McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.

Ping, S. (2010). The Feudal Empresses of Ancient China (English Edition). Beijing, China: China Intercontinental Press.

Theobald, U. (2018, June 23). “Jin Kangdi 晉康帝 Sima Yue 司馬岳”. Chinaknowledge.de- An Encyclopedia on Chinese History, Literature, and Art. Retrieved on May 10, 2025 from  http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/personsjinkangdi.html.