Empress Gan – Emperor Liu Bei of the Shu’s Kingdom posthumous Empress who was as beautiful as a jade figurine

Empress Gan was the posthumous empress to Emperor Liu Bei of the Shu kingdom during the Three Kingdoms era. She was a commoner but was said to be very beautiful.^[1] She was originally Emperor Liu Bei’s concubine.^[2] Even though she assumed the duties of a principal wife, he never elevated her to that position.^[3] Yet, Empress Gan proved to be very faithful to Emperor Liu Bei.^[4]

Empress Gan lived during the fall of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era.^[5] During this period, the Eastern Han Dynasty was weak due to internal politics and peasant rebellions.^[6] This would cause China to be broken into three kingdoms: Wei (in the northern region of Han China), Shu (in the western region of Han China) and Wu (in the southern and eastern regions of Han China).^[7] China would not be reunified until 581 C.E. Still, it did not mean that men did not try to reunify the country. One of these men was Liu Bei, who was an imperial member of the Eastern Han Dynasty.^[8]

In circa 180 C.E., Empress Gan was born in Pei (modern-day Jiangsu Province).^[9] Her personal name is unknown.^[10] She was from the Gan family, who were commoners.^[11] When Lady Gan was eighteen, she was said to be “seductive and bewitching, with a beautiful body and skin.”^[12]  In 194 C.E., Liu Bei visited the region.^[13] He made Lady Gan his concubine after he controlled Yuzhou.^[14]

It was said that Liu Bei kept a jade figurine in Lady Gan’s apartment, and he spent his nights there.^[15] It was said that “Lady Gan’s body was white and sleek as a jade figurine and that it was difficult to tell them apart.”^[16] This caused Liu Bei’s other concubines to be jealous of her.^[17] Lady Gan reprimanded Liu Bei to stop admiring the jade figurine.^[18] She told him that “infatuation gives rise to suspicion.”^[19] Therefore, Liu Bei listened to Lady Gan and disposed of the jade figurine.^[20]

Lady Gan gradually assumed the duties of a principal wife.^[21] However, he never made her his principal wife.^[22] Instead, he had three known principal wives.^[23] Lady Mi, Lady Sun, and Lady Wu (who would eventually be Empress Wu).^[24] In 200 C.E., Lady Gan accompanied Liu Bei to Jingzhou.^[25] In 207 C.E., she gave birth to a son named Liu Shan (the future Emperor Gongsi).^[26] During the Battle of Changban in 208 C.E., Liu Bei was forced to abandon Lady Gan and Liu Shan.^[27] They were rescued by Zhao Yun.^[28] Lady Gan died circa 210 C.E.^[29] She was buried in Nan Commandery (modern-day Henan Province).^[30] 

On 15 May 221 C.E., Liu Bei proclaimed himself Emperor of Shu. He gave Lady Gan the posthumous title of Lady of Imperial Regret.^[31] Liu Shan succeeded his father, Liu Bei, as Emperor of the Shu kingdom. He posthumously made Lady Gan his father’s posthumous empress.^[32] Therefore, Lady Gan’s posthumous name was Empress Zhaolie.^[33] She was reburied beside Emperor Liu Bei in his tomb.^[34]

Very little is known about Empress Gan.^[35] Yet, it is clear that Emperor Liu Bei was very fond of her.^[36] Empress Gan was also said to be very smart and resourceful.^[37] Empress Gan proved to be very devoted to Liu Bei and followed him throughout his military campaigns.^[38] Therefore, Emperor Liu Bei highly regarded Empress Gan.^[39]

Sources:

Ching-Chung, P. (2015). “Gan, Empress of the Former Sovereign of Shu”. Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E. – 618 C.E.. (L. X. H. Lee, Ed.; A. D. Stefanowska, Ed.; S. Wiles, Ed.). NY: Routledge. pp. 286-287.

de Crespigny, R. (2007).  A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23-200 AD. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill.