Empress Lu was the empress consort to Emperor Shang of the Tang Dynasty. She was Empress for seventeen days. She has been largely overshadowed by Empress Wei. Empress Lu still remains a forgotten historical figure.
The birthdate of Empress Lu of the Tang Dynasty is unknown.[1] Her personal name is also unknown.[2] She was from the Lu clan.[3] Her parents’ names are unknown.[4] She married Prince Li Chongmao (the Prince of Wen). Prince Li Chongmao was Emperor Zhongzong’s son, whom he had with an imperial concubine whose name is not recorded.[5] Lady Lu then became the Princess of Wen.[6]
On 3 July 710 C.E., Emperor Zhongzong died. Ancient chroniclers accuse Emperor Zhongzong’s wife, Empress Wei, of poisoning him.[7] However, many modern historians doubt that Empress Wei poisoned him and that he most likely died of natural causes.[8] Empress Wei secretly harboured an ambition of becoming an empress regnant like her powerful mother-in-law, Empress Wu.[9] Empress Wei delayed announcing Emperor Zhongzong’s death until she could install an emperor whom she could control.[10] She chose the fifteen-year-old Prince Li Chongmao.[11]
On 8 July 710 C.E., Li Chongmao ascended the throne as Emperor Shang. Emperor Shang invested his wife, Princess Lu, as the Empress of China.[12] He also made Empress Wei the Empress Dowager.[13] Emperor Shang’s reign was short-lived because it only lasted seventeen days.[14]
On 21 July 710 B.C.E., Prince Li Longji (who would eventually become Emperor Xuanzong) led a coup d’état at the palace. Empress Wei was murdered. However, no one wanted to remove Emperor Shang from the throne.[15] This was because they believed Emperor Shang was too young to be harmed.[16] However, Emperor Shang’s aunt, Princess Taiping, made the first move.[17] She told Emperor Shang, “Everybody turns to the prime minister, little boy, this is not your seat.”[18] Princess Taiping then grabbed Emperor Shang and pulled him away from the throne.[19] Emperor Shang’s uncle, Prince Li Dan, hesitantly sat upon the throne.[20] He was then proclaimed Emperor.
On 25 July 710 C.E., Emperor Shang officially abdicated in favour of his uncle, Prince Li Dan.[21] Empress Lu was no longer the Empress.[22] Li Dan officially ascended the throne as Emperor Ruizong. Emperor Shang was given his former title of the Prince of Wen.[23] Therefore, the former Empress Lu became Princess of Wen.[24]
In 711C.E., Prince Li Chongmao’s brother, Prince Li Chongfu, led a revolt against Emperor Ruizong.[25] Prince Li Chongfu was defeated and killed in the rebellion.[26] Prince Li Chongfu’s rebellion cast suspicion against Prince Li Chongmao.[27] Prince Li Chongmao was implicated in the rebellion.[28] He was demoted to Prince of Xiang and was sent as a governor to Fangzhou.[29] This meant that Princess Lu became the Princess of Xiang and was sent to live with him in Fangzhou.[30]
On 5 September 714 C.E., Prince Li Chongmao died. He was nineteen years old.[31] Emperor Xuanzong restored Prince Li Chongmao’s status as an emperor.[32] He gave him the posthumous name of Emperor Shang.[33] It is not known what became of Princess Lu.[34] It is unclear whether she died before Emperor Shang or survived him.[35] It is clear that Princess Lu did not bear Emperor Shang a son as he died childless.[36]
There is very little information known about Empress Lu.[37] However, it is clear that she was a powerless empress and that her life was very turbulent.[38] She was Empress for seventeen days.[39] She had to watch the rise and fall of her husband, the puppet Emperor Shang.[40] Emperor Shang is the only Emperor of the Tang Dynasty whose reign is officially not recognised by ancient chroniclers.[41] Therefore, Empress Lu is a very tragic historical figure and will continue to be forgotten to this day.[42]
Sources:
Aiwen, L. (2015). “Princess Taiping”. Notable Women of China: Shang Dynasty to the Early Twentieth Century. (B. B. Peterson, Ed. Y. Jun, trans.). London: Routledge. pp. 206-209.
Sima, G. (1084). Zizhi tongjian (資治通鑒) [Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Governance]. Volume 209. Retrieved on October 16, 2025 from https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E8%B3%87%E6%B2%BB%E9%80%9A%E9%91%91/%E5%8D%B7209.
Idema, W. L. & Grant, B. (2004). The Red Brush: Writing Women of Imperial China. (1st ed). Harvard University Asia Center Publications Program.
iMedia. (n.d.). “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?” Retrieved on October 16, 2025 from https://min.news/en/history/ce9963c61c8cc824f81b354adb368e92.html/2.
iNews. (n.d.). “Why was Li Chongmao deposed less than one month after he was in power? What has he experienced?” Retrieved on October 16, 2025 from https://inf.news/en/history/025ef03182755385e2bd42a2deed10fe.html.
Lee, L. X.H. (2014). “Li, Princess Taiping.” Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women, Volume II: Tang Through Ming 618 – 1644. (L. X. H. Lee, Ed.; A. D. Stefanowska, Ed.; S. Wiles, Ed.). NY: Routledge. pp. 200-203.
McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.
Ruizhi, S. (2015).” Empress Wei”. Notable Women of China: Shang Dynasty to the Early Twentieth Century. (B. B. Peterson, Ed.). London: Routledge.
[1] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[2] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[3] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[4] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[5] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[6] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[7] Ruizhi, 2015
[8] McMahon, 2013; Idema & Grant, 2004
[9] Chen, et al., 2014
[10] Ruizhi, 2015
[11] Ruizhi, 2015
[12] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[13] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[14] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[15] Aiwen, 2015
[16] Aiwen, 2015
[17] Lee, 2014
[18] Aiwen, 2015, p. 208
[19] Aiwen, 2015
[20] Lee, 2014
[21] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[22] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[23] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[24] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[25] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[26] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[27] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[28] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[29] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[30] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[31] Ruizhi, 2015
[32] iNews, n.d., “Why was Li Chongmao deposed less than one month after he was in power? What has he experienced?”
[33] iNews, n.d., “Why was Li Chongmao deposed less than one month after he was in power? What has he experienced?”
[34] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[35] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[36] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[37] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[38] Guang, 1084, Vol. 209
[39] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[40] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[41] iMedia, n.d., “Li Chongmao: The only emperor in the Tang Dynasty who was not recognized, why did he abdicate after only seventeen days of reign?”
[42] iNews, n.d., “Why was Li Chongmao deposed less than one month after he was in power? What has he experienced?”
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