Empress Suming was one of Tang’s Dynasty’s most mysterious and tragic empresses.[1] She was the empress consort to Emperor Ruizong. She was the daughter-in-law of Empress Wu. She was said to be very gentle.[2] However, she was killed on Empress Wu’s orders on false charges of witchcraft.[3] Her body has never been found.[4]
The birthdate of Empress Suming is unknown. Her personal name is also unknown. She was from the Liu clan. Her father was Liu Yanjing, who was a mid-rank official who served as Prefect of Shanzhou.[5] Her mother is unknown. She had an older brother named Liu Youqiu.[6] She eventually married Emperor Gaozong’s and Empress Wu’s youngest son, Li Dan (the Prince of Xiang).[7] She then became the Princess of Xiang.[8]
It was said that Princess Liu greatly cared for her husband, Prince Li Dan.[9] She “personally inspected the stitches of his robes.”[10] Whenever he was troubled, she would cheer him up and would make soup for him whenever he was summoned to the imperial palace by Empress Wu for questioning.[11] Princess Liu was known to be “virtuous.”[12] She was said to be very quiet and gentle, and she learned etiquette from the older maids.[13] In 679, Princess Liu bore Li Dan a son, Prince Li Chengqi.
On 26 February 684, Empress Wu dethroned Emperor Zhongzhong. On 27 February 684, Empress Wu placed her youngest son, Li Dan, on the throne. He ascended the throne as Emperor Ruizong. On that same day, Princess Liu was invested as Empress of China. Her son, Prince Li Chengqi, was made the crown prince. Even though Emperor Ruizong was the emperor and Empress Liu was the Empress, these titles were only nominal.[14] The true power rested in the hands of Empress Wu.[15] Empress Wu had placed Emperor Ruizong and Empress Liu under house arrest.[16] One day, Empress Liu wanted to send clothes to her family but was stopped by the palace servants.[17] Empress Liu also gave birth to two daughters, Princess Shouchang and Princess Dai.
On 16 October 690, Empress Wu officially dethroned Emperor Ruizong and ascended the Tang throne as a female emperor. The deposed Emperor Ruizong became Crown Prince Li Dan. Empress Liu was made the Crown Princess. When Empress Liu changed out of her Empress’s robes and into her Crown Princess’s outfit, she said to Crown Prince Li Dan, “As long as I can stay by Your Highness’s side, what does it matter whether I’m the Empress or a Princess?”[18] Prince Li Chengqi was made the Imperial Grandson. Under house arrest, Princess Liu became Prince Li Dan’s greatest support.[19] She prepared his own meals for him.[20] They did not interact with anyone in the Eastern Palace.[21] Princess Liu and Prince Li Dan read, practised calligraphy, and told each other stories.[22]
One day, an official named Lai Junchun accused Prince Li Dan of treason.[23] He tortured the servants of the Eastern Palace and forced them to falsely accuse Prince Li Dan. When Princess Liu found out about the accusation, she ran to Lai Junchen’s deputy, knelt, and begged him: “The Crown Prince has always been well-behaved. If he has any intention of rebellion, I, as his princess, will not be the first to forgive him. If you want to convict someone, convict me first!”[24] Empress Wu dropped the matter. Afterwards, Prince Li Dan said mournfully to Princess Liu, “I’ve wronged you.”[25] Princess Liu replied, “As long as Your Highness is well, I am not wronged.”[26]
In January 693, Wei Tuan’er (one of Empress Wu’s ladies-in-waiting) accused Princess Liu and Imperial Consort Dou (Prince Li Dan’s imperial consort and the mother of Emperor Xuanzong) of using witchcraft to get rid of Empress Wu.[27] When Empress Wu learned of the accusation, she was furious and arrested Princess Liu and Imperial Consort Dou.[28] On 8 January 693, Princess Liu and Imperial Consort Dou were killed on Empress Wu’s orders.[29] Their bodies were never found.[30] When Prince Li Dan learned of his wives’ assassination, he dared not show any sadness.[31] When Wei Tuan’er falsely accused Prince Li Dan, Empress Wu executed her.[32] Prince Li Dan continued to search for the bodies of Princess Liu and Imperial Consort Dou but could not find them.[33]
On 25 July 710, Prince Li Dan ascended the throne as Emperor Ruizong for the second time. He made both Princess Liu and Imperial Consort Dou posthumous empresses.[34] Princess Liu was given the posthumous name of Empress Suming.[35] Imperial Consort Dou was given the posthumous name of Empress Zhaocheng.[36] Emperor Ruizong issued an imperial edict that said:
“Empress Suming, Liu, was virtuous and beautiful. She accompanied me in my pre-imperial residence. She died in misfortune. I am deeply saddened by this. I posthumously honour her as empress to comfort my spirit.”[37]
Emperor Ruizong never found Empress Suming’s and Empress Zhaocheng’s bodies.[38] Instead, he made cenotaphs and buried their personal belongings that substituted for their remains.[39] They were buried in Luoyang.[40] Their spirit tablets were placed in Yiqun Temple.[41]
On 13 July 716, Emperor Ruizong died. Emperor Xuanzong buried Emperor Ruizong and reburied Empress Suming’s and Empress Zhaocheng’s cenotaphs and personal belongings in the Qiao Mausoleum (modern-day Pucheng in Shaanxi Province).[42] Emperor Xuanzong gave Empress Suming the posthumous name of Empress Suming Shusheng.[43] He honoured her father, Liu Yanjing, by making him the posthumous Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.[44] Her brother, Liu Youqiu, was made a minister.[45] Empress Suming’s son, Prince Li Chengqi, had relinquished his Crown Prince title in order for Emperor Xuanzong to ascend the throne.[46] He became the Prince of Ning. When he died on 5 January 742, Emperor Xuanzong posthumously made him an emperor. He gave him the posthumous title of Emperor Rang.
Unlike Empress Wu, Empress Wei, and Princess Taiping, Empress Suming did not harbour any ambitions to be a powerful empress.[47] Instead, she wanted to help her husband, Emperor Ruizong and stay by his side.[48] Yet, she lived a turbulent life, being under house arrest and powerless.[49] She was unjustly accused of witchcraft and was tragically murdered.[50] With powerful Tang women like Empress Wu, Empress Wei, and Princess Taiping, ancient chroniclers have often forgotten about Empress Suming.[51] Empress Suming is known in history as the “silent one.”[52]
Sources:
Choo, J. J. C. (2022). Inscribing Death: Burials, Representations, and Remembrance in Tang China. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press.
iNews. (n.d.). “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”. Retrieved on November 14, 2025 from https://inf.news/en/history/3da94448ff94f27133768a37545a0114.html/2.
McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.
[1] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[2] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[3] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”; McMahon, 2013; Choo, 2022
[4] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”; Choo, 2022
[5] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[6] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[7] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[8] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[9] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[10] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”, para. 3
[11] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[12] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”, para. 3
[13] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[14] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[15] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[16] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[17] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[18] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”, para. 7
[19] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[20] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[21] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[22] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[23] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[24] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”, para. 8
[25] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”, para. 8
[26] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”, para. 8
[27] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[28] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[29] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”; McMahon, 2013; Choo, 2022
[30] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”; Choo, 2022
[31] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[32] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[33] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[34] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[35] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[36] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[37] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”, para. 17
[38] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[39] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[40] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[41] Choo, 2022
[42] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”; Choo, 2022
[43] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[44] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[45] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[46] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”; Choo, 2022
[47] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[48] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[49] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[50] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[51] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”
[52] iNews, n.d. “Empress Suming of Emperor Ruizong of Tang: A tragic woman in the prosperous Tang Court who was twice crowned empress but mysteriously disappeared”, para. 22
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