Empress Yang Dowager Yang Zhi Archives

Empress Jia Nanfeng – Reexamining the life of one of China’s most notorious, villainous, and wanton Empresses

Saturday, 3 January 2026, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Empress Jia Nanfeng was one of China’s most infamous empresses.[1] She was the first empress of Emperor Hui of the Jin Dynasty. Ancient historians have called her a “butcher”[2] and a “tyrant.”[3] They have also portrayed her as “jealous, cruel, licentious, and a usurper of imperial authority.”[4] However, modern historians have recently started to attempt to rehabilitate [read more]

Empress Dowager Yang Zhi – The tragic victim of imperial politics who died of starvation

Wednesday, 31 December 2025, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Empress Dowager Yang Zhi was Emperor Wu’s second empress. She has often been portrayed as a “tragic victim of imperial politics.”[1] She is most famous for being locked in a power struggle against Empress Jia Nanfeng.[2] Empress Dowager Yang Zhi lost and was forced to die of starvation.[3] Therefore, Empress Dowager Yang Zhi was one of the Jin [read more]

Empress Yang Yan – The first and politically influential Empress of the Jin Dynasty

Tuesday, 30 December 2025, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Empress Yang Yan was the first Empress of the Jin Dynasty (266-420 C.E.). She was the first Empress to Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty (r. 266-290 C.E.). Empress Yang Yan has often been depicted negatively in Chinese history.[1] She has been criticised for exerting immense political influence over her husband.[2] However, Empress Yang Yan’s story [read more]