The Outer Biography of Empress Zhang of Han: Part One (including a postscript)

  This should be what was mentioned in the evaluation of Empress Zhang Huizhen's biography. L5 net is indeed very beautiful, I also love it.

  It is said to have been made by people of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

  I once read the "Biography of Empress Zhang of Han" and suspected that its narrative was somewhat brief. It turns out that what is recorded in this biography are all matters related to Empress Lü. I then read the "Records of the Five Phases" and found that it records the disaster of the weaving room and the ling room in the fourth year of Emperor Hui's reign, which was seen as a sign of Empress Zhang's loss of virtue and her eventual demotion. However, I felt that this account was too forced and not credible.

  The disasters that occurred in the palace were common occurrences, but to attribute them to Empress Zhang without reason is absurd. She entered the palace at a young age and became a widow early on, and she did not participate in external affairs, nor did she have any involvement in internal palace matters, which were all controlled by Empress Lü.

  The high officials, due to their resentment towards the Lü family, unfairly blamed Empress Zhang and demoted her to the northern palace. The historians who recorded this event also unfairly attributed the blame to her. I felt a deep sense of injustice and sympathy for her, so I secretly investigated the historical records of the Han dynasty, examining over 50 different accounts, including the "Records of the Grand Historian" and the "History of the Han Dynasty".

  Ten years later, I still did not dare to publish my findings. Recently, I heard that during the Yongjia era, bandits raided the Han imperial mausoleum and obtained records of the daily activities of the emperors from the high to the low periods, which were transmitted to the south of the Yangtze River. I hastily sought out these records and also obtained Xú Fù's "Classic of Physiognomy" in three volumes, "Records of the Han Palace Ladies" in two volumes, as well as the "Genealogy of the Zhang Family of Guanzhong". After reading them together, I took some information to supplement my previous account.

  Now, Empress Zhang's extraordinary virtues and the reasons for her unfair demotion are all clearly revealed. I do not dare to boast about my meticulous research into ancient history, but I hope to express my sympathy for those who were wrongly accused and maligned.

  Empress Xiaohui of Han, Zhang's name was Yan, also known as Menghui, and her nickname was Shu. She was the elder sister of Emperor Hui of Han and the eldest daughter of Princess Yuan of Lu. When Emperor Gaozu was still a village chief, he married Empress Lü Zhi and had two children, a son and a daughter. The son became Emperor Hui of Han, and the daughter became Princess Yuan of Lu.

  In the second year of Emperor Gao's reign, the Han army was defeated at Pengcheng, and Empress Lü was captured by the Chu State. Emperor Gao met Emperor Hui and Princess Yuan on his way and took them with him. When their horses were tired, they were about to abandon the two children, but Cheng Gong, a general, picked them up and continued on.

  They escaped from the enemy at Xiaoyi and eventually entered the pass. At that time, Emperor Hui was only six years old, and Princess Yuan was twelve years old. In June, the Han capital was established in Luoyang, and Emperor Gao ordered the vassals to guard the city. Princess Yuan was very virtuous and gentle, and Emperor Gao loved her dearly.

  Emperor Gao said, "I should choose a good husband for her." Zhang Er's son, Zhang Ao, was then serving as a guard in Luoyang, fourteen years old, with a handsome appearance and elegant manners. Xu Fu divined that he would become a king or a marquis and would have a daughter of great virtue and beauty.

  Zhang Ao did not believe it at first, but Emperor Gao loved him for his filial piety and arranged for Princess Yuan to marry him. In the fifth year of Emperor Gao's reign, Zhang Ao married Princess Yuan in April and became King of Zhao in July. They moved their household to Zhao, and Princess Yuan became Queen.

  In the sixth year, on March 3rd, a daughter was born in Handan, with five-colored clouds covering the palace and faintly hearing celestial music in the air. Zhang Ao named her Yan because she was born gentle and quiet. After several years, she became warm, quiet, chaste, and never showed her teeth or stepped out of the house.

  Zhang Ao once told Princess Yuan, "Yan is good at welcoming people with a gentle air, and her manners are elegant and dignified. In the future, her fortune cannot be measured, but I fear that she may be too kind and gentle, which will make her vulnerable to deception."

  In the third spring, Empress Dowager sent Long Le Shao Fu and Zong Zheng to select a bride for the Emperor. They used silk and jade to make an offer, along with four horses, and asked to see the girl. Eight ladies-in-waiting supported the girl, who was dressed in formal attire and stood facing south. She was only ten years old, but Empress Dowager feared that people would criticize her for being too young. So she had the girl claim to be twelve years old, and all the rituals were performed accordingly. However, the girl's body was already well-developed, and she looked like a twelve- or thirteen-year-old. Those who saw her were all amazed and thought she was a goddess from heaven.

  When they returned, they reported that the daughter of Xuanping Hou had a gentle and elegant demeanor, was well-versed in etiquette and propriety, and had the virtues of a mother and the beauty of a goddess. They said it would be fitting for her to become the Empress and serve as a role model for future generations.

  The Grand Minister, the Commander-in-Chief, the Imperial Secretary, and others used the most solemn rituals to report to the ancestors and to divine the auspicious month and day for the wedding. All the ceremonies were conducted with great pomp and circumstance, according to the rules established by Taifu Sunshengtong.

  The betrothal gifts included twelve horses and two thousand kilograms of gold, which was unprecedented in history. From then on, whenever a Han emperor chose an empress, he would follow the precedent set by Emperor Hui.

  The girl's younger brother, Yan, was still young and saw the piles of gold on top. He ran in to tell his sister, "Sister, the Emperor has bought you!" But Ru Yuan Gongzhu scolded him, saying, "Don't talk nonsense." Yan then pulled his sister's hand and said, "Why don't you go out and take a look?" The girl used kind words to send him away and quickly hid in her room, closing the door behind her.

  According to Han dynasty custom, whenever an emperor chose a new empress or concubine, he would always send a female official skilled in divination to examine her. In the eighth month of autumn, Emperor Hui ordered Xun (a bird) Hou Xu Fu to go to Xuanping Hou's residence. Xu Fu was an old woman from Hebei who had been enfeoffed as a marquis for her skill in divination.

  Xu Fu took the girl to a secret room and had her bathe and dress up. She carefully examined the girl's face and body, noting that her face was long and slightly round, with smooth white skin and no blemishes. Her cheeks were plump and full, like a full moon, and her eyebrows were shaped like a butterfly's wings. Her eyes were bright and piercing, like a phoenix's, and her nose was straight and high, like a dragon's. Her ears were large and hung down to her shoulders, and her skin was as white as jade.

  Xu Fu examined every detail of the girl's body, from her forehead to her feet, and found that she had no flaws or defects. She then had the girl bow and thank the Emperor for his kindness. The girl was shy and hesitant at first, but eventually bowed low and said "Long live the Emperor" in a soft voice.

  Xu Fu reported back to Empress Dowager and Emperor Hui, who were both delighted with her findings. They ordered the palace historian to record everything in detail.

  On the tenth day of the tenth month, Renzi, Emperor Xian of Han issued an edict to summon Chancellor Zhang and Grandee Yaofu to welcome Empress Zhang into the palace. The empress wore a ceremonial robe with a dark blue top and light purple bottom, a deep collar and wide sleeves, a belt with a jade buckle, and a long skirt that trailed on the ground, hiding her feet. She wore a dragon and phoenix crown adorned with pearls and jade, and carried a scepter. She bowed to the ancestors at the temple of the Zhang family.

  When she was preparing for the ceremony, it was customary to wear a false hairpiece, but Empress Zhang's hair was so beautiful that it looked like clouds, and she did not need one. Chancellor Zhang held his daughter in his arms and got into the carriage, announcing the imperial procession as they entered the palace. The empress stood facing north, and the officials read out the edict. She performed the ritual of six bows and three kneels, and then the female officials led her to the emperor to thank him.

  The empress bowed down, but there was no sound. The female officials whispered in her ear, and she said, "Your servant Zhang Yan greets Your Majesty for ten thousand years." Her voice was as gentle as a breeze rustling through bamboo, like the sweet song of an oriole. The emperor was moved to tears.

  The empress stood up and retreated, and General Wei presented her with a jade seal. The eunuch Taibai knelt down to receive it and then handed it over to the female officials, who tied it around the empress's waist. The empress bowed down again and said, "Your servant Zhang Yan thanks Your Majesty." She took her position, and all the officials followed suit.

  The empress rode in a soft carriage into the inner palace, where everything was decorated with gold and precious jewels. The emperor and empress performed the ritual of union, and then they sat together on a couch made of fragrant wood, adorned with coral and jade. The empress's brother Zhang Chang was present, and the emperor hugged him and said, "This child has a similar temperament to his sister, if he were a girl, he would also be a good person."

  The emperor often went to the empress's palace in the morning to watch her wash her face. He told the eunuchs, "The empress's complexion is as white as jade, it can rival the beauty of a white jade plate." He also said, "The empress's demeanor is similar to that of Empress Ping, but she is smaller in stature." He affectionately called her "Zhang Gong".

  Whenever the emperor was about to arrive, the eunuchs would prepare a golden spittoon and offer the empress a drink made from purple jade flowers. The emperor often held the empress on his lap and counted her teeth, which were as white as snow, forty in total. He also painted her lips with vermilion, but even that color seemed pale compared to her natural complexion.

  One day, the emperor visited the empress's palace and found her changing her clothes, with two maids washing her feet. The emperor sat down and watched, smiling, "Ah Yan is young, but her feet are long, almost as long as mine." He also said to the maids, "The empress's skin is round and white, who among you can compare to that?"

  The empress's brother Zhang Chang was present at the side of the emperor, who hugged him and said, "This child has a similar temperament to his sister, if he were a girl, he would also be a good person." The emperor often went to the empress's palace in the morning to watch her wash her face. He told the eunuchs, "The empress's complexion is as white as jade, it can rival the beauty of a white jade plate."

  ……

  In the seventh year of spring, Emperor Hui went hunting in Shangyuan. He had Empress Jia and other beauties ride with him, all dressed as men, wearing robes of various colors such as crimson, yellow, or green. The empress wore a white fox fur coat, deep blue clothing, and pure yellow skirt, with a red brocade cloak draped over her, and a red silk cloth tied around her forehead. They galloped back and forth, amidst the blooming flowers and lush grass, all looking like beautiful maidens of eighteen years old. Those who saw them did not recognize the empress.

  The empress was particularly stunning, but suddenly dismounted to relieve herself in a secluded area. A wild boar suddenly charged into her, tearing her lower garments, and causing minor injuries to her buttocks. The emperor was shocked and at a loss for what to do, but the empress drew her sword and killed the boar. All the beauties praised her.

  As the empress's lower garments were torn apart, she inadvertently exposed herself without realizing it. The emperor laughed and pointed at her, saying: "How white and plump you are!" The empress suddenly became aware of her situation and was deeply embarrassed, unable to do anything. She hastily called for a servant girl to bring her lower garments, her face flushed with shame, and she remained silent for half a day.

  In the fourth month of summer, Empress Jia personally tended to silkworms, wearing formal attire and looking majestic as she emerged from the palace. She rode in a carriage drawn by six horses, with a canopy of blue feathers and a dragon flag with nine tassels. The wife of the Grand Marshal followed behind her, while the wife of the Minister of Works preceded her. The Magistrate of Long'an held the reins, accompanied by golden drums, yellow pennants, and blowing horns. The empress personally picked mulberry leaves in the silkworm palace, fed the silkworms three times in the cocoon hall, and then returned to the palace after completing the rituals.

  On that day, the crowd of onlookers in Long'an was like a wall, with all the wives of high-ranking officials sighing in admiration, saying: "The daughter of Zhang Hui is indeed fortunate, but unfortunately, we were unable to catch a glimpse of her face."

  The Empress He was favored by the Emperor's mother, the Empress Dowager. The Emperor heard about it and became angry with the Marquis of Puyang, throwing him into prison and intending to kill him. Later, he released him. The Empress Dowager was ashamed and angry, and since the Emperor had no children and there were many beautiful women in the palace, she became even more displeased. She decided to expel all the beauties from the palace, hoping that the Empress would gain favor with the Emperor.

  The Emperor was worried and did not know what to do, so he begged the Empress to help him. The Empress, who had a gentle nature and did not know how to be jealous, pleaded with the Empress Dowager on behalf of the beauties, saying that they were innocent and that she herself was thin and weak and could not bear children. The Empress Dowager finally stopped.

  In May, the Empress Dowager heard that one of the beauties in the palace was pregnant and became angry again, intending to kill her. The Empress begged for mercy, and the Empress Dowager suddenly came up with a plan. She ordered the Empress to pretend to be pregnant for several months, and when the beauty gave birth to a son, they would claim that he was the Empress's child and make him the crown prince.

  The Empress had no choice but to agree, and she told her mother, Lady Ru Yuan, "I am ashamed of this deceitful plan. However, if I do not do this, the Empress Dowager will never be pleased, and the Emperor's life will be in danger." The Empress Dowager issued an edict stating that since the Empress was pregnant, she would be excused from attending court ceremonies.

  The Emperor did not visit the palace for several months, and the Empress stayed in her quarters, not venturing out even a step. One of the clever maids whispered to another, "The Empress is supposed to be giving birth to the crown prince, but why isn't her belly big?"

  In June, the beauty gave birth to a son, and the Empress Dowager took him away, wrapped him in fine cloth, and sent him to the palace. She then killed the beauty's mother. On the same day, the Empress Dowager ordered the palace maidens to tell the Emperor that the Empress was suffering from abdominal pain, and soon after, they claimed that a baby boy had been born.

  The Emperor reported this to the ancestral temple and declared the child the crown prince. The officials congratulated him on this occasion. Three days later, the Empress sent gifts of medicine, fine cloth, and 100 catties of gold to the beauty's family. Someone said that the Empress Dowager had already killed her, and the Empress was shocked and grief-stricken.

  She secretly told the Emperor, "I endured this humiliation in order to save this person. Now she has been killed, is it not fate?" At that time, the Emperor already had six children with other women, and the child claimed to be the Empress's son was actually the youngest. The Empress treated all of them as if they were her own and took care of their mothers.

  That year, the Emperor's younger brother, the King of Huainan, came to pay his respects. His mother had been a beauty in the household of Zhang Yi, who had presented her to the Emperor Gaozu and she had given birth to the king. Therefore, she was very close to the Empress.

  The king requested an audience with the Empress, but the Emperor said, "My wife is still young and shy, like a little girl. Is it necessary for you to see her?" The king insisted on seeing her, and the Emperor finally agreed. The king bowed and paid his respects, and the Empress replied from behind a curtain.

  The king rose and stood up straight, saying, "Your uncle is well." He then sat down without saying another word and did not even glance at the Empress. After he left, he told others, "My sister-in-law is the most beautiful and kind-hearted person in history."

  In August, the Emperor fell ill, and the Empress asked about his condition. The Emperor suddenly ordered her to get onto the bed and touched her breast, sighing, "Ah, my dear wife has grown up, and I love you so much that it's hard for me to part with you. However, your body is so delicate and slender that I fear that in the future, you will become thin and weak because of me."

  On the fifth day of the eighth month, the Emperor passed away at the age of 23. The Empress was only 14 years old and cried and wailed according to custom. She bathed and dressed as usual but looked even more radiant and beautiful.

  The officials and palace maidens were all shocked by her beauty, and the entire palace was filled with her radiance.

  She ascended to the throne, and Empress Dowager Lü took control of the government from within the palace. She was later known as Empress Xiaohui, and she continued to reside in the inner palace's Zhaoyang Hall. Every day, Emperor Huidi would pay his respects to her, and she wanted to take this opportunity to slaughter all of the officials who had contributed to her husband's rise to power. However, she was persuaded otherwise by Empress Xiaohui.

  At that time, a high-ranking eunuch named Zhang Jian was in charge of attending to the empress dowager's needs within the palace. Every day when Emperor Huidi would pay his respects to her, Zhang Jian would catch glimpses of Empress Xiaohui, who would be gentle and demure like a young maiden, not daring to speak unless spoken to, and not sitting down unless ordered to do so. She spoke with a Zhao accent.

  Zhang Jian would often tell people that she was as beautiful as a painting come to life, and he would also say: "If you want to know what Empress Zhang looks like, just take a look at her younger brother Zhang Yan - it's already 50-60% of the real thing." When Empress Xiaohui was 15 years old, Princess Yuan of Lu died, and Empress Dowager Lü ordered her to return home to mourn her mother.

  Empress Xiaohui was young and weak, living in widowhood, feeling sad and melancholic. She wrote a poem, which read:

  "I was still a child when I entered the inner palace,

  Silently waiting for the years to pass, far away from my ancestors.

  My fate was not good, and my husband passed away early,

  I held onto my integrity, guarding an empty bed.

  The night is long and dark, like a beautiful candle,

  I sigh at the swallows flying in pairs.

  Riches and honors are of no use to me,

  Not as good as the simple life of a commoner.

  The long night stretches on, when will it be dawn?

  Shining my weak shadow, under the bright moonlight.

  I lean against the railing, thinking of the past,

  As if my brother were by my side;

  The wind blows back and I wake up with a start,

  My heart is confused, as if something were lost.

  I lift up the curtains, wiping away tears,

  I get up and pace around, feeling anxious.

  The chickens chirp and sing, announcing the dawn,

  I think of my brother, my heart torn apart;

  I hope that after I die, we can be buried together,

  Perhaps in the underworld, we can see each other's faces."

  As a result, Empress Dowager Lü ordered Bo Yanghou to take on the position of Right Chancellor and oversee the inner palace, residing within the palace to attend to her needs. All matters within the palace, big or small, were under his jurisdiction.

  Bo Yanghou had long held a grudge against Emperor Huidi, and he took out his anger on Empress Xiaohui by restricting her food and drink, cutting it down by more than half. He also wanted to use her as a pawn to take revenge on Emperor Huidi, so he bribed one of her attendants to ask about her private life.

  One attendant had said: "I have served the empress for the longest time, and I know her quite well. The empress stands up straight without leaning on anything, sits down without a lazy expression, gets up and goes to bed at regular times, walks and stops at regular places, eats and drinks in moderation, above that of ordinary people.

  Her likes and dislikes are different from those of the common people. When she coughs or spits on the ground, it's as if a fragrant herb were growing there, with a scent that cannot be compared to anything else. Even in the sweltering heat, she doesn't sweat much, her feces don't have a strong smell, and when she sleeps, she doesn't snore.

  She treats us attendants with kindness and respect, never using a harsh tone on us. However, if we say something improper, she will scold us with a serious expression."

  ……

  The postscript says: The Outer Biography of Empress Xiaohui has two chapters, this is the first one. It was obtained from a collection of biographies, but the author's surname and name are not transmitted. It is only known that it was written by someone during the Eastern Jin dynasty. After extensive searching and collecting, it was used to reverse the verdict on Ban Gu and clear the injustice for Ah Bian. The text is over a thousand words long and is quite impressive. When combined with the second chapter, it appears to be written by one person, so they can be read together.