Background
Yin Lihua was born in 5 A.D. in Henan Province, China. She was a daughter of Yin Mu who died early when she was six. Her mother's family name was Deng. She had at least four brothers - Yin Xing, Yin Jiu, Yin Shi, and Yin Xin.
陰麗華
Yin Lihua was born in 5 A.D. in Henan Province, China. She was a daughter of Yin Mu who died early when she was six. Her mother's family name was Deng. She had at least four brothers - Yin Xing, Yin Jiu, Yin Shi, and Yin Xin.
In 23, Yin Lihua became a wife of Liu Xiu, while he was an official in the newly reestablished Han government of Gengshi Emperor. Later, when he was dispatched by Gengshi Emperor to the region north of the Yellow River, she returned home.
In 25 Liu Xiu eventually broke away from Gengshi Emperor, and he proclaimed himself emperor of Han. Later that year, when he captured Luoyang to be his capital, he dispatched subordinates to bring Yin to the capital and made her an imperial consort. Yin Lihua didn't become an Empress because at that time Liu Xiu was also married to Guo Shengtong, who had given birth to a son, Liu Jiang. Emperor Guangwu made Guo empress and her son Prince Jiang crown prince.
In 28, Consort Yin gave birth to her first-born son, Liu Yang. As imperial consort, even though Consort Yin was not empress, she continued to be favored by Emperor Guangwu as his first love. Soon Empress Guo lost the emperor's favor. He deposed her and made Consort Yin empress instead. Empress Yin was not mentioned frequently in history while she was empress - a sign that she was not trying to exert much influence as empress.
However, her three brothers all became powerful officials and marquesses, even though they generally were low key and did not seek high offices on their own. She greatly favored former Empress Guo's youngest son Liu Yan, the Prince of Zhongshan, and after Empress Guo died in 52, she treated him as her own son. Emperor Guangwu died in 57, and was succeeded by Crown Prince Zhuang (as Emperor Ming). Empress Yin received the title of empress dowager.
Empress Yin outlived Emperor Guangwu by seven years. When she died in 64, at the age of fifty-nine, she had been empress for twenty-three years and she was given the posthumous title Empress Guanglie (Guanglie Huanghou) and buried alongside Emperor Guangwu.
Empress Yin was modest, uncontentious, demure, and serious. She was by nature kind and filial.
Yin Lihua was the second empress of her husband Emperor Guangwu. She bore him five sons and a daughter.