Background
Liang Na was born in 116. She was a daughter of Liang Shang, who was also the Marquess of Chengshi.
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Na Liang
Edit Profile梁妠
also known as
Empress Shunlie
Career
In 128, Liang Na and her aunt were selected to be Emperor Shun's imperial consorts. She was a favored consort and later in 132 Emperor Shun created her empress.
As empress, Empress Liang continued to show humility and did not interfere significantly in her husband's administration. The new empress’s father, Liang Shang, was immediately made a palace attendant, a supernumerary post with right of regular access to the ruler, and his marquisate was increased in size and value. In 135, moreover, after refusing a previous offer, he accepted appointment as General-in-Chief.
Liang Shang died in 141, but he was immediately succeeded as general-in-chief by his eldest son Liang Ji. Liang Na helped her brother to dominate the court.
After the death of Emperor Shun in 144, Crown Prince Bing (son of Consort Yu and Emperor Shun) succeeded to the throne as Emperor Chong. Empress Liang, now empress dowager, served as regent. Empress Dowager Liang appeared to be diligent in governing over the empire, and she trusted several key officials with integrity to advise her on important affairs. However, she also trusted her brother Liang Ji greatly, and Liang used her position to further consolidate his own.
In 145, the young Emperor Chong died, and in an effort to be open to people, Empress Dowager Liang announced his death openly immediately. She summoned the young emperor's third cousins Liu Suan, the Prince of Qinghe, and Liu Zuan, the son of Liu Hong the Prince of Bohai, to the capital Luoyang, to be examined as potential successors. Prince Suan was probably an adult and was described as solemn and proper, and the key officials largely favored him. However, Liang Ji wanted a young emperor whom he could control, so he convinced Empress Dowager Liang to make the seven-year-old Liu Zuan emperor (as Emperor Zhi). Empress Dowager Liang continued to serve as regent.
In 146, after the young Emperor Zhi showed signs that he was already cognizant of Liang Ji's corruption and offended Liang Ji by openly calling him "an arrogant general". Liang Ji poisoned him, apparently without Empress Dowager Liang's knowledge. The key officials again largely favored Prince Suan as successor, but Liang Ji again vetoed their wishes, and instead persuaded Empress Dowager Liang to make the 14-year-old Liu Zhi, the Marquess of Liwu, who was betrothed to Empress Dowager Liang and Liang Ji's sister Liang Nüying, emperor (as Emperor Huan).
Serving as regent for Emperor Huan, Empress Dowager Liang largely continued her policies as before, but Liang Ji became ever more powerful.
Emperor Huan took the cap of manhood at the beginning of 148, but Empress Dowager Liang maintained her regency, on the grounds of the disturbances in the empire, for another two years. She formally relinquished her office in the first month of 150, and she died a few weeks later.
Achievements
Personality
Liang Na was skilled in women’s work of spinning and needlework while she was still young, and that she could recite The Analects and had studied The Book of Songs by the age of nine.
She was a wise, restrained and frugal woman.
Connections
Liang Na was a wife of Emperor Shun of Han. She had no children.
- Father:
- Liang Shang
- husband:
- Liu Bao
- Brother:
- Liang Ji
- Sister:
- Nuying Liang
Liang Shang was the Marquess of Chengshi and later became Grand Marshal.
Liu Bao was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty and the seventh emperor of the Eastern Han. He reigned from 125 to 144.
Liang Ji was a politician and military commander of Han Dynasty China.
Liang Nuying was an empress during Han Dynasty.
References
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Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E. - 618 C.E
This new volume of the "Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women" spans more than 2,000 years from antiquity to the early seventh century. It recovers the stories of more than 200 women, nearly all of them unknown in the West.
1998
