Guo Shengtong

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Empress Guo Shengtong ( Chinese  郭 聖 通 , Pinyin Guō Shéngtōng ; * in the 1st century in the Zhenjing headquarters, Empire China ; † 52 in the Pei headquarters, Empire China) was an empress of the Han Dynasty . She was the first empress of her husband Liu Xiu , who founded the Eastern Han Dynasty as Emperor Guangwu and thus reestablished the overthrown Western Han Dynasty . She later lost the emperor's favor and was deposed in 41. After that, however, she and her family continued to be respected and honored.

Family background

Liu Pu † 7 BC Chr.

Liu Yang † 26 AD

Ms. Liu † 50 AD

Guo Chang † before 50 AD

Liu De

Guo Kuang

Guo Shengtong † 52

Liu Jiang 25-58

Liu Fu † 84

Liu Kang † 97

Liu Yán † 90

Liu Yǎn † 90

Guo Shengtong came from a wealthy family. Her father, Guo Chang, was a large landowner in the Zhending commandant's office (roughly today's Shijiazhuang , Hebei ). Her mother was the daughter of Liu Pu, Prince Gong of Zhending - a hereditary title that came from the Imperial House of the Western Han, since Liu Pu was a 5th generation descendant of Emperor Jing , and his daughter carried the title of lady-in-waiting . After Liu Pu, Guo Shengtong's maternal grandfather, 7 BC. Died, her uncle Liu Yang ( 劉楊 ) inherited the title and the principality. When Wang Mang usurped the Han throne, Liu Yang was demoted to prince and the next year to common.

Marriage to Liu Xiu

By around 23, the power of the Xin dynasty of Wang Mang had waned, and Liu Yang began an uprising that the people joined because Liu Yang had once held a high title of rightful ruling house, which he now re-assumed. He became a local ruler in his principality and the nearby commanderships, although he nominally submitted to the Emperor Gengshi . When Wang Mang claimed to be a son of Emperor Cheng (by the name of Liu Ziyu, 劉 子輿 ) that same year and rose against Emperor Gengshi, Liu Yang supported him. In 24, Liu Xiu, still an official of Emperor Gengshi, tried to pacify the region. He organized talks with Liu Yang, and they reached an alliance to seal it, and Liu Xiu took Liu Yang's niece, Guo Shengtong, as his wife.

Guo Shengtong became an imperial concubine after Liu Xiu declared himself emperor of a renewed Han dynasty (as Emperor Guangwu) in 25. That year she gave birth to his first son, Liu Jiang . Her position did not change, although her uncle Liu Yang was suspected of planning a riot and 26 were killed. Emperor Guangwu allowed Liu Yang's son Liu De ( 劉 得 ) to inherit the principality of Zhending, but he reduced his title to marquis in 37.

Emperor Guangwu also considered raising an empress in the year 26. He preferred his first love, Yin Lihua , but she refused because she had no children and suggested Guo Shengtong instead. The emperor made Guo empress and her son Jiang crown prince .

As empress

Of all empresses of the Han dynasty (except Yin Lihua), Empress Guo was to bear most princes, for she gave birth to five sons. Over the years, however, the emperor's favor for Yin Lihua grew. He promoted the official Guo Kuang ( 郭 況 ), the brother of the empress, but he lost interest in his empress. She complained about it often until the emperor got tired of it and deposed her 41. The new empress became Yin Lihua.

After the deposition

After Emperor Guangwu deposed Guo Shengtong, he continued to respect and promote her family. Her brother Guo Kuang, now a Marquis, was presented with a large mark and so much wealth that the people of Luoyang called his property "the gold mine". Her cousins ​​Guo Jing ( 郭 竟 ) and Guo Kuang ( 郭 匡 , not identical to the previous one) were also appointed margraves for their actions in the imperial government, as was Chen Mao ( 陳茂 ), her cousin's husband.

In 44, Prince Fu's principality was transferred to Pei and Guo Shengtong went with him. Her mother died in 50 and the emperor personally attended to her funeral. He made Guo Chang, the father of Guo Shengtong, posthumously Marquis and had him reburied with his wife.

Guo Shengtong died two years later and was buried with honors, but not with those of an empress. Nor was she buried in Emperor Guangwu's later grave.

predecessor	Office	successor
Shi from Xin	Empress of China 26–41	Yin Lihua