[Not to be confused with Empress Yin Lihua: the second Empress of Emperor Guangwu]
Empress Yin was the first Empress of Emperor He of the Eastern Han Dynasty. She was Empress of China for six years. She has a negative image and is often depicted as villainous.[1] Chroniclers have portrayed her as the exact opposite of Empress Deng Sui, who became Empress Yin’s successor.[2] Empress Yin is often described as pompous and jealous.[3] She even consorted to witchcraft to kill her rival.[4] Thus, history has not been kind to her.[5]
In circa 80 C.E., Empress Yin was born. Her personal name is unknown.[6] Her father was Yin Gang. Her mother is also unknown. She was the great-grandniece of Empress Yin Lihua. She was known to be very intelligent.[7] She was well-versed in the classics and the arts.[8] In 92 C.E., Lady Yin entered Emperor He’s harem. She became Emperor He’s favourite Consort.
On 31 March 96 C.E., Consort Yin was invested as Empress of China. It was said that Empress Yin became jealous of her cousin, Consort Deng Sui (who would become the second Empress of Emperor He).[9] Consort Deng Sui was very respectful towards Empress Yin.[10] Chroniclers have mentioned how Consort Deng Sui was different from Empress Yin.[11] Empress Yin was very extravagant and loved fine clothes.[12] However, Consort Deng Sui disliked finery and dressed frugally.[13] “If by chance her clothing was the same as Empress Yin’s, she changed immediately.”[14] Thus, Empress Yin and Consort Deng Sui were often in conflict.[15]
Empress Yin was gradually losing Emperor He’s favour because she did not give him any children.[16] He began to transfer his affection for her to Consort Deng Sui.[17] Emperor He did not have any sons with both Empress Yin and Consort Deng Sui.[18] However, Consort Deng Sui provided Emperor He with suitable concubines in order for him to bear an heir.[19] Because of her jealousy, Empress Yin did not provide him with any concubines.[20] This ultimately made Empress Yin lose all of Emperor He’s favour.[21] He ignored and neglected Empress Yin.[22] Empress Yin became so jealous of Consort Deng Sui that chroniclers claimed she practised witchcraft to try to kill her.[23]
When Emperor He fell ill, Consort Deng Sui heard that Empress Yin wanted to kill her whole clan.[24] Consort Deng Sui wept.[25] She tried to commit suicide by swallowing poison, but her servants stopped her.[26] The next day, Emperor He recovered. When he learned of the incident, Emperor He was furious.[27] He ordered Empress Yin to be arrested for charges of witchcraft.[28] Empress Yin was found guilty.
On 24 July 102 C.E., Empress Yin was officially deposed. Consort Deng Sui tried to stop Empress Yin’s deposition but failed.[29] The deposed Empress Yin was forced to move to another palace.[30] Shortly after her arrival, the deposed Empress Yin “died from worry.”[31] Her father, Yin Gang, committed suicide. The rest of her clan was either executed or exiled.[32] Consort Deng Sui was invested as Empress of China in the winter of 102 C.E. When Deng Sui became Empress Dowager, she spent her regency rehabilitating the Yin clan.[33]
Empress Yin was originally loved by Emperor He.[34] However, the fact that she did not bear Emperor He any sons made her lose his favour.[35] Her barrenness caused her to be jealous of others.[36] Unlike Empress Deng Sui, who put the interests of the country first, Empress Yin did not.[37] Instead, Empress Yin put her own interests first.[38] Thus, Empress Yin will be forever remembered as the jealous and nefarious Empress who threatened the security of the Eastern Han Dynasty.[39]
Sources:
McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.
Milburn, O. (2021). The Empress in the Pepper Chamber: Zhao Feiyan in History and Fiction. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
Wong, Y. N., & Che, W. W. (Trans.). (2015). “Deng Sui, Empress of Emperor He”. Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E. – 618 C.E. (L. X. H. Lee, Ed.; A. D. Stefanowska, Ed.; S. Wiles, Ed.). NY: Routledge. pp. 122-126.
[1] McMahon, 2013; Milburn, 2021
[2] McMahon, 2013
[3] McMahon, 2013; Milburn, 2021
[4] Wong and Che, 2015
[5] McMahon, 2013
[6] McMahon, 2013
[7] McMahon, 2013
[8] McMahon, 2013
[9] Milburn, 2021
[10] McMahon, 2013
[11] McMahon, 2013
[12] Wong and Che, 2015
[13] Wing and Che, 2015
[14] McMahon, 2013, p. 103
[15] McMahon, 2013
[16] Wong and Che, 2015
[17] Wong and Che, 2015
[18] Wong and Che, 2015
[19] Wing and Che, 2015
[20] Wong and Che, 2015
[21] Wong and Che, 2015
[22] Wong and Che, 2015
[23] Wong and Che, 2015
[24] McMahon, 2013
[25] McMahon, 2013
[26] McMahon, 2013
[27] Wong and Che, 2015
[28] Wing and Che, 2015
[29] McMahon, 2013
[30] McMahon, 2013
[31] McMahon, 2013, p. 104
[32] McMahon, 2013
[33] McMahon, 2013
[34] Wong and Che, 2015
[35] Wong and Che, 2015
[36] Wong and Che, 2015
[37] McMahon, 2013
[38] McMahon, 2013
[39] Milburn, 2021
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