Consort kin
(Redirected from
Consort clan
) | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2008) |
| Consort kin | |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | |
Hanyu Pinyin | wàiqī |
| Yue: Cantonese | |
| Yale Romanization | ngoih chīk |
| Transcriptions | |
|---|---|
| Revised Romanization | waecheog |
| Transcriptions | |
|---|---|
| Romanization | gaiseki |
The consort kin (
of the empress dowager or consort.Consort kins can be seen as a manifestation of nepotism in Sinospheric imperial politics. While some were competent, only relying on their female relatives for their initial audiences with the emperor and then proving their worth at their positions (e.g. Wei Qing and Huo Qubing), many turned out to be corrupt and incompetent (e.g. Yang Guozhong). Corrupt and incompetent consort kins have been linked to the downward turn of fortunes for many dynasties.
Historical examples
China
Zhou dynasty
- The Marquess of Shen – father of the queen of King You of Zhou, whose participation in a succession struggle after the king's attempt to depose his grandson in favor of consort Bao Si's son Bofu led to the fall of the Western Zhou and beginning of the Spring and Autumn period[1]: 10, 12
Han dynasty
- Empress Lü Zhi, consort of Emperor Gaozu of Han[2]: 97
- Wei Qing – a younger paternal half-brother of the Empress Wei Zifu, consort of Emperor Wu of Han, one of the major military leaders of wars against the Xiongnu[3]
- Huo Qubing – a nephew of Wei Qing and Wei Zifu, also an important general in the war between Han China and Xiongnu.[3]
- granddaughter became the empress of Emperor Zhao of Han, and daughter became an empress of Emperor Xuan of Han. He played an extremely important political role in the eras of Emperor Zhao and Emperor Xuan, sometimes overshadowing the power of the emperors.[3]
- Shangguan Jie – Paternal grandfather of Emperor Zhao's wife (Huo Guang was the maternal grandfather). He was involved in a power struggle with Huo Guang, and killed in 80 BCE after being accused of plotting a rebellion.
- Wang Mang – nephew of Empress Dowager Wang, cousin of Emperor Cheng of Han and dynastic usurper.[4]
- Ma Yuan – father of Empress Ma, consort of Emperor Ming of Han, a major general of Emperor Guangwu of Han who led the expedition to Jiaozhi (today's northern Vietnam). However, Ma Yuan had passed away before Emperor Ming ascended the throne.
- Empress Dowager Dou and brother-in-law of Emperor Zhang of Han.
- coup d'etatplotted by eunuchs against him.
- coup d'etat against eunuchs.
- He Jin – brother of Empress Dowager He and killed after his plot against eunuchs was exposed
- .
- Empress Cao Jie, consort of Emperor Xian.
Three Kingdoms
Jin dynasty (266–420)
- Emperor Wu of Jin China
- Empress Dowager Yu
- Chu Pou – father of Chu Suanzi
Northern and Southern dynasties
- Dugu Xin, father of Empress Dugu, Empress Dugu Qieluo and Lady Dugu, respectively consorts of Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou, Emperor Wen of Sui and Li Bing (father of Emperor Gaozu of Tang). The only recorded consort kin of three imperial clans.
- Yang Jian, father of the Empress Yang Lihua. He later usurped the throne and founded the Sui dynasty.
Tang dynasty
- Tang Gaozong in governing the state.[6]
- Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi — nephews of Empress Wu Zetian
- Yang Guozhong — cousin of Yang Guifei, implicated in the An Lushan rebellion[7]: 449
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
- Fu Yanqing — influential military leader of Later Zhou, father of Empress Fu the Elder and Empress Fu the Younger, empresses consort of Chai Rong (Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou), and Princess Fu, consort of then–prince Zhao Guangyi (later Emperor Taizong of Song).
Song dynasty
- Emperor Lizong[8]
Yuan dynasty
- Khongirad — the clan of Genghis Khan's wife Börte and Kublai Khan's wife Chabi
Qing dynasty
- Songgotu — the paternal uncle of Empress Xiaochengren, Kangxi Emperor's consort.
Ancient Japan
Asuka period
- Isobe clan
- Ōmiwa clan
- Mononobe clan
- Owari clan
- Katsuragi clan
- Ōtomo clan
- Emperor Suiko and Emperor Sushun
- Soga no Umako and Yamato no Aya no Koma — assassinated Emperor Sushun
Heian period
- Fujiwara clan — consort kin in the reigns of emperors Kanmu, Saga, Montoku, Seiwa, Murakami, Reizei, En'yū, Ichijō, Sanjō, Go-Ichijō, Go-Suzaku, and Go-Reizei
- Fujiwara no Yoshifusa — father-in-law of Emperor Montoku
- Fujiwara no Kaneie — son-in-law of Emperor Murakami, father-in-law of three emperors, maternal grandfather of two emperors
- Fujiwara no Michinaga — father-in-law of four emperors
- Fujiwara no Yorimichi — married one granddaughter and one great-granddaughter of Emperor Murakami, father-in-law of Emperor Go-Suzaku and Emperor Go-Reizei
- Taira clan — consort kin in the reigns of emperors Takakura and Antoku
- Taira no Kiyomori — father of Kenreimon'in
Ancient Korea
- Papyeong Yun clan — during the reigns of Kings Jungjong, Injong, & Myeongjong of Joseon
- Hong Gyeongju — father of Royal Noble Consort Huibin Hong of King Jungjong of Joseon
- Joseon dynasty
- Pungyang Jo clan
- Yeoheung Min clan — there is a Korean saying that "Joseon was founded with a Yeoheung Min clan member (Queen Wongyeong's family), and Joseon was destroyed by a Yeoheung Min clan member (Empress Myeongseong's family)"
Ancient Vietnam
- Dương Tam Kha — Ngô Quyền's brother-in-law
- Lý Công Uẩn — Lê Hoàn's son-in-law
- Trần family — Lý Chiêu Hoàng's spousal family
- Hồ Quý Ly — maternal grandfather of Trần Thiếu Đế
- Mạc Đăng Dung — had his adopted daughter marry Lê Chiêu Tông
- Trịnh lords — consort kin of several Lê emperors
References
- JSTOR 26571325. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- JSTOR 25165130.
- ^ a b c Bennett Peterson 2000, p. 61
- ISBN 978-0-521-24327-8.
- ^ Chen Shou (1977) [429]. "38: 許麋孫簡伊秦傳". In Pei Songzhi (ed.). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms 三國志注. Taipei: Dingwen Printing. pp. 969–970.
- ^ Bennett Peterson (2000), p. 181.
- ISBN 978-0521214469.
- ^ Murray, Lorraine; et al. (2009). "Jia Sidao". Encyclopædia Britannica. britannica.com. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
Further reading
- Bennett Peterson, Barbara (2000). Notable Women of China: Shang Dynasty to the Early Twentieth Century. M.E. Sharpe, Inc. ISBN 0-7656-0504-X.