Empress Xie (Xiaozong)

成肅皇后Empress consort of the Southern Song dynastyTenure12 September 1176 – 18 February 1189PredecessorEmpress ChenggongSuccessorEmpress CixianEmpress dowager of the Southern Song dynastyTenure18 February 1189 – 21 October 1202Grand empress dowager of the Southern Song dynastyTenure21 October 1202 – 13 June 1207Born1135
Danyang, Jiangsu, ChinaDied13 June 1207 (aged c. 72)
Lin'an, Zhejiang, ChinaBurialSpouseEmperor Xiaozong

Posthumous name
Empress Chengsu (成肅皇后)

FatherXia Ning

Empress Xie (1135 – 13 June 1207) was a Chinese empress consort of the Song dynasty, married to Emperor Xiaozong of Song.

As Empress

Xie was selected as a concubine (and later consort) for Emperor Xiaozong by Empress Dowager Wu, who lamented his disinterest in women after the death of his second empress, Empress Xia.^[1] While Xie eventually became his primary consort, she had no surviving children.

Unlike other Empresses in the Southern Song Dynasty who made an effort at participating in politics, Empress Xie had a rather politically detached personality and lived through much of the ensuing reigns until the thirteenth year of Emperor Ningzong's reign. However, she was described as "diligent, fair and frugal" when it came to managing matters in the inner palace.

Empress Xie was a reserved and non-meddling woman who lived in silence herself, having barely received any affection from her spouse and relatives. Thus, she was widely considered a tragic and lonely figure despite her elevated position.

Notes

Chinese royalty
Preceded by Empress Xia	Empress of China 1176–1189	Succeeded by Empress Li Fengniang