早年生活

下嫁劉邦

呂雉本來隨其父呂公住在碭郡單父縣（今山東單縣終興鎮潘莊），後來父親呂公為躲避仇人，又因為和沛縣縣令有交情，便率全家人到沛縣定居。呂公全家到達沛縣後，沛縣的豪傑因為縣令和呂公的交情，都前去祝賀呂家喬遷之喜。。主吏蕭何負責排定賓客的座次，他叫賀禮不足一千銅錢的賓客坐在客堂外面。。劉邦擔任亭長時，一向輕視那些官吏，便在進見的名帖上謊稱「賀錢萬」，其實一文錢也沒帶。

名帖遞進去後，呂公對劉邦大為吃驚，便立馬起身，到門口去迎接他。呂公喜歡給人相面，看見劉邦的相貌就十分敬重劉邦，就把他領到堂上坐下。蕭何告訴呂公，劉邦「固多大言，少成事」，但呂公不以為然。劉邦坐在上賓座位後，就大聲調侃其他沛縣官吏。

宴會時，呂公向劉邦遞眼色讓他留下來，盡興飲酒後，呂公告訴劉邦他年輕時就喜歡看面相，看的人很多但沒有像他這麼相貌不凡的，讓劉邦好好珍重自己；並告訴劉邦說想把親女兒呂雉送給他為妾、奉持家務。事後呂媼對呂公很生氣，便對丈夫說：「你開始就很重視這個女兒，想把她送給貴人。沛縣令待你那麼好，前來相求，你都沒把女兒給他，怎麼自己隨便就承諾給了劉季？」但呂公告訴妻子：「這事不是你們婦人家和孩子所能明白的。」堅持把呂雉嫁給了劉邦。 於是未滿二十歲的呂雉由於父親之命嫁給了四十一歲的泗水亭長劉邦。

呂雉出嫁之時還有一個令她非常難辦的問題：劉邦已有一個非婚生的兒子劉肥。不到20歲的呂雉嫁給了大她二十多歲的中年亭長劉邦，而且這位亭長雖然沒有正式結婚，卻有了一位未婚生育的兒子（在劉邦發蹟之前，呂雉對劉肥沒有任何苛刻之舉，這對一位丈夫長自己二十一歲的少婦來說，實屬不易）。

糟糠之妻

呂雉早年稱得上是賢惠的女人，初嫁給劉邦時，生活並不富裕，劉邦時常為公務以及與朋友們周旋，三天兩頭不見人影。

呂雉便親率子女從事農桑針織，孝順父母及養育兒女，過著自食其力的生活。早年的劉邦常戴一頂自製的竹帽到處閒逛，騙吃騙喝，一次押解囚犯，因自己酒醉而使囚犯逃跑，自己也只好亡命芒碭山下的沼澤地區。呂雉除獨立支撐家庭外，還不時長途跋涉，為丈夫送去衣物及食品。

之後，呂雉為劉邦生下一兒一女，即後來的漢孝惠皇帝劉盈和魯元長公主。

富貴之相

有一次，呂雉和兩個孩子在田間除草，有一個老人路過，要些水喝，呂雉就請他吃飯。老人給呂雉相面說「您是全天下的貴人」，呂雉讓她的兩個孩子相面，老人看了劉盈，告訴呂雉「您之所以顯貴，乃是因為這個男孩」，看了呂雉的女兒，也是貴相。老人走後，劉邦正好從別人家來到田間，呂雉詳細告訴他一位客人從這裡經過，給他們母子三人看相，說將來都是大貴人。劉邦問老人在哪，呂雉告訴他走出不遠。劉邦追上了老人，向他詢問。老人說，其實之前看到你夫人和嬰兒的面相都是像你，你的面相貴不可言。劉邦便道謝說若真如老父所說，將來絕對不會忘記老人的恩德。後來劉邦顯貴，卻不知道老人的去處。

為夫入獄

劉邦以亭長的身份為泗水郡押送徒役去驪山，徒役們有很多在半路逃走了。劉邦估計等到了驪山也就會都逃光了，所以走到芒碭山時，就停下來飲酒，趁著夜晚把所有的役徒都放了。消息傳到沛邑，縣令大怒，將劉邦的家屬逮捕，呂雉因而入獄。獄中受到不善待遇，官吏對呂雉有輕薄舉動，任敖出面解圍，並擊傷主持呂雉獄事的官吏。

淪為楚囚

漢元年劉邦被項羽封為漢王，呂后為王后，但其家屬仍然在沛縣。

漢元年八月（前206年），劉邦令將軍王吸、薛歐出武關，因南陽王陵軍欲迎劉太公與呂雉等劉邦家屬。楚發兵進駐陽夏，漢軍不得前。

漢二年四月（前205年），劉邦東攻項羽至彭城。項羽舍齊地回擊漢軍，大破漢軍於彭城。劉邦倉惶逃跑，途中遇孝惠帝及魯元公主，帶著一起逃跑。楚軍追之甚急，於是劉邦多次把兒女踢下車，夏侯嬰為駕駛，數嘆，輒抱二子上車。劉邦大怒，欲斬夏侯嬰十餘次，最終一行逃至沛縣。

漢二年四月（前205年），漢軍乘項羽陷入齊地不能自拔之際，一舉攻下楚都彭城。而項羽率騎兵迅速回防，與漢軍戰於睢水，漢軍大敗，劉太公、呂雉等一眾劉邦家屬皆為楚軍所俘。

漢四年九月（前203年），楚漢議和方被放回歸漢。

回到劉邦身邊的呂雉卻發現劉邦身邊卻有了戚夫人，無比寵幸，此時的呂雉因為年齡長於戚夫人，常常作為留守，而日漸疏遠

太子之爭

高帝在漢王時期（漢二年六月）因彭城兵敗、家人盡被楚兵擄走，唯一的倖存者是呂雉之子劉盈，便立其為太子並令領兵駐守櫟陽。

戚夫人因為自恃得寵，經常在高帝面前哭鬧，想立她的兒子為太子。劉邦亦偏愛劉如意，欲以「如意類我」，想要改立戚姬子如意為太子。周昌、叔孫通等朝中大臣都堅決反對廢長立幼。

高祖十年（前197年），劉邦欲易太子，下廷議。結果群臣紛紛反對。

張良獻計

呂雉派建成侯呂釋之攔住留侯張良為她謀劃，張良推辭稱高祖「以愛欲易太子」、旁人無計可施；呂釋之堅持，張良於是出主意讓建成侯和太子懇請高帝求而不得的商山四皓輔佐，以為太子助力。

當時呂后令其兄建成侯呂澤找張良，張良對呂澤說：「陛下在戰爭困難的時候確實能夠聽我的意見，但是，如今是因為愛而要廢長立幼，這已經不是靠說能了結的事。但是，陛下非常看重的商山四皓（隱居在商山的四位年長的高士），卻始終請不來，因為他們認為陛下對臣下態度一貫傲慢。如果你們想個辦法把商山四皓請出來輔佐太子，讓他們天天陪著太子，特別上朝之時陪伴太子，陛下一定會看見。陛下知道商山四皓輔佐太子，也許會有一用。」呂后立即付諸實施。呂后派呂澤讓人帶了太子的親筆信和厚禮，將這四位高士請來了。

高帝十二年（前195年）病重，已下定決心要換太子了，經過燕地時擺酒，召太子侍酒，商山四皓恭謹地跟從侍奉太子，並一一前來為高帝祝酒，高帝大受震動，最終明示戚姬太子羽翼已豐、不可改換，放棄了改立太子的決定，也由此決定了呂雉與戚姬二人的高下。

誅殺功臣

呂雉歸漢後成為漢決策集團重要人物。呂后性格剛毅，她為了鞏固自己的權勢，開始殺人立威。

第一個被她選中的就是已被廢為淮陰侯並監視居住的韓信。她趁劉邦在外征戰之際，與蕭何用計殺掉了韓信，從而成功震懾了其他功臣。

不久，梁王彭越被劉邦廢為庶人、削職流放蜀地。途中遇呂雉，彭訴說無罪，呂雉答應為他說情，將其帶回咸陽。她對劉邦說：「你把彭越放走，等於放虎歸山。」於是劉邦重新審判彭越，將彭越及其三族全處死刑，並剁成肉醬分賜與其他諸侯王。

劉邦稱帝八年間，呂后協助劉邦，鎮壓叛逆、打擊割據勢力，對鞏固漢朝統一政權起了重要作用，並為她日後掌權作了充分準備。

病榻問相

漢高帝十二年（前195年），漢高祖劉邦病情加重，呂皇后派良醫進行治療。劉邦自知已經病入膏肓，賜醫生金錢，把他們趕走，拒絕治療。呂皇后見劉邦病已不治，出於國家政局穩定，她到劉邦病榻前問國家關鍵職位人事。

呂皇后問：「陛下百歲後，蕭相國既死，誰令代之？」劉邦回答：「曹參可」；呂皇后又接著問曹參之後人選，劉邦說：「王陵可。然少憨，陳平可以助之。陳平智有餘，然難獨任。周勃重少文，然安劉氏者必勃也，可令為太尉。」

呂皇后還想接著問，但是劉邦說：「以後的事你也不會知道了。」

劉邦去世後，朝廷的重大人事基本上按照這次病榻問相的結果來安排。審食其雖然以呂太后之寵在王陵之後一度為左丞相，但主要是服待呂太后，並不治事。而陳平亦佯為自保，亦不過問政事，呂太后對陳平深為讚許。

尊為太后

劉邦去世，孝惠帝繼位，尊其為皇太后。呂太后在孝惠帝期間極力打壓其他劉姓諸侯王，以維持皇帝的權威；然而孝惠帝並不贊同，反而親趙王如弟，尊齊王如兄。因為戚夫人及其子趙王劉如意，數次欲奪劉盈太子之位，呂太后視為威脅、十分記恨，於是有了「人彘事件」。人彘事件之後，呂太后主持政務。

其他劉邦所寵幸之妃嬪，如有子為王者，則與其子到藩國去，稱為「王太后」，例如代王之母薄姬，即後來的薄太后。

人彘事件

孝惠元年十二月（前195年），呂太后先囚戚夫人於永巷，據傳戚夫人私下唱歌嘆息：「兒子為王，母親為奴僕，終日舂米到薄暮，常常與死亡為伍！母子相離三千里，要找誰來告訴你？」呂太后先召趙王劉如意進宮，並伺機毒殺。

孝惠二年（前194年）夏，呂太后又將戚夫人斬去手腳，薰聾雙耳，挖掉雙目，毒啞拋入茅廁之中，稱為「人彘」，意為「人豬」，過了幾天後叫惠帝來看，惠帝痛哭並且病了很久，命人向呂太后說：「這種事不是人做得出來的。臣是太后的兒子，終究沒有辦法治理天下。」於是不理政事，沉溺於飲酒，因此得病。

主持政務

孝惠二年（前194年），楚元王、齊悼惠王來朝。宴席中，孝惠帝事齊王以家人禮，呂太后大怒，欲殺齊王。後齊王獻邑於魯元公主方得脫。

孝惠四年（前192年），立宣平侯張敖之女張氏為皇后，時張氏僅13歲。

孝惠四年（前191年），呂太后下令廢除挾書律，此法本為秦始皇焚書時制定之法，禁止民間藏有農業、卜筮、醫藥之外的書籍。呂太后下令廢止此律，亦下令鼓勵民間獻書朝廷，恢復舊典。

孝惠三年（前192年），開始命人修築長安城，到孝惠六年（前189年），工程全部竣工。各地諸侯來會，十月入朝慶賀。

臨朝稱制

從前188年—前180年，在兩少帝時期，國家大權完全為呂后所掌控，詔書皆稱「朕」，與皇帝規格無異。

前少帝

孝惠七年八月（前188年），孝惠帝駕崩，孝惠張皇后無子，呂太后命取後宮美人子詐為張皇后子，呂雉立太子劉恭（西漢前少帝）為帝，自己臨朝稱制，行使皇帝職權，朝廷號令一概出自太后，為中國太后專政的第一人。呂后成為秦始皇統一中國，實行皇帝制度之後，第一個臨朝稱制的女主，被司馬遷列入記錄皇帝政事的本紀，後來班固作漢書則只立傳。她亦開漢代外戚專權的先河。同年大封諸呂。

前少帝劉恭發現身世真相，揚言必報殺母之仇，呂雉得知後，將他囚於永巷，對外聲稱皇帝重病，拒絕接見任何人。呂雉又對朝臣說小皇帝重病，無法治理國家，應有人接替，得到朝臣肯定。於是，少帝被廢黜，並被呂雉幽禁殺害，改立常山王劉弘為帝。

後少帝

前少帝劉恭死後，恆山王劉義繼任帝位，並改名為劉弘，即後少帝。

呂雉為了強化自己的統治，在採取「無為而治」，鞏固西漢政權的同時，首先打擊諸侯王和政治上的反對派，重用其寵臣審食其。然後佈置黨羽，大封諸呂及所愛後宮美人之子為王侯。隨後殺掉趙王劉友和梁王劉恢。右丞相王陵堅決反對封諸呂為王的政策，堅持高祖與大臣的盟約，「非劉氏而王，天下共擊之。」呂雉不高興，就讓他擔任皇帝的太傅，奪了他的丞相職權。王陵只得告病回家。然後又讓審食其為左丞相，居中用事。陳平、周勃雖然不服，也只好順從。審食其不處理左丞相職權範圍內的事情，專門監督管理宮中的事務，像個郎中令，呂雉常與他決斷大事，公卿大臣處理事務都要通過審食其才能決定。呂后這些做法遭到劉氏宗室和大臣的激烈反對。

內封諸呂

呂后追封他已故的兩個哥哥，大哥呂侯為悼武王，呂釋之為趙昭王，以此作封立諸呂為王的開端。

高后元年（前187年），封侄呂台為呂王，呂產為梁王，呂祿為趙王，侄孫呂通為燕王，追尊父呂文為呂宣王，封女兒魯元公主的兒子張偃為魯王，將呂祿的女兒嫁給劉章，封劉章為朱虛侯，封呂釋之的兒子呂種為沛侯，封外甥呂平扶柳侯。

高后二年（前186年），呂台去世，諡號肅王，封其子呂嘉代呂台為呂王。

高后四年（前184年），又封其妹呂媭為臨光侯，侄子呂他為俞侯，呂更始為贅其侯，呂忿為呂城侯。呂后先後分封呂氏家族十幾人為王為侯。

在漢惠帝死後的這段時間，她積極扶植呂氏一族力量，封諸呂為王，打擊劉姓皇族及勢力，呂太后過世後，周勃、陳平、劉章等人以計謀騙來兵權，消滅了諸呂。

外和匈奴

據東漢班固所著《漢書》記載：孝惠四年（前192年），劉邦死後，匈奴首領冒頓曾寄國書向呂太后求婚，意在標揚匈奴武力，刻意貶低漢朝國力及汙辱太后，上面寫道：「孤僨之君，......願遊中國。陛下獨立，孤僨獨居。兩主不樂，無以自虞，願以所有，易其所無。」

呂后大怒，欲出擊匈奴。朝臣幾乎眾口一辭：「出兵攻打匈奴。」然唯有中郎將季布卻指出：劉邦當年在與匈奴之戰中最終未占得便宜，不得已採納劉敬的和親建議，來換取漢初社會經濟的恢復與發展；「今歌唫之聲未絕，傷痍者甫起」，亦即如今的漢朝軍事勢力依然不及匈奴，宜繼續和親為上。

最終，呂后聽從了中郎將季布的意見，以年邁為由婉言拒絕，並贈單于車馬作為禮物之外，繼續以宗室女為公主，嫁匈奴單于以和親。之後匈奴便派使者來謝罪說：「我們沒有聽過中國的禮節，幸而得到陛下寬恕。」並獻上馬匹。前192年春天，劉盈以宗室女為公主繼續與匈奴和親，漢匈之間及時避免了兵燹之災。

呂后駕崩

高后八年（前180年8月18日），呂太后崩逝，與漢高祖合葬長陵。

呂后臨終將呂祿之女呂氏許給後少帝劉弘為后。呂后崩後留下詔賜給各諸侯黃金千斤，將、相、列侯、郎、吏都按官階賜給黃金，大赦天下。讓呂王呂產擔任相國。由於呂后在政時期培植起一個呂氏外戚集團，從而加劇了漢統治階級內部的矛盾，因此在她死後，馬上就釀成了漢初功臣集團、劉氏皇族集團、呂氏外戚集團之間的流血鬥爭。呂后沒有完成她的政治計劃就去世了。漢統治階級內部矛盾驟然激化，袒劉之軍蜂起。齊王劉襄發難於外，周勃、陳平響應於內，劉氏諸王遂群起而殺諸呂，漢初功臣集團、劉氏皇族集團、呂氏外戚集團之間的一場流血鬥爭，以漢初功臣集團的勝利而告終。

周勃、陳平等漢初功臣剷除諸呂，昭告天下，少帝劉弘及梁王劉泰、淮陽王劉武、恆山王劉朝等，並非漢惠帝親生兒子，應當廢黜，並在劉姓皇族選擇皇位繼承人。選定高祖與妃子薄氏之子代王劉恆作為新皇帝（即漢文帝）。

呂后的墳墓曾經被赤眉軍挖掘，其尸體遭到侮辱。光武帝建武年間，呂后因種種不利于漢朝社稷的行為，呂后在高祖廟中的牌位被光武帝下令遷出。

評價

絮語

• 《太史公自序》曰：「惠之早霣，諸呂不台；崇彊祿、產，諸侯謀之；殺隱幽友，大臣洞疑，遂及宗禍」。

• 司馬遷在《史記·呂后本紀》中對她的評價是「高后女主稱制，政不出房戶，天下晏然。刑罰罕用，罪人是希。民務稼穡，衣食滋殖。」

總評

呂后掌權統治十五年，雖然對於劉氏皇室來說是一個威脅，不過，呂后掌政期間對國家發展是很有功勞的。例如，呂后重用人才，並廢除秦以來的一些苛法，尤以廢除三族罪和妖言令為百姓所稱道。以免除徭役鼓勵恢復生產，又「減田租，復十五稅一」減輕百姓的負擔；力行簡約，從不奢華鋪張，形成漢初節儉風氣；在邊防上，安排戌族輪替，取代秦以來戌族服役無期的狀況，實行黃老之術與民休息的政策，為後來的文景之治奠定堅實基礎。

然而東漢以後因其掌政期間誅殺劉氏皇室的歷史與王莽相似，新建立的東漢劉氏皇室對其詆毀漸重，認為其牝雞司晨、人彘事件及冤殺韓信等功臣彰顯其手段狠毒。

另外《二年律令》的推出，讓天下土地從象徵到實質性的私有化，為西漢文景之治的長期穩定創造了環境，至少到漢武帝中期，國家對內十分順利穩定，相比較西漢末年與其相反的王莽新政迅速的崩潰，不得不看出呂后對漢朝的貢獻，另外，其來自民間的身分，以及與劉邦共同打天下、守江山的經歷，讓這位女性不同於其他通過外戚掌權的女性統治者，由此看來，呂后是頗具政才的女性。

世系圖

影視形象

Family background and marriage to Liu Bang

Lü Zhi was born in Shanfu County (單父; present-day Shan County, Shandong) during the late Qin Dynasty. Her courtesy name was Exu (娥姁 Éxǔ). To flee from enemies, her father Lü Wen brought their family to Pei County, settled there, and became a close friend of the county magistrate. Many influential men in town came to visit Lü Wen. Xiao He, then an assistant of the magistrate, was in charge of the seating arrangement and collection of gifts from guests at a banquet in Lü Wen's house, and he announced "Those who do not offer more than 1,000 coins in gifts shall be seated outside the hall." Liu Bang (later Emperor Gaozu of Han), then a minor patrol officer (亭長), went there bringing a single cent and said, "I offer 10,000 coins." Lü Wen saw Liu Bang and was impressed with him on first sight, that he immediately stood up and welcomed Liu into the hall to sit beside him. Xiao He told Lü Wen that Liu Bang was not serious, but Liu ignored him and chatted with Lü. Lü Wen said, "I used to predict fortunes for many people but I've never seen someone so exceptional like you before." Lü Wen then offered his daughter Lü Zhi's hand in marriage to Liu Bang and they were wed. Lü Zhi bore Liu Bang a daughter (later Princess Yuan of Lu) and a son Liu Ying (later Emperor Hui of Han).

Liu Bang later participated in the rebellion against the Qin Dynasty under the insurgent Chu kingdom, nominally ruled by King Huai II. Lü Zhi and her two children remained with her father and family for most of the time during this period.

Life during the Chu–Han Contention

In early 206 BC, after the fall of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu divided the former Qin Empire into the Eighteen Kingdoms. Liu Bang was named "King of Han" and given the lands in the remote Bashu region (in present-day Sichuan) as his domain. However, Liu Bang's family, including Lü Zhi and her children, remained in Pei County, which was a territory of Xiang Yu's kingdom of Western Chu.

Later that year, Liu Bang attacked and seized the Three Qins (three kingdoms covering the Guanzhong region) directly north of his own fief. Guanzhong was rightfully Liu Bang's, according to an earlier promise by Emperor Yi of Chu (previously known as King Huai II of Chu) to appoint whoever conquered Guanzhong first (during the rebellion against the Qin Dynasty) as king of that area. This marked the beginning of a four-year power struggle for supremacy over China between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, from 206 BC to 202 BC, known as the Chu–Han Contention. Xiang Yu initially took no action against Liu Bang's family. In the eighth lunar month, Liu Bang sent his followers Wang Xi (王吸) and Xue Ou (薛歐) to meet Wang Ling (王陵) in Nanyang and fetch his family. However Xiang Yu mobilised troops to Yangxia (陽夏) and prevented the Han forces from advancing.

In the summer of 205 BC, Liu Bang took advantage of the situation when Xiang Yu was occupied with suppressing rebellions in the Qi kingdom to attack and capture Western Chu's capital Pengcheng. Xiang Yu immediately withdrew from Qi and launched a counterattack, defeating Liu Bang's forces at Suishui (睢水). Lü Zhi and Liu Bang's family were captured by Chu forces and held hostage. During this period of time, Lü Zhi started an illicit affair with Shen Yiji (審食其), one of Liu Bang's followers who was also held captive together with her.

In the autumn of 203 BC, Liu Bang and Xiang Yu came to a temporary reconciliation, known as the Treaty of Hong Canal, which divided China into west and east under their Han and Western Chu domains respectively. As part of their agreement, Xiang Yu released Lü Zhi and Liu Bang's family and returned them to Liu. Lü Zhi was given the title of "Queen Consort of Han" (漢王妃). Liu Bang later renounced the truce and attacked Xiang Yu, eventually defeating the latter at the Battle of Gaixia in 202 BC and unifying China under his rule. Liu Bang proclaimed himself Emperor of China and established the Han Dynasty. He instated Lü Zhi as his empress and their son Liu Ying as crown prince.

As empress and paramount authority

Even after Emperor Gaozu (Liu Bang)'s victory over Xiang Yu, there were still unstable areas in the empire, requiring the new government to launch military campaigns to pacify these regions thereafter. Gaozu placed Empress Lü Zhi and the crown prince Liu Ying (Lü Zhi's son) in charge of the capital Chang'an and making key decisions in court, assisted by the chancellor Xiao He and other ministers. During this time Lü Zhi proved herself to be a competent administrator in domestic affairs, and she quickly established strong working relationships with many of Gaozu's officials, who admired her for her capability and feared her for her ruthlessness, after the war ended and Emperor Gaozu returned, she remained in power and she was always influential in many of the country's affairs.

Roles in the deaths of Han Xin and Peng Yue

Lü Zhi is known for her roles in the deaths of Han Xin and Peng Yue, two of Emperor Gaozu's subjects who contributed greatly to the founding of the Han Dynasty, of whose military capabilities both she and her husband had been apprehensive .

In 196 BC, Gaozu left the capital Chang'an to suppress a revolt in Julu started by Chen Xi, the Marquis of Yangxia. A year before, Chen Xi met Han Xin before departing from Chang'an for Julu, and it was alleged that Han Xin was involved in the rebellion. Lü Zhi became wary of Han Xin, and after consulting the chancellor Xiao He, she had Xiao summon Han to meet her in Changle Palace. There, the empress had Han Xin taken by surprise, captured and subsequently executed in a torturous manner. Lü Zhi also ordered Han Xin's family and relatives to be put to death as well.

When Gaozu was putting down Chen Xi's revolt, he requested reinforcements from Peng Yue but the latter claimed that he was ill and sent his subordinates to assist Gaozu instead. After Chen Xi's rebellion was quelled, Gaozu heard rumours that Peng Yue was plotting against him too, and he had Peng arrested and stripped off his titles. Peng was demoted to the status of a commoner and exiled to the remote Qingyi County (青衣縣; in present-day Ya'an, Sichuan). During his journey to Qingyi, Peng Yue encountered Lü Zhi, who wanted to have him killed. He pleaded with her to spare his life and let him return to his hometown in Changyi (昌邑; present-day Jinxiang County, Shandong), and the empress pretended to agree. Peng Yue was brought to Luoyang, where he was subsequently executed on false charges of treason. Lü Zhi ordered Peng Yue's body to be mutilated and had Peng's clan exterminated as well.

Dispute over the succession

In his late years, Emperor Gaozu started favouring one of his younger consorts, Concubine Qi, who bore him a son Liu Ruyi, who was instated as Prince of Zhao in 198 BC, displacing Lü Zhi's son-in-law Zhang Ao (Princess Yuan of Lu's husband). Gaozu had the intention of replacing Liu Ying with Liu Ruyi as crown prince, reasoning that the former was too "soft-hearted and weak" and that the latter resembled him more. Since Lü Zhi had strong rapport with many ministers, they generally opposed Gaozu's decision but the emperor seemed bent on deposing Liu Ying. Lü Zhi became worried and she approached Zhang Liang for help, and the latter analysed that Gaozu was changing the succession on grounds of favouritism. Zhang Liang invited the "Four Whiteheads of Mount Shang", a group of four reclusive wise men, to persuade Gaozu to change his decision. The four men promised to assist Liu Ying in future if he became emperor, and Gaozu was pleased to see that Liu Ying had their support. Gaozu told Concubine Qi, "I wanted to replace (the crown prince). Now I see that he has the support of those four men; he is fully fledged and difficult to unseat. Empress Lü is really in charge!" This marked the end of the dispute over the succession and affirmed Liu Ying's role as crown prince.

As empress dowager and Regent

In 195 BC Emperor Gaozu died and was succeeded by Liu Ying, who became historically known as Emperor Hui of Han. Lü Zhi was honoured by Emperor Hui as empress dowager. She exerted more influence during the reign of her son than she had when she was empress.

Roles in the deaths of Concubine Qi and Liu Ruyi

Lü Zhi did not harm most of Gaozu's other consorts and treated them according to rules and customs of the imperial family. For example, consorts who bore male children that were instated as princes were granted the title of "Princess Dowager" (王太后) in their respective sons' principalities. One exception was Concubine Qi, whom Lü Zhi greatly resented because of the dispute over the succession between Liu Ruyi (Qi's son) and Liu Ying. Liu Ruyi, the Prince of Zhao, was away in his principality, so Lü Zhi targeted Concubine Qi. She had Qi stripped of her position, treated like a convict (head shaved, in stocks, dressed in prison garb) and forced to do hard labour in the form of milling rice.

Lü Zhi then summoned Liu Ruyi, who was around the age of 12 then, to Chang'an, intending to kill him together with his mother. However Zhou Chang (周昌), the chancellor in Liu Ruyi's principality, whom Lü Zhi respected because of his stern opposition to Emperor Gaozu's proposal to make Liu Ruyi crown prince, temporarily protected Liu Ruyi from harm by responding to Lü Zhi's order that "The Prince of Zhao is ill and unfit for travelling over long distances." Lü Zhi then ordered Zhou Chang to come to the capital, had him detained, and then summoned Liu Ruyi again. Emperor Hui tried to save Liu Ruyi by intercepting his half brother before the latter entered Chang'an, and kept Liu Ruyi by his side most of the time. Lü Zhi refrained from carrying out her plans for several months because she feared that she might harm Emperor Hui as well.

One morning in the winter of 194 BC, Emperor Hui went for a hunting trip and did not bring Liu Ruyi with him because the latter refused to get out of bed. Lü Zhi's chance arrived, so she sent an assassin to force poisoned wine down Liu Ruyi's throat. The young prince was dead by the time Emperor Hui returned. Lü Zhi then had Concubine Qi killed in an inhumane manner: she had Qi's limbs chopped off, eyes gouged out, ears sliced off, forced her to drink a potion that made her mute, and thrown into a latrine. She called Qi a "human swine" (人彘). Several days later, Emperor Hui was taken to view the "human swine" and was shocked to learn that it was Concubine Qi. He cried loudly and became ill for a long time. He requested to see his mother and said, "This is something done not by a human. As the empress dowager's son, I'll never be able to rule the empire." From then onward Emperor Hui indulged himself in carnal pleasures and ignored state affairs.

Treatment of Emperor Gaozus other sons

Around the winter of 194 BC, Liu Fei, the Prince of Qi, Emperor Gaozu's eldest son born to Lady Cao (曹氏), visited Chang'an and he and Emperor Hui attended a banquet hosted by the empress dowager. Emperor Hui honoured Liu Fei as an older half brother and treated the latter respectfully. Lü Zhi felt offended and secretly instructed her servants to pour a cup of poisoned wine for Liu Fei, and then toasted him. Just as Liu Fei was about to drink the wine, Emperor Hui realised his mother's intention and grabbed Liu Fei's cup as if he would drink from it. Lü Zhi immediately jumped up and knocked the cup out of Emperor Hui's hand. Liu Fei then offered to give up an entire commandery from his principality to Lü Zhi's daughter Princess Yuan of Lu, and Lü Zhi accepted and allowed him to leave.

Lü Zhi also played a role in the death of another of Gaozu's sons, Liu You, the Prince of Zhao. Liu You married Lü Zhi's niece but was caught having an affair with another woman, so Lü Zhi's niece reported to her aunt that Liu You was plotting a rebellion. Lü Zhi summoned Liu You to Chang'an and had him imprisoned and deprived of food. Liu You was afraid of committing suicide and eventually starved to death, in 181 BC.

Lü Zhi then transferred another of Gaozu's sons, Liu Hui, the Prince of Liang, to Zhao, and forced him to marry a daughter of Lü Chan. The Lü clan grabbed the authority of Zhao and oversaw Liu Hui, thus making Liu Hui feel restricted. Princess Lü had a favored concubine of Liu Hui poisoned to death. Liu Hui was distressed and committed suicide in fear in the same year.

For the matters above Lü Zhi was criticized for "having murdered three princes of Zhao".

Marriage proposal from Modu

In 192 BC Lü Zhi received a marriage proposal from the Xiongnu chanyu Modu, who wrote as follows in a letter meant to intimidate and mock her:

I'm a lonesome ruler born in marshes and raised in plains populated by livestock. I've visited your border numerous times and wanted to tour China. Your Majesty is now alone and living in solitude. Since both of us are not happy and have nothing to entertain ourselves, I'm willing to use what I possess to exchange for what you lack.

Lü Zhi was infuriated at the rude proposition, and in a heated court session, her generals advised her to rally an army and exterminate the Xiongnu immediately. As she was about to declare war, an outspoken attendant named Ji Bu pointed out that the Xiongnu army was much more powerful than the Chinese. At Ji Bu's words, the court immediately fell into a fearful silence. Rethinking her plans, Lü Zhi rejected Modu's proposition humbly, as follows:

Your Lordship does not forget our land and writes a letter to us, we fear. I retreat to preserve myself. I'm old and frail, I'm losing hair and teeth, and I struggle to maintain balance when I move. Your Lordship has heard wrongly, you shouldn't defile yourself. Our people did not offend you, and should be pardoned. We've two imperial carriages and eight fine steeds, which we graciously offer to Your Lordship.

However she continued implementing the heqin policy of marrying Han princesses to Xiongnu chieftains and paying tribute to the Xiongnu in exchange for peace between both sides.

Emperor Huis marriage to Empress Zhang Yan

In 191 BC, at Lü Zhi's insistence, Emperor Hui married his niece Zhang Yan (Princess Yuan of Lu's daughter) and made her empress. They did not have any children. It was alleged that Lü Zhi told Zhang Yan to adopt eight boys and have their mothers killed. There is uncertainty whether these children were Emperor Hui's; the traditional view is that they were not, while modern historians believe that they were born to his concubines.

As grand empress dowager and Acting Emperor

Emperor Hui died in 188 BC and was succeeded by Emperor Qianshao, one of the children Empress Zhang adopted. Now grandmother of the emperor, Lü Zhi retained her title as Empress Dowager and never claimed the title as Grand Empress Dowager. Conventional historians do not consider Emperor Qianshao a true sovereign, so he is usually omitted from the list of emperors of the Han Dynasty.

Emperor Gaozu had previously decreed that no non-imperial clan members could become princes (not including the vassal kings), a rule that Lü Zhi herself had a hand in creating. In spite of this, Lü Zhi attempted to install some of her kinsmen as princes. The Right Chancellor Wang Ling (王陵) opposed her decision but the Left Chancellor Chen Ping and general Zhou Bo accepted this move. When Wang Ling rebuked Chen Ping and Zhou Bo in private for going against Emperor Gaozu's law, they rationalized that their compliance with the empress dowager's wishes was necessary to protect the empire and the Liu clan. Lü Zhi promoted Wang Ling to the position of Grand Tutor (太傅) but the latter claimed that he was ill and declined, so she ordered him to return to his marquisate (Wang Ling held the title of Marquis of Anguo). Lü Zhi then appointed Chen Ping as Right Chancellor and her illicit lover Shen Yiji (審食其) as Left Chancellor.

Lü Zhi then proceeded to make her kin nobles. Her first step was to install her maternal grandson Zhang Yan (張偃; Princess Yuan of Lu's son, Empress Zhang Yan's brother) as the Prince of Lu. Over the next few years she instated several of her nephews and grandnephews as princes and marquises. In an unprecedented move, in 184 BC, Lü Zhi also granted her younger sister Lü Xu the title of Marquise of Lingguang, in a separate fief from that of the latter's husband Fan Kuai.

Around 184 BC Emperor Qianshao discovered that he was not Empress Dowager Zhang Yan's son, and his birth mother was executed by the empress dowager. He remarked that when he grew up he would make Empress Dowager Zhang pay for his mother's death. When Lü Zhi heard about this, she had the young emperor secretly confined in the palace and publicly announced that the emperor was seriously ill and unable to meet anyone. After some time she told the imperial court that Emperor Qianshao was still sick and suffered from psychosis, and was thus incapable of ruling. She then proposed that the emperor be replaced. The court complied with her wish, and Emperor Qianshao was deposed and put to death. He was succeeded by his brother Liu Yi, who was renamed to Liu Hong, and was also historically known as Emperor Houshao of Han. Like his predecessor Emperor Qianshao, Liu Hong is generally not regarded as a real monarch, so he is also not included in the list of emperors of the Han Dynasty.

Death

Lü Zhi died of illness at the age of 61 in 180 BC and was interred in Emperor Gaozu's tomb in Changling (長陵). Near the end of Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty (AD 9 – AD 23), Lü Zhi's body was desecrated by Chimei rebels when they raided Gaozu's tomb. Emperor Guangwu, who restored the Han Dynasty in AD 25, posthumously replaced Lü Zhi as "Empress Gao" in Gaozu's temple with another of Gaozu's concubines, Consort Bo. Lü Zhi was enshrined in a separate temple instead.

In the aftermath of Lü Zhi's death, her clan members were overthrown from their positions of power and massacred, in an event historically known as the Lü Clan Disturbance. The masterminds of this coup d'état include ministers who previously served Emperor Gaozu, including Chen Ping, Zhou Bo and Guan Ying. Liu Heng, a son of Gaozu and Consort Bo, was installed on the throne as Emperor Wen of Han.

Family

• Father: Lü Wen, sometimes referred to as Lü Gong. In 187 BC he was granted the posthumous title of "Prince Xuan of Lü". Historian Guo Moruo discovered that he was a descendant of Lü Buwei.

• Husband: Liu Bang, Emperor Gaozu of Han.

• Children:

　• Liu Ying, Emperor Hui of Han.

　• Princess Yuan of Lu (魯元公主), personal name unknown.

• Siblings and their descendants:

　• Lü Changxu, older sister.

　　• Lü Ping, Lü Changxu's son, Marquis of Fuliu (扶柳侯).

　• Lü Ze, older brother, posthumously known as "Prince Daowu of Lü".

　　• Lü Tai, Lü Ze's son, instated as Prince Su of Lü in 186 BC.

　　　• Lü Jia, Lü Tai's son, Prince of Lü.

　　　• Lü Tong, Lü Tai's son, instated as Prince of Yan (燕王) in 181 BC.

　　　• Lü Pi, Lü Tai's son, Marquis of Dongping.

　　• Lü Chan, Lü Ze's son, instated as Prince of Liang (梁王) in 181 BC.

　• Lü Shizhi, older brother, posthumously known as "Prince Zhao of Zhao".

　　• Lü Ze, Lü Shizhi's son, Marquis of Jiancheng (建成侯).

　　• Lü Zhong, Lü Shizhi's son, Marquis of Buqi (不其侯).

　　• Lü Lu, Lü Shizhi's son, instated as Prince of Zhao in 181 BC.

　• Lü Xu, younger sister, Fan Kuai's wife, instated as Marquise of Linguang (臨光侯) in 184 BC.