Empress Dowager (Chinese and Japanese: 皇太后; Chinese pinyin Húang Tài Hòu, Japanese pronunciation: Kōtaigō) was title given to the mother of a Chinese emperor. The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand Empress Dowager. Numerous empress dowagers held regency during the reign of an underage emperor. Many of the most prominent empress dowagers also extended their control for long periods after the emperor was old enough to govern. This was a source of political turmoil according to traditional view of Chinese history.

Chronological list of famous Chinese empress dowagers

Han dynasty

• Empress Dowager Lü
• Empress Dowager Dou
• Empress Dowager Deng
• Empress Dowager Liang
• Empress Dowager He

Northern Dynasties

• Empress Dowager Feng
• Empress Dowager Hu

Tang Dynasty

• Empress Dowager Wu, more commonly known as Wu Zetian
• Empress Dowager Wei , daughter-in-law of Wu Zetian.

Qing Dynasty

• Empress Dowager Cixi
• Empress Dowager Ci'an

See also

• Grand Empress Dowager
• Concubine
• Imperial consorts of Tang China
• Consort clan
• Princess
• Queen mother
• Queen Dowager