Zhangdi is succeeded by his 9-year old son Zhao, who will reign until 105 as emperor Han Hedi, but he will be a virtual pawn of Empress Dou ( adoptive mother ) and scheming courtiers who will effectively rule the Chinese Empire.

* Empress Dou

With the aid of the eunuch Zheng Zhong ( d. 107 CE ), Emperor He ( r. 88 – 105 CE ) had Empress Dowager Dou ( d. 97 CE ) put under house arrest and her clan stripped of power.

When the plot was uncovered, the eunuchs arrested Empress Dowager Dou ( d. 172 CE ) and Chen Fan.

Dou Xian ( 50s – 92 ), brother-in-law of Emperor Zhang through his sister Empress Duo, utterly defeated the Northern Xiongnu in a series of campaigns during the Yongyuan era ( 89 – 105 ).

Through these political establishments, the Xianbei who entered China were largely merged with the Han, examples such as the wife of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Duchess Dou and Emperor Taizong of Tang's ( Li Shimin's ) wife, Empress Zhangsun, both have Xianbei ancestries, while those who remained behind in the northern grassland emerged as later powers to rule over China.

He was involved in palace intrigue as a supporter of Empress Dou, and in the death of her romantic rival, Consort Song.

After the death of Empress Dou in AD 97, he became an associate of Consort Deng Sui.

* Grand Empress Dowager Dou ( 141 BC-135 BC ), during the reign of Emperor Wu

* Empress Dowager Dou

* Dou Xian-brother of Empress Dowager Dou and brother-in-law of Emperor Zhang of Han China.

* Dou Wu-father of another Empress Dowager Dou and killed in his abortive coup d ' etat against eunuchs.

According to historians, Emperor Wen trusted and consulted with ministers on state affairs ; under the influence of his Taoist wife, Empress Dou, the emperor also sought to avoid wasteful expenditures.

Heavily influenced by his wife Empress Dou, who was an adherent to Taoism, Emperor Wen governed the country with the general policies of non-intereference with the people and relaxed laws.

In 179 BC, after some hesitation ( during which he, apparently influenced by the theory of chanrang ( 禪讓 ), thought that maybe it would be more proper for him to find the wisest person in the empire and offer the throne to him, or that he should consider offering the throne to his uncle Liu Jiao ( 劉交 ), the Prince of Chu ; his cousin Liu Pi ( 劉濞 ), the Prince of Wu ; or his younger brother Liu Chang ( 劉長 ), the Prince of Huainan ), he created his oldest son Liu Qi the Crown Prince and Prince Qi's mother, Consort Dou, Empress.

In addition to Empress Dou, Emperor Wen also favored Consort Shen ( 慎夫人 ).

** Empress Dou, mother of Emperor Jing, Prince Wu and Princess Piao

He continued his father Emperor Wen's policy of general non-interference with the people, reduced tax and other burdens, and thriftiness, due to Taoist influences of his mother Empress Dou.

He was deeply influenced by his mother Empress Dou, who was a Taoist and required all of her children and grandchildren to study Taoist doctrines.

He also developed deep bonds with his older sister Princess Liu Piao ( 劉嫖 ) and his younger brother Liu Wu ( 劉武 ), both also born of Empress Dou.

Emperor Jing's grandmother Empress Dowager Bo became grand empress dowager, and Empress Dou became empress dowager.

When Emperor Huan died in 168 without a son to be heir, his wife Empress Dou Miao became empress dowager and regent, and she examined the rolls of the imperial clan to consider the next emperor.

Empress Dowager He's mother Lady Xian and brother He Miao ( 何苗 ) also opposed the plan, reasoning that they owed much to the eunuchs.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang appears only in the first season, aired in 1987, in which she is portrayed by Nora Miao.

The eunuchs, now without a military power base of their own, relied on the support of Empress Dowager He and He Miao.

* Empress He and He Miao ( 何苗 ) have different mothers.

When the Emperor Han Ling Di died, the eunuchs, without a military power base of their own, relied on the support of Empress Dowager He and He Miao.

* Empress Dou Miao, third wife of Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty

* Empress Wang is given the title of Duchess Dowager of Ding ' an, while Emperor Ruzi of Han, the former Emperor of Han becomes the Duke of Ding ' an.

* Emperor Ping of Han China begins his reign and Wang Mang is re-instated as regent by Grand Empress Dowager Wang.

* Emperor Ping of Han marries Empress Wang ( Ping ), daughter of Wang Mang, cementing his influence.

* Empress Ma of the Han Dynasty ( d. 79 )

Empress Deng Sui placed her son Shang Di ( barely 3 months old ) on the throne, as the fifth emperor of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty.

* Han Andi ( An-ti, Ngan-ti ), a young man, becomes emperor of China, giving power to Empress Deng Sui.

* Empress Liang Na, wife of Emperor Shun of Han ( b. 116 )

* Empress Liang Nuying, wife of Emperor Huan of Han

* Empress Deng Mengnu, wife of Emperor Huan of Han

* 163 BC – Zhang Yan, known formally as Empress Xiaohui, empress of the Chinese Han Dynasty

** Empress Dowager Lü, de facto ruler of the Chinese Han dynasty and wife of Emperor Gao

* Huo Chengjun, Empress of the Han Dynasty of China

* Wang Zhengjun, Empress of the western Han Dynasty of China ( d. 13 )

* Empress Shangguan, wife to Emperor Zhao of Han ( d. 37 BC )

In fact, the vast majority of female rulers throughout Chinese Imperial history came to power by ruling as regents on behalf of their sons ; prominent examples include the Empress Lü of the Han Dynasty, as well as Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci ' an of the Qing Dynasty, who for a time ruled jointly as co-regents.

Prominent examples include Empress Dowager Cixi, mother of the Tongzhi Emperor ( 1861 – 1874 ), and aunt and adoptive mother of the Guangxu Emperor ( 1874 – 1908 ), who ruled China for 47 years ( 1861 – 1908 ), Empress Wu Zetian ( who ultimately declared herself Empress, and was subsequently overthrown ) and the Empress Dowager Lü of the Han Dynasty.

* Empress Dowager Bo, imperial concubine of Emperor Gao of the Han dynasty