Consort kin explained

C:	外戚
P:	wàiqī
Y:	ngoih chīk
Hangul:	외척
Rr:	waecheog
Hiragana:	がいせき
Romaji:	gaiseki
Vie:	ngoại thích

The consort kin were the kin or a group of people related to an empress dowager or a consort of a monarch or a warlord in the Sinosphere. The leading figure of the clan was either a (usually male) sibling, cousin, or parent 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]

Han dynasty

• Lü Clan – relatives of the Empress Lü Zhi, consort of Emperor Gaozu of Han^[2]
  • 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 Huo Qubing – a nephew of Wei Qing and Wei Zifu, also an important general in the war between Han China and Xiongnu.
• Huo Guang – a younger paternal half-brother of Huo Qubing, whose 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.
• 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 after being accused of plotting a rebellion.
• Wang Mang – nephew of Empress Dowager Wang, cousin of Emperor Cheng of Han and dynastic usurper.^[3]
• 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.
• Dou Xian – brother of Empress Dowager Dou and brother-in-law of Emperor Zhang of Han.
• Liang Ji – brother of Empress Dowager Liang and Empress Liang, deposed two emperors and later killed in a coup d'etat plotted by eunuchs against him.
• Dou Wu – father of Empress Dowager Dou Miao and killed in his abortive coup d'etat against eunuchs.
• He Jin – brother of Empress Dowager He and killed after his plot against eunuchs was exposed
• Dong Cheng – father of Consort Dong of Emperor Xian of Han and known for his abortive coup d'etat with Liu Bei against Cao Cao.
• Cao Cao — father of Empress Cao Jie, consort of Emperor Xian.

Three Kingdoms

• Mi Fang, a brother of Lady Mi (Mi Furen) of Liu Bei, Emperor Zhaolie of Shu Han. His betrayal of Shu Han partially led to its loss of Jing Province and the death of general Guan Yu.^[4]

Jin dynasty (266–420)

• Yang Jun – father-in-law of Emperor Wu of Jin China
• Yu Liang – brother of 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

• Zhangsun Wuji — elder brother of Tang Taizong's empress. He was one official entrusted by Taizong to assist the young Tang Gaozong in governing the state.
• Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi — nephews of Empress Wu Zetian
• Yang Guozhong — cousin of Yang Guifei, implicated in the An Lushan rebellion^[5]

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

• Jia Sidao – younger brother of Consort Jia, a favourite of Emperor Lizong^[6]

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

• • Ōmiwa clan
• Mononobe clan
• Owari clan
• Katsuragi clan
• Ōtomo clan
• Soga clan — consort kin in the reigns of Emperor Suiko and Emperor Sushun
  • Soga no Umako and — 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

• — during the reigns of Kings Jungjong, Injong, & Myeongjong of Joseon
• — father of of King Jungjong of Joseon
• Andong Kim clan — especially during the latter 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

Further reading

• Book: Bennett Peterson , Barbara . Notable Women of China: Shang Dynasty to the Early Twentieth Century. M.E. Sharpe, Inc.. 2000. 0-7656-0504-X.

Notes and References

1. Yuri . Pines. Yuri Pines . Chen Minzhen (陳民鎮). 1–27. Where is King Ping? The History and Historiography of the Zhou Dynasty's Eastward Relocation . Asia Major. 2018. 31. 1. Academica Sinica. 26571325. 2022-06-15. .
2. Hinsch . Bret. The Criticism of Powerful Women by Western Han Dynasty Portent Experts. 2006. Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient. 49 . 1 . 96–121. Brill. 10.1163/156852006776207251. 25165130.
3. Book: Bielenstein , Hans . Hans Bielenstein. 1986. Wang Mang, the Restoration of the Han Dynasty, and Later Han. The Cambridge History of China. Volume I: the Ch'in and Han Empires, 221 – 220. 223–290. Denis Twitchett. Michael Loewe. Michael Loewe. Cambridge University Press . 978-0-521-24327-8.
4. Book: Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms. zh:三國志注. Chen Shou . Chen Shou. Pei Songzhi . Pei Songzhi. 1977 . 429. Dingwen Printing. Taipei. . 38: 許麋孫簡伊秦傳. 969–970.
5. Book: Twitchett , Denis . 1979. Hsüan-tsung (reign 712–56). Denis Twitchett. Volume 3, Sui and T'ang China, 589–906, Part 1. The Cambridge History of China . 333–463. Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CHOL9780521214469.008. 978-0521214469.
6. Encyclopedia: Murray . Lorraine. etal. Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. 6 May 2023. Jia Sidao. britannica.com.