A Tomb Raid That Rewrote History

In 1993, a举报信 from Shaanxi province sent shockwaves through China’s archaeological community. The letter reported the looting of an ancient tomb, later identified as the joint burial site of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou (Yuwen Yong) and his突厥皇后 Ashina. This discovery would unveil a gold seal bearing the inscription “Seal of the Celestial Empress Dowager,” bringing to light the remarkable story of China’s only突厥皇后 whose name history forgot but whose artifacts spoke volumes.

The Geopolitical Chessboard of 6th Century China

The Northern Zhou-突厥 alliance didn’t emerge in vacuum. During the chaotic Northern and Southern Dynasties period (420-589 CE), the Northern Zhou and Northern齐 stood as rival regimes locked in perpetual struggle for dominance. Both sought the favor of the rising突厥 Khaganate under Ashina Shejin (also called Muqan Qaghan), whose military prowess had created an empire stretching from Manchuria to Central Asia.

As recorded in the Book of Zhou: “Shejin defeated the Hephthalites in the west, expelled the Khitans eastward, and annexed the Kirghiz in the north… his domain extended ten thousand li from east to west.” This made突厥公主 Ashina the most sought-after diplomatic prize of her era.

The Marriage That Almost Wasn’t

The marriage negotiations spanned generations. Initially proposed during Yuwen Tai’s reign (founder of Northern Zhou), the alliance nearly collapsed when Shejin reconsidered, possibly contemplating a match with Northern齐 instead. Only after divine intervention—a terrifying storm that destroyed突厥 tents for ten consecutive days in 568—did Shejin relent, interpreting it as heavenly wrath for broken promises.

Emperor Wu’s elaborate preparations for the marriage procession in 565 (保定五年) demonstrated its strategic importance:
– Sent four dukes as emissaries
– Prepared完整的皇后仪仗
– Built mobile palaces for the journey

The突厥公主 finally arrived in 568 (天和三年), welcomed by Emperor Wu himself with full imperial ceremony. Northern Zhou’s subsequent generosity—annual gifts of 100,000 silk rolls and luxurious treatment of突厥 envoys—highlighted the alliance’s value.

Life Behind Palace Walls

Ashina’s transition from草原 princess to imperial consort marked a profound cultural shift. Historical fragments suggest:
– Arrived aged 17-18 (circa 568)
– Possessed striking异域 beauty, possibly with琉璃-like eyes (inherited from her father)
– Initially received冷淡 treatment from Emperor Wu

The political nature of their union became evident when Emperor Wu’s niece (later mother of Tang founder李渊) advised: “With边境未定 and突厥 strong, Your Majesty should prioritize state affairs. Only with突厥 support can we neutralize threats from江南 and关东.”

The Turbulent Aftermath

Emperor Wu’s premature death in 578 during a campaign against突厥 (ironically, the very people Ashina represented) began her bewildering身份转变:
1. 578: Dowager Empress at ~24 years old
2. 579: Grand Empress Dowager when son Yuwen Yun abdicated
3. 580: Supreme Grand Empress Dowager under grandson Yuwen Chan

This rapid progression meant Ashina became Supreme Grand Empress Dowager before turning 30—a title carrying little real power during Northern Zhou’s collapse.

The Curious Case of Northern Zhou’s Nine Surviving Empresses

Northern Zhou’s demise created an unprecedented situation—nine living former empresses including:
– 1 from Yuwen Tai’s reign
– 2 from Emperor Wu’s reign (Ashina and Li Ezi)
– 5 from Yuwen Yun’s scandalous rule (who simultaneously maintained five empresses)
– 1 from Yuwen Chan’s reign

Most chose Buddhist nunhood post-collapse:
– Li Ezi (Emperor Wu’s other consort) took the poignant Dharma name “Constant Sorrow”
– Yuwen Yun’s four empresses all entered monasteries
– Exception: Yang Lihua (Sui founder’s daughter) became Princess Leping but refused remarriage

The Mysterious Final Chapter

Ashina’s death in 582 (隋开皇二年) under隋文帝 raises unanswered questions:
– Buried with Emperor Wu in孝陵 (unlike Li Ezi)
– Died during隋-突厥 tensions
– Possible political implications given her突厥 origins

The recovered 13.5cm gold seal (weighing 802.56g) symbolizes her unique status—a突厥 woman who became mother to China’s last Northern Zhou emperors before隋 unification.

Epilogue: History’s Silent Treatment

Despite her extraordinary journey from草原 to becoming China’s only突厥皇后, history:
– Never recorded her personal name
– Left her emotions and personality to speculation
– Reduced her legacy to a cautionary quote: “Thus when Zhou accepted the狄后, Fu Chen called it the beginning of trouble” (周书)

The孝陵 artifacts—especially that magnificent gold seal—finally give material form to a woman whose life embodied the complex cultural and political currents of China’s road to reunification. In death, the silent gold speaks louder than the histories that forgot her name.