When a queen has the same power as the emperor, she can have her own official seal. This is the only Empress seal that has been found from Western Han dynasty.
National Treasure 国宝
Jade Seal of the Empress “皇后之璽”玉璽
Jadeite | Western Han dynasty (202 BC- 8 AD) | Dimensions – H: 2cm, W: 2.8cm, Wt: 33g | Shaanxi History Museum Collection, Discovered near Han Gaozu Mausoleon Changling in 1968. 玉器｜西汉（公元前202年-公元8年）｜高2厘米，边长2.8厘米，重33克｜陕西历史博物馆藏，1968年陕西咸阳汉高祖长陵附近发现
The Jade Seal of the Empress “皇后之璽”玉璽 is the only material evidence that a Seal of the Queen existed as it was normally that the Emperor has officials seals called Yuxi 玉玺. It was found by a 13-year-old teenager Kong Zhongliang 孔忠良 inside a drain in Xianyang in 1968, and then handed over to the Shaanxi Provincial Museum (now Xi’an Beilin Museum). It was later displayed at Shaanxi History Museum.
The seal is made of very high quality (and sought after) jade produced in Hetian region of Xinjiang 新疆和田羊脂玉. It is carved with a Chi Hu 螭虎, one of the sons of the dragon. It looks like a dragon with the horns and coils on the top of the seal acting as a knob.
“皇后玉璽，文與帝同。皇后之璽，金螭虎紐。”
《漢官舊儀》
The bottom of the seal is carved with “皇后之璽” or “Seal of the Empress” in Seal script 篆書. Because it was found one kilometre away from the east side of the Mausoleum of Han Gaozu Liu Bang 汉高祖 刘邦 (256/247 BC – 195 BC) and Empress Lv Zhi 皇后 吕雉 (241? BC – 180 BC), it is speculated that it is likely to be the seal used by Empress Lv before her death. Of course there was nothing else to substantiate this claim.
About Empress Lv Zhi
As there was no empress during the Qin dynasty, Empress Lv Zhi was technically the first Empress of China. She was also the first regent 摄政 of the young emperor and the de facto ruler, and the first Grand Empress 太皇太后. Until her death in 180 BC, she held the absolute power in the early courts of Han dynasty.
Historians have not been kind to her, often portraying her as a mean and jealous spouse, a scheming and power hungry dictator. But if it’s not for her shrewd management and political will, the founding years of Han dynasty would not have been so smooth, and would not have resulted. in the golden era of Rule of Wen and Jing 文景之治 (180-141 BC).
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About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
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