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The Zhou dynasty grew out of a predynastic polity with its own existing power structure, primarily organized as a set of culturally affiliated kinship groups. The defining characteristics of a noble were their ancestral temple surname (姓; xíng), their lineage line within that ancestral surname, and seniority within that lineage line.
Imperial Consorts, ranking below Empress, aren't often distinguished in English from imperial Concubines, the next lower rank, but these were also titles of significance within the imperial household. The Rites of Zhou states that Emperors are entitled to the following simultaneous spouses: 1 Empress (皇后) 3 Madames or Consorts (夫人)
According to the Rites of Zhou, under the feudal fengjian governance system, aristocratic feudal lords were entitled to nine consorts in total, and cannot marry again after having nine consorts, which makes for one wife and eight concubines. For other officers, they are entitled to one wife and one concubine.
Zhou legitimacy also arose indirectly from Shang material culture through the use of bronze ritual vessels, statues, ornaments, and weapons. As the Zhou emulated the Shang's large scale production of ceremonial bronzes, they developed an extensive system of bronze metalworking that required a large force of tribute labor.
The following is a list of empresses and queens consort of China. China has periodically been divided into kingdoms as well as united under empires, resulting in consorts titled both queen and empress. The empress title could also be given posthumously.
During imperial China (221 BCE – CE 1911), a wide variety of noble titles were granted. Some of these were hereditary; an overlapping subset were honorary. At the beginning of imperial China, the administration of territory was growing out of the older fengjian system, and the central government asserting more control over the old aristocracy.
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 Empress Yang Lihua. He later usurped the throne and founded the Sui dynasty.
It began when King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty at the Battle of Muye and ended in 771 BC when Quanrong pastoralists sacked the Zhou capital at Haojing and killed King You of Zhou. The "Western" label for the period refers to the location of the Zhou royal capitals, which were clustered in the Wei River valley near present-day Xi'an .