Women and Political Power in the Traditional T'o-Pa Elite: A Preliminary Study of the Biographies of Empresses in the Wei-Shu

The inclination to look up to ancient lines led to snobbishness of established families, endless debates over good birth, and efforts to falsify pedigree.

“This led, on the one hand, to the snobbishness of those of established families, the endless debates over who was and who was not of good birth, over whether it was this family or that which possessed the superior pedigree. And, on the other hand, it led to the efforts to falsify pedigree that Holmgren has shown were so pervasive during this period (Holmgren 1980, 1981-83a).”

The Tabgatch political tradition did not favor powerful women.

“Despite assumptions to the contrary, the Tabgatch political tradition did not favor powerful women.”

Before the establishment of Northern Wei, women were largely excluded from power-wielding by the institution of fraternal succession, which ensured mature and able men on the throne.

“Before the establishment of the Northern Wei dynasty, women were largely excluded from powerwielding by the institution of fraternal succession, which ensured mature and able men on the throne (Holmgren 1981-83b).”