试论汉代后妃谥号

谥法源于西周,秦时短暂废除,西汉恢复。西汉时出现了历史上第一位拥有自身谥号的皇后,直至东汉,后妃有谥逐渐成为定制。西汉后妃多从帝谥,东汉后妃普遍有自身独立的谥号。东汉后妃美谥居多,但谥字所蕴含的道德内涵与生前行迹未必完全相符。由于身份地位限制,后妃谥字与皇帝多有不同。与后世相比,汉代后妃谥号用字更为质朴平实。

On Posthumous Titles of Empresses and Concubines in Han Dynasty

Law on posthumous titles originated in the Western Zhou dynasty, which was abolished briefly in the Qin dynasty and was restored in the Western Han dynasty. In the Western Han dynasty, the first empress with her own posthumous title appeared in history. Until the Eastern Han dynasty, the empresses and concubines had their own posthumous titles, which gradually became customized. The posthumous titles of empresses and concubines mostly followed the emperors in the Western Han dynasty, and generally had their own independent posthumous titles in the Eastern Han dynasty. The posthumous titles of empresses and concubines in the Eastern Han dynasty have a good moral meaning, but the moral connotation of the posthumous characters may not be completely consistent with their deeds before their death. Due to the status restriction, the posthumous titles of empresses and concubines are different from those of emperors. Compared with later generations, the posthumous titles of empresses and concubines in Han dynasty were more simple and plain.