Empress Xie (Xiaozong)

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Empress Chengsu 成肅皇后
Empress consort of the Southern Song dynasty
Tenure	12 September 1176 – 18 February 1189
Predecessor	Empress Chenggong
Successor	Empress Cixian
Empress dowager of the Southern Song dynasty
Tenure	18 February 1189 – 21 October 1202
Grand empress dowager of the Southern Song dynasty
Tenure	21 October 1202 – 13 June 1207
Born	1135 Danyang, Jiangsu, China
Died	13 June 1207 (aged c. 72) Lin'an, Zhejiang, China
Burial	Yongfuling (永阜陵) Shaoxing, Zhejiang
Spouse	Emperor Xiaozong
Posthumous name Empress Chengsu (成肅皇后)
Father	Xia Ning

Empress Xie (1135 – 13 June 1207) was a Chinese empress consort of the Song dynasty, married to Emperor Xiaozong of Song.

Xie was selected as a concubine (and later consort) for Emperor Xiaozong by Empress Dowager Wu, who lamented his disinterest in women after the death of his second empress, Empress Xia.^[1] While Xie eventually became his primary consort, she had no surviving children.

Unlike other Empresses in the Southern Song Dynasty who made an effort at participating in politics, Empress Xie had a rather politically detached personality and lived through much of the ensuing reigns until the thirteenth year of Emperor Ningzong's reign. However, she was described as "diligent, fair and frugal" when it came to managing matters in the inner palace.

Empress Xie was a reserved and non-meddling woman who lived in silence herself, having barely received any affection from her spouse and relatives. Thus, she was widely considered a tragic and lonely figure despite her elevated position.