Empress Dou (Wen)

Dou Yifang
Empress of the Han dynasty
Reign179–157 BC
PredecessorEmpress Lü
SuccessorEmpress Bo
Empress Dowager of the Han dynasty
Reign157–141 BC
PredecessorEmpress Dowager Bo
SuccessorEmpress Wang Zhi
Grand Empress Dowager of the Han dynasty
Reign141 – 29 June 135 BC
PredecessorGrand Empress Dowager Bo
SuccessorGrand Empress Dowager Shangguan
BornDou Yifang
c.205 BC
Qinghe, Zhao Kingdom, Western Han dynasty
Died29 June 135 BC (aged 70)
SpouseEmperor Wen of Han
IssueEldest Princess Guantao
Emperor Jing of Han
Liu Wu, Prince Xiao of Liang
Names
Family name: Dou 竇
Given name: Yifang (猗房)
Posthumous name
Empress Xiaowen (孝文皇后)
FatherDou Chong, Marquis Ancheng

Empress Dou (Chinese: 竇皇后; died 29 June 135 BC), personal name Dou Yifang, posthumous name Empress Xiaowen (孝文皇后), was an empress consort of the Chinese Western Han dynasty who greatly influenced the reigns of her husband Emperor Wen and her son Emperor Jing with her adherence to Taoist philosophy; she was the main supporter of the Huang-Lao school. She therefore contributed greatly to the Rule of Wen and Jing, commonly considered one of the golden ages of Chinese history.