Empress Dowager Gao, the wife of Emperor Yingzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, grew up in the palace because her aunt was Empress of Emperor Renzong. Seeing her kind and virtuous nature, Emperor Renzong arranged for his son, Emperor Yingzong, to marry her.
Empress Dowager Gao had a younger brother serving in the palace
When Empress Dowager Gao's son, Emperor Shenzong, ascended the throne, he wanted to build a grand mansion for the Gao family, but she refused. Years later, the emperor granted the Gao family a piece of vacant land to build a house, and the empress dowager did not use a single coin from the state treasury.
When Emperor Zhezong ascended the throne, Empress Dowager Gao was honored as Grand Empress Dowager.
Empress Dowager Gao had an uncle named Gao Zunyu, who was dismissed from office after losing a battle against the Western Xia. Minister Cai Que tried to curry favor with her by pleading for him. She said, "I cannot violate public opinion just because he is my uncle." When her two nephews were due for promotion to military inspector, she also strongly opposed it.
After imperial officials including Song Yongchen were dismissed, they asked Emperor Shenzong's wet nurse to plead their case with Empress Dowager Gao. When the wet nurse arrived, the empress dowager said, "You've come to interfere in state affairs, haven't you? If so, I will have you killed!" The wet nurse was so terrified she dared not utter a single word.
The Wen Si Yuan, a Song Dynasty imperial workshop crafting gold, silver, rhinoceros horn, jade, and fine silks for the court, regularly sent personal gifts to Grand Empress Dowager Gao, but she refused every single one, returning them all without exception.
The *History of the Song Dynasty* states that Empress Dowager Gao "ruled for nine years, with a clear court and a peaceful realm," and people regarded her as a "sage among women." Later, the idiom "sage among women" came to refer to wise and outstanding female figures, often used to praise women in power.
Source: *History of Song*, "Biography of Empress Gao of Yingzong"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "女中尧舜" came to describe wise and outstanding female figures, often used to praise women in power.