The consort kin or outer kins () were the Chinese kin or a group of people related to an empress dowager or a queen consort of a monarch or a warlord in the Sinosphere. The leading figure of the clan was either a (usually male) sibling, cousin, or parent of the empress dowager or consort.
While Consort kins can be seen as a manifestation of nepotism in Sinospheric imperial politics, it is a moot point in a system of where most political positions were inherited via male primogeniture. Majority of the criticism lobbied against consort kins comes from the Confucians gentry class, who were often their political rival.
In certain periods of Chinese political history, i.e. Reign of Emperor Wu of Western Jin Dynasty, consort kins were empowered by emperors to create political balance or to garner support for policies or actions unpopular among the Confucian elites. In other cases, emperors at the beginning of their reign, often relied on their consort kins to hold onto power, because they lack of the political network a more established ruler may have.
The perception of their outsized role in dynastic decline may be due to a bias in official imperial historical text, mostly written by members of the Confucian gentry class. They considered the political involvement of consort kins(and eunuchs) a disruption/corruption of the proper order, while downplaying their own negative contribution. For example, Fan Ye's Book of the Later Han focuses primarily on court corruption and eunuchs, leaving out social political stagnation caused by the Confucian gentry class as a major factor in the fall of Eastern Han.
Historical examples
China
Zhou dynasty
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The Marquess of Shen – father of the queen of King You of Zhou, whose participation in a succession struggle after the king's attempt to depose his grandson in favor of consort Bao Si's son Bofu led to the fall of the Western Zhou and beginning of the Spring and Autumn period
Han dynasty
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Lü Clan – relatives of the Empress Lü Zhi, consort of Emperor Gaozu of Han
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Wei Qing – a younger paternal half-brother of the Empress Wei Zifu, consort of Emperor Wu of Han, one of the major military leaders of wars against the Xiongnu
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Huo Qubing – a nephew of Wei Qing and Wei Zifu, also an important general in the war between Han China and Xiongnu.
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Huo Guang – a younger paternal half-brother of Huo Qubing, whose granddaughter became the empress of Emperor Zhao of Han, and Huo Chengjun became an empress of Emperor Xuan of Han. He played an extremely important political role in the eras of Emperor Zhao and Emperor Xuan, sometimes overshadowing the power of the emperors.
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Shangguan Jie – Paternal grandfather of Emperor Zhao's wife (Huo Guang was the maternal grandfather). He was involved in a power struggle with Huo Guang, and killed in 80 after being accused of plotting a rebellion.
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Wang Mang – nephew of Wang Zhengjun, cousin of Emperor Cheng of Han and Xin dynasty.
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Ma Yuan – father of Empress Ma, consort of Emperor Ming of Han, a major general of Emperor Guangwu of Han who led the expedition to Jiaozhi (today's northern Vietnam). However, Ma Yuan had passed away before Emperor Ming ascended the throne.
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Dou Xian – brother of Empress Dowager Dou and brother-in-law of Emperor Zhang of Han.
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Liang Ji – brother of Liang Na and Empress Liang, deposed two emperors and later killed in a coup d'etat plotted by eunuchs against him.
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Dou Wu – father of Dou Miao and killed in his abortive coup d'etat against .
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He Jin – brother of Empress Dowager He and killed after his plot against eunuchs was exposed
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Dong Cheng – father of Consort Dong of Emperor Xian of Han and known for his abortive coup d'état with Liu Bei against Cao Cao.
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Cao Cao — father of Cao Jie, consort of Emperor Xian.
Three Kingdoms
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Mi Fang, a brother of Lady Mi (Mi Furen) served under Liu Bei, the future Emperor Zhaolie of Shu Han. His betrayal of Liu Bei partially led to its loss of Jing Province and the death of general Guan Yu.
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Mi Zhu, another brother of Lady Mi, also served under Liu Bei and (briefly) Shu Han.
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Wu Yi was a general of Shu Han. He was the brother of Empress Wu of Shu Han.
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Cao Pi deposed Emperor Xian of Han and declared himself emperor of Cao Wei. Two of Emperor Xian's daughters became consorts of Cao Pi, although it is unclear which one of them was emperor at the time this occurred. Cao Pi was himself the half-brother of Emperor Xian's consort Empress Cao.
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Lady Xie's brother Xie Cheng and some of her other relatives held positions in the government of Eastern Wu, although Lady Xie died long before her husband Sun Quan became emperor. Some of Lady Xu's relatives were also officials but Lady Xu herself was both a blood relative and a concubine of Sun Quan.
Jin dynasty (266–420)
Sixteen Kingdoms
Northern and Southern dynasties
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Dugu Xin, father of Empress Dugu, Dugu Qieluo and Duchess Dugu, respectively consorts of Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou, Emperor Wen of Sui and Li Bing (father of Emperor Gaozu of Tang). The only recorded consort kin of three imperial clans.
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Yang Jian, father of Empress Yang Lihua. He later usurped the throne and founded the Sui dynasty.
Tang dynasty
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
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Fu Yanqing — influential military leader of Later Zhou, father of Empress Fu the Elder and Empress Fu the Younger, empresses consort of Chai Rong, and Princess Fu, consort of then–prince Zhao Guangyi (later Emperor Taizong of Song).
Song dynasty
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Jia Sidao – younger brother of Consort Jia, a favourite of Emperor Lizong
Yuan dynasty
Qing dynasty
Ancient Japan
Asuka period
Heian period
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Fujiwara clan — consort kin in the reigns of emperors Emperor Kanmu, Emperor Saga, Emperor Montoku, Emperor Seiwa, Emperor Murakami, Emperor Reizei, En'yū, Ichijō, Sanjō, Go-Ichijō, Go-Suzaku, and Go-Reizei
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Fujiwara no Yoshifusa — father-in-law of Emperor Montoku
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Fujiwara no Kaneie — son-in-law of Emperor Murakami, father-in-law of three emperors, maternal grandfather of two emperors
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Fujiwara no Michinaga — father-in-law of four emperors
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Fujiwara no Yorimichi — married one granddaughter and one great-granddaughter of Emperor Murakami, father-in-law of Emperor Go-Suzaku and Emperor Go-Reizei
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Taira clan — consort kin in the reigns of emperors Emperor Takakura and Emperor Antoku
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Taira no Kiyomori — father of Kenreimon'in
Ancient Korea
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— during the reigns of Kings Jungjong, Injong, & Myeongjong of Joseon
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— father of of King Jungjong of Joseon
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Andong Kim clan — especially during the latter Joseon dynasty
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Pungyang Jo clan
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Yeoheung Min clan — there is a Korean saying that "Joseon was founded with a Yeoheung Min clan member (Queen Wongyeong's family), and Joseon was destroyed by a Yeoheung Min clan member (Empress Myeongseong's family)"
Ancient Vietnam
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Dương Tam Kha — Ngô Quyền's brother-in-law
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Lý Công Uẩn — Lê Hoàn's son-in-law
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Trần family — Lý Chiêu Hoàng's spousal family
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Hồ Quý Ly — maternal grandfather of Trần Thiếu Đế
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Mạc Đăng Dung — had his adopted daughter marry Lê Chiêu Tông
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Trịnh lords — consort kin of several Lê emperors
Further reading
