If it were not for the birth of Tang Dezong Li Shi, Shen, the concubine of Tang Dynasty Emperor Li Yu when he was young, would undoubtedly be obliterated by the smoke and dust of history like Li Yu's other concubines. Because she gave birth to an emperor son and was posthumously given the title of Queen Ruizhen by her great-grandson (Tang Xianzong), Shen's biography was established in "Old Book of Tang" and "New Book of Tang".
Despite this, this biography is more like a running account. There is not a single word about Shen’s voice, smile, appearance, words and deeds; Shen’s impression on us descendants is like a walk-on. The ancients had no distinctive characteristics of their own. For example, Tang Dezong was famous for his suspicion in history, but few people considered whether the formation of his character had anything to do with his mother. It’s hard to imagine that Shen’s fate of being betrayed and abandoned had no impact on Tang Dezong at all? If Shen had not disappeared, would Tang Dezong still be so suspicious of ministers and doting on eunuchs, and would the history of the Tang Dynasty be rewritten? It's a pity that history cannot be assumed.
Historical records:
Dai Zongruizhen Queen Shen was a native of Wuxing and a member of the Guan clan. His father, Yi Zhi, was a secretary and supervisor. At the end of the Kaiyuan Dynasty, a son of a good family was selected into the East Palace and given the crown prince male, King Guangping. In the first year of Tianbao, Emperor Dezong was born. During the Lushan Rebellion, Xuanzong was lucky to be in Shu, but the kings, concubines, masters and subordinates who were not as lucky were mostly trapped by thieves and later detained in Yeting, the eastern capital. When Daizong defeated the thieves and captured the eastern capital, he saw them and stayed in the palace. After a brief expedition to the north, he had no time to welcome him back to Chang'an. In Russia, Shi Siming fell into Heluo again. When the dynasty was defeated and the Eastern Capital was recovered, the fate of the country was unpredictable. Daizong sent envoys to ask for a visit, but heard nothing about him for more than ten years. When Dezong came to the throne, he issued an edict: "The king should be filial to his father, and the story will be clear; if he is filial to his mother, he will be aware of the story. Do not serve heaven before your father is strict, and do not serve earth before you respect your relatives. I respectfully accept the destiny and take charge of the country. Holding the jade to serve God, the ancestors are in disgrace, and the throne in the palace will be empty for eternity. I greet you with greetings in the palace, feeling sad and longing for the rest of my life. The Lord pays great attention to the weapon, so don’t mourn deeply. It is necessary to use the old rituals, respect the big trumpet, and follow the previous instructions. It is appropriate to order the ministers and officials to carry out the honorary title of the Queen Mother."
Xianzong ascended the throne. In September of the same year, the etiquette envoy reported: "The Queen Mother Shen is tired of taking the throne. In the past twenty-seven years, the emperor has been extremely filial and deeply mournful. At the beginning of the founding of the country, the imperial edict was issued, and wherever boats and chariots arrived, they were everywhere. Zhoubian, as time goes by, welcomes Li Jue. According to Jin Yuwei's proposal, after seeking for three years, he will submit to the request of the emperor. In the main hall inside the Suzhang Gate, a senior official made a pair of Yiyi clothes. On the day of mourning, he ordered the internal officials to put the Yiyi clothes on the wall. From then on, the people in the harem served food day and night, first to inform Yuanling, and then to the Tiandi Ancestral Temple and Queen Zhaode. The posthumous title of the Empress Dowager and the God of Creation were chosen to be enshrined in the Daizong Temple. Her robes were prepared to be worshiped in the Yuanling Temple, and she was placed on the right side of the Emperor Daizong's robes. " The edict is like a memorial. In November of that year, she was given the posthumous title of Queen Ruizhen, and she was enshrined in the palace of Emperor Daizong.