Chinese Empresses - Watercolor Paintings on Silk by Xiang Li

Chinese Empresses by Xiang Li

Watercolor Paintings on Silk
Watercolor on silk painting of Empresses Liu and Dou of the Tang Dynasty riding large birds or dragons

September 25 - November 30, 2025

Informed by decades of research, study, and practice, Xiang Li’s portrayal of each Chinese empress incorporates elements of nature, in particular floral forms, conveying the rich sense of symbolism woven into traditional Chinese culture and honoring the unsung women who shaped dynasties.

Learn more about the artist and her work on her personal website. 

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Lu Zhi of the Han Dynasty, surrounded by dragons and birds

Empress Lü Zhi, Han Dynasty 

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Dowager Cixi of Qing Dynasty, pointing at the viewer of the painting

Empress Dowager Cixi, Qing Dynasty

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Li Lingrong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty

Empress Li Lingrong, Eastern Jin Dynasty

Watercolor on silk painting of empresses in the Ming Dynasty End Period, with a large pair of eyes in the background

Ming Dynasty Empresses (End Period)

Watercolor on silk painting of Empresses Liu and Dou of the Tang Dynasty riding large birds or dragons

Empress Liu and Empress Dou, Tang Dynasty

Watercolor on silk painting of Primary Consort Minhui of the Qing Dynasty, riding a horse and carrying arrows and a whip

Primary Consort Minhui, Qing Dynasty


 

Watercolor on silk painting of empresses of the Ming Dynasty Early Period, surrounded by books, birds, and writing instruments

Ming Dynasty (Early Period)

Watercolor on silk painting of the empresses of the Northern Wei, Northern Dynasties with horses and dragons

Northern Wei Dynasty

Watercolor on silk painting of the empresses of the Northern Song Dynasty, End Period with large bird and flowers in the background

Northern Song Dynasty, End Period

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Wang Tang Dynasty, with other women all riding horses

Empress Wang, Tang Dynasty


 

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty, with her village in the background

Empress Wu Zetian , Tang Dynasty 

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Wang of the Tang Dynasty, surrounded by other women working with silk and cats on the floor playing with balls of yarn

Empress Wang, Tang Dynasty

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Zhang Sun of the Tang Dynasty, surrounded by birds

Empress Zhang Sun, Tang Dynasty 

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Dou of the Tang Dynasty, wearing a large crown with a huge peacock behind her

Empress Dou, Tang Dynasty

Watercolor on silk painting of Southern Dynasties Lui Song Empresses, with a large dragon

Lui Song, Southern Dynasty

Watercolor on silk painting of 13 empresses of the Northern Qi, Northern Dynasties , each posing with either a dragon, a horses, or a cat

Northern Qi, Northern Dynasty

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Yu Daolian of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, embraced by a large peacock and holding a flower

Empress Yu Daolian, Eastern Jin Dynasty

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress He Fani of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, surrounded by butterflies and silk scarves

Empress He Fani, Eastern Jin Dynasty

Watercolor on silk painting of the five Empresses of the Western Jin Dynasty, all wearing beautiful crowns

Western Jin Dynasty Empresses

Watercolor on silk painting of the five empresses of the Eastern Wu, Three Kingdoms period

Three Kingdoms Period, Eastern Wu

Watercolor on silk painting of Empresses Wu, Da Zhang, and Xiao Zhang of the Three Kingdoms period

Three Kingdoms Period, Shu Han

Watercolor on silk painting of Empresses Zhang, Wang, and Bian of the Three Kingdoms period, with swans

Empress Zhang, Empress Wang, and Empress Bian, Three Kingdoms

Watercolor on silk painting of Grand Empress Zhen of the the Three Kingdoms period, posing with large flowers and dragons

Empress Zhen (Luo Shen), Three Kingdoms 

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Guo Nüwang of the Three Kingdom period with a fierce looking animal at her feet

Empress Guo Nüwang, Three Kingdoms 

Watercolor on silk painting of Empresses Fushou (back) and Cajoie (front) of the Han Dynasty, with a dragon in the background

Empress Fushou and Empress Caojie, Han Dynasty 

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Dou of the Han Dynasty, with a tiger and a peacock in the foreground

Empress Dou, Han Dynasty

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Ma of Han Dynasty, with a dragon flying in the background

Empress Ma, Han Dynasty 

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Zhao Feiyan of the Han Dynasty, surrounded by birds and embraced by a dragon

Empress Zhao Feiyan, Han Dynasty


 

Watercolor on silk painting of Grand Empress Dowager Shanguang of Han Dynasty, surrounded by several dragons

Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan, Han Dynasty 

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Lu Zhi of the Han Dynasty, surrounded by dragons and birds

Empress Lü Zhi, Han Dynasty 

Watercolor on silk painting of Empresses Wu, Da Zhang, and Xiao Zhang of the Three Kingdoms period

Three Kingdoms period (Shu Han) 

Watercolor on silk painting of the five empresses of the Eastern Wu, Three Kingdoms period

Three Kingdoms period, Eastern Wu

Watercolor on silk painting of Empress Yu Daolian of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, embraced by a large peacock and holding a flower

Empress Yu Daolian, Eastern Jin Dynasty