Emperor Jianwen
As the niece of Emperor Jianwen, Empress Dowager Chu had few roles during his reign—particularly because he himself had to negotiate a treacherous path that Huan had laid for him, as Huan himself intended to take the throne. Emperor Jianwen honored her as Empress Dowager Chongde, based on the name of her palace. After he died in 372, he was succeeded by his son and crown prince Sima Yao (as Emperor Xiaowu), and while she initially instinctively thought that Huan should be named regent, Wang Tanzhi (王坦之) and Xie An, officials loyal to the imperial clan and trying to prevent a Huan usurpation, persuaded her to become regent again. She agreed, but did not take official regent capacity initially.