The Liao History says Abaoji's widow cut off her right hand and put it in his coffin instead of following him into death

Abaoji founded the Khitan state that became the Liao dynasty. His wife, Shulü Ping, was given the title Empress of the Earth and took part in his campaigns; the History of Liao says she beat off two Shiwei tribes that raided while he was away. When he died in 926 she took control of the state. The Zizhi Tongjian says she ordered officials to "carry a message to the late emperor" and had them killed at his tomb, more than 100 in all. Zhao Siwen of Pingzhou refused, saying no one had been closer to the emperor than she. She said she could not go because the heir was young, cut off one hand at the wrist and had it placed in the grave, and spared him. Abaoji had made his eldest son, Bei, king of Dongdan. She preferred the second son, Deguang, who took the throne as Emperor Taizong, and Bei fled south to the Later Tang. When Taizong died in 947 and Bei's son became Emperor Shizong, she sent her youngest son, Lihu, with troops against him. Lihu lost. She led an army to the Huang River crossing, where the minister Yelü Wuzhi talked both sides out of battle. She was moved to Zuzhou, near Abaoji's tomb, died in 953 at 75 and was buried with him at Zuling.