The Empress
女皇
The Empress
Upright · a modern reflection
Nurture, creativity, and embodied life. Care for the conditions that allow something to grow.
Reversed · another perspective
Overgiving or depletion. Include your own needs in the care you offer.
These are our original interpretations of RWS imagery, not word-for-word translations of Waite. Reversals offer another angle, not a verdict of bad luck.A. E. Waite · III. The Empress
“A stately figure, seated, having rich vestments and royal aspect, as of a daughter of heaven and earth. Her diadem is of twelve stars, gathered…”This English excerpt comes from the original card chapter. We use Pamela Colman Smith’s original RWS images from the Commons Pam-A scans. The design originated in 1909; this scan set is dated 1910.
Read this card’s original chapter ↗Historical imagery and symbolism
A stately figure, seated, having rich vestments and royal aspect, as of a daughter of heaven and earth. Her diadem is of twelve stars, gathered in a cluster. The symbol of Venus is on the shield which rests near her. A field of corn is ripening in front of her, and beyond there is a fall of water. The sceptre which she bears is surmounted by the globe of this world. She is the inferior Garden of Eden, the Earthly Paradise, all that is symbolized by the visible house of man. She is not Regina coeli, but she is still refugium peccatorum, the fruitful mother of thousands. There are also certain aspects in which she has been correctly described as desire and the wings thereof, as the woman clothed with the sun, as Gloria Mundi and the veil of the Sanctum Sanctorum; but she is not, I may add, the soul that has attained wings, unless all the symbolism is counted up another and unusual way. She is above all things universal fecundity and the outer sense of the Word. This is obvious, because there is no direct message which has been given to man like that which is borne by woman; but she does not herself carry its interpretation.
Card image: Pamela Colman Smith’s original RWS design, using the Commons Pam-A scans.
Historical reversal and interpretation
Light, truth, the unravelling of involved matters, public rejoicings; according to another reading, vacillation.
Contemporary reading
Consider the historical conditions above; a reversal is not a uniform opposite. Compare them with our modern theme: Overgiving or depletion. Include your own needs in the care you offer.
Relate it to your question
Separate known facts, unconfirmed information and available actions. Which part of this symbol fits, and which does not?
Read the original English and source
Pamela Colman Smith · Image source / Public domain ↗
A stately figure, seated, having rich vestments and royal aspect, as of a daughter of heaven and earth. Her diadem is of twelve stars, gathered in a cluster. The symbol of Venus is on the shield which rests near her. A field of corn is ripening in front of her, and beyond there is a fall of water. The sceptre which she bears is surmounted by the globe of this world. She is the inferior Garden of Eden, the Earthly Paradise, all that is symbolized by the visible house of man. She is not Regina coeli, but she is still refugium peccatorum, the fruitful mother of thousands. There are also certain aspects in which she has been correctly described as desire and the wings thereof, as the woman clothed with the sun, as Gloria Mundi and the veil of the Sanctum Sanctorum; but she is not, I may add, the soul that has attained wings, unless all the symbolism is counted up another and unusual way. She is above all things universal fecundity and the outer sense of the Word. This is obvious, because there is no direct message which has been given to man like that which is borne by woman; but she does not herself carry its interpretation. In another order of ideas, the card of the Empress signifies the door or gate by which an entrance is obtained into this life, as into the Garden of Venus; and then the way which leads out therefrom, into that which is beyond, is the secret known to the High Priestess: it is communicated by her to the elect. Most old attributions of this card are completely wrong on the symbolism--as, for example, its identification with the Word, Divine Nature, the Triad, and so forth.
3. THE EMPRESS.--Fruitfulness, action, initiative, length of days; the unknown, clandestine; also difficulty, doubt, ignorance. Reversed: Light, truth, the unravelling of involved matters, public rejoicings; according to another reading, vacillation.
A. E. Waite · III. The Empress ↗Part III §3 · Major divinatory meanings, distinct from Part II symbolism ↗
Bring the symbol into your day
How might “The Empress” relate to your circumstances? List the facts you already know, then consider one action within your control.
Primary texts you can consult
《周易》· Chinese Text Project ↗
Read the judgments and line texts separately from the later commentarial Wings. Traditional authorship accounts are not treated as established historical fact.
Zhouyi, received text · Digital Chinese Classics ↗
Each hexagram’s classical text is extracted from its chapter. Traditional characters and editorial punctuation are retained; modern annotations are not reproduced.
A. E. Waite · The Pictorial Key to the Tarot ↗
First published in 1910; our reference is the 1911 text transcribed by Sacred Texts. Written by A. E. Waite, with original card designs by Pamela Colman Smith.
Historical imagery and symbolism
A stately figure, seated, having rich vestments and royal aspect, as of a daughter of heaven and earth. Her diadem is of twelve stars, gathered in a cluster. The symbol of Venus is on the shield which rests near her. A field of corn is ripening in front of her, and beyond there is a fall of water. The sceptre which she bears is surmounted by the globe of this world. She is the inferior Garden of Eden, the Earthly Paradise, all that is symbolized by the visible house of man. She is not Regina coeli, but she is still refugium peccatorum, the fruitful mother of thousands. There are also certain aspects in which she has been correctly described as desire and the wings thereof, as the woman clothed with the sun, as Gloria Mundi and the veil of the Sanctum Sanctorum; but she is not, I may add, the soul that has attained wings, unless all the symbolism is counted up another and unusual way. She is above all things universal fecundity and the outer sense of the Word. This is obvious, because there is no direct message which has been given to man like that which is borne by woman; but she does not herself carry its interpretation.
Card image: Pamela Colman Smith’s original RWS design, using the Commons Pam-A scans.
Contemporary reading
Nurture, creativity, and embodied life. Care for the conditions that allow something to grow.
Relate it to your question
Separate known facts, unconfirmed information and available actions. Which part of this symbol fits, and which does not?
Read the original English and source
Pamela Colman Smith · Image source / Public domain ↗
A stately figure, seated, having rich vestments and royal aspect, as of a daughter of heaven and earth. Her diadem is of twelve stars, gathered in a cluster. The symbol of Venus is on the shield which rests near her. A field of corn is ripening in front of her, and beyond there is a fall of water. The sceptre which she bears is surmounted by the globe of this world. She is the inferior Garden of Eden, the Earthly Paradise, all that is symbolized by the visible house of man. She is not Regina coeli, but she is still refugium peccatorum, the fruitful mother of thousands. There are also certain aspects in which she has been correctly described as desire and the wings thereof, as the woman clothed with the sun, as Gloria Mundi and the veil of the Sanctum Sanctorum; but she is not, I may add, the soul that has attained wings, unless all the symbolism is counted up another and unusual way. She is above all things universal fecundity and the outer sense of the Word. This is obvious, because there is no direct message which has been given to man like that which is borne by woman; but she does not herself carry its interpretation. In another order of ideas, the card of the Empress signifies the door or gate by which an entrance is obtained into this life, as into the Garden of Venus; and then the way which leads out therefrom, into that which is beyond, is the secret known to the High Priestess: it is communicated by her to the elect. Most old attributions of this card are completely wrong on the symbolism--as, for example, its identification with the Word, Divine Nature, the Triad, and so forth.
3. THE EMPRESS.--Fruitfulness, action, initiative, length of days; the unknown, clandestine; also difficulty, doubt, ignorance. Reversed: Light, truth, the unravelling of involved matters, public rejoicings; according to another reading, vacillation.
A. E. Waite · III. The Empress ↗Part III §3 · Major divinatory meanings, distinct from Part II symbolism ↗