 The future Empress Xiao was born into the imperial house of the Western Liang dynasty – as a daughter of Emperor Ming of Western Liang, who claimed the Liang throne as a vassal of Northern Zhou and then Sui.She was born in the second month of the lunar calendar, and at that time, the superstitious Emperor Ming believed birth in that month to be an indicator of ill fortune.She was therefore given to her uncle Xiao Ji () the Prince of Dongping to be raised, but Xiao Ji and his wife both soon died.