Wang Zhaojun was also called Wang Qiang. With elegant bearing and good looks, she was a famous beauty in Chinese history. In the early period of Emperor Yuan’s reign, she was chosen into the palace. As she refused to win the emperor’s favor by bribing the portrait painter, she was left in the cold. In...
Huo Chengjun, General-in-Chief Huo Guang’s youngest daughter, was empress of Empress of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty. In the first year of Yuanping of Emperor Zhao, Liu Xun mounted the throne, becoming Emperor Xuan. He set up Xu as empress. Huo Guang’s second wife Xian’er bribed the imperial physician to murder Empress Xu with...
Wang Zhi went into the imperial palace to serve the crown prince Liu Qi. When Liu Qi succeeded to the throne and became Emperor Jing, he designated her as Beauty (which was one of the ranks for imperial consorts). In the first year of Emperor Jing, she bore a son Liu Che. Emperor Jing’s eldest...
Lü Zhi, whose other given name was Exu, was a well-known stateswoman in Chinese history. In 202 B.C., Liu Bang proclaimed himself emperor of the Hang Dynasty and set up Lü Zhi as empress. Lü Zhi helped Liu Bang kill Han Xin, Peng Yue and other princes who were not Liu’s descendants, so as to...
Yu Ji was beautiful and good at sword dance. She admired Xiang Yu, who was bold and powerful, and married him as his concubine. Passionately attached to each other, they always stayed together. With the overthrown of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu contested the throne with Liu Bang. They fought for four years. Eventually, Xiang...
Fan Ji was beautiful and talented. It was said that King Zhuang wanted to choose one consort to be queen. He asked each consort to present him a gift he needed badly within 3 days. The one offered with the best gift would be chosen. All the consorts, except Fan Ji, tried hard to find...
Nujiao, Consort of Yu of the Xia Dynasty Nujiao, born in Tushan, was beautiful and elegant. At the age of thirty, Yu still remained single, as he was busy in flood control. Once he came across Nujiao in Tushan, he fell in love with her. They finally got married in Taisang. Only four days later,...
Leizu, Yellow Emperor’s Principal Consort Leizu, born in Xiling, was regarded as the Mother of Sericulture. It was said that while hunting on the Western Hills, the Yellow Emperor saw her breeding silkworms and getting raw silk under mulberry trees, which he had never seen before. Feeling surprised, he went up slowly and asked Leizu...