Crown Princess Hui was the first wife of Emperor Shunzong of the Tang Dynasty. She married him when he became the Crown Prince.[1] However, her mother, Princess Gao, would create trouble within the Tang court by having a scandalous lifestyle.[2] It was because of Princess Gao’s scandals that Crown Princess Hui would become a tragic victim of imperial politics.[3] She became a political liability and needed to be eliminated.[4]
The birthdate of Crown Princess Hui is unknown.[5] She was the granddaughter of Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty.[6] Her mother was Princess Gao.[7] Her father was Xiao Sheng.[8] Lady Xiao had five brothers.
In 781, Lady Xiao married Crown Prince Li Song (who would later be Emperor Shunzong). She became Crown Princess.[9] They had a respectful marriage.[10] She produced a son named Prince Li Xian (the Prince of Yan) and two daughters, who were Princess Yonghe and Princess Yongmu.”[11] In 783, a mutiny broke out in Chang’an by soldiers from the Jingyuan Circuit (Jingyuan is located in modern-day Pingliang in Gansu Province).[12] The imperial family fled to Fengtian (modern-day Qianxian County in Shaanxi Province).[13] In 784, they returned to Chang’an.[14]
Crown Princess Xiao became a political liability because of her mother’s scandal.[15] In 787, Princess Gao was accused of having love affairs with four Tang officials who were Li Sheng, Xiao Ding, Wei Kei and Li Wan.[16] Princess Gao’s love affairs were considered treason by the imperial family because a Tang princess was not allowed to create any scandal.[17] Princess Gao then became falsely accused of using witchcraft to kill Emperor Dezong.[18] Emperor Dezong was furious with Princess Gao.[19] He imprisoned Princess Gao and stripped her of all her imperial titles.[20] He had Princess Gao’s lovers flogged to death or sent into exile.[21] Because Princess Gao was Crown Prince Li Song’s mother-in-law, suspicion was cast upon the Crown Prince.[22]
Emperor Dezong considered removing Li Song from the Crown Prince position and replacing him with his other son, Prince Li Yu.[23] However, his officials persuaded him against it.[24] In the end, Emperor Dezong allowed Li Song to maintain his Crown Prince position.[25] However, he demanded that Crown Prince Li Song divorce Crown Princess Xiao and install Imperial Consort Wang (who would posthumously be known as Empress Zhuangxian) as the Crown Princess instead.[26] Crown Prince Li Song refused to abandon Crown Princess Xiao.[27] In 790, Emperor Dezong took the opportunity to execute Crown Princess Xiao when Crown Prince Li Song was ill.[28] Crown Princess Xiao’s posthumous name was Crown Princess Hui.
Crown Princess Hui suffered a tragic fate because of her mother’s scandalous behaviour.[29] Her mother’s behaviour almost cost Crown Prince Li Song the imperial throne.[30] It also caused Crown Princess Hui to be executed.[31] Crown Princess Hui is truly a tragic figure because she could not control her own fate.[32] She died at the whim of an emperor.[33] Crown Princess Hui then became one of China’s most forgotten royal princesses.[34]
Sources:
iMedia. (n.d.). “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”. Retrieved on March 31, 2026 from https://min.news/en/history/81e9574f9d62ba4172f3b6dfa3786131.html/2.
iNews. (n.d.). “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”. Retrieved on March 31, 2026 from https://inf.news/en/history/2501ce45656015af1d295ae80d968eb2.html/2.
[1] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[2] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[3] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[4] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[5] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[6] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[7] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[8] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[9] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[10] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[11] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[12] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[13] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[14] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[15] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[16] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[17] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[18] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[19] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[20] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[21] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[22] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[23] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[24] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[25] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”
[26] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[27] iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[28] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[29] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[30] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[31] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[32] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[33] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
[34] iNews, n.d. “Emperor Shunzong of Tang, Li Song: After serving as crown prince for 26 years, he became paralyzed and bedridden. Upon his father’s death, he immediately stood up and ascended the throne”; iMedia, n.d., “List and introduction of empresses of the Tang Dynasty”
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