Empress Yuan Qigui – The Empress whose ghost saved an innocent Imperial Consort

Empress Yuan Qigui was the empress consort of Emperor Wen of the Liu-Song Dynasty. Empress Yuan Qigui believed that Emperor Wen treated her unfairly. ^[1] She held a grudge for him that lasted until her death.^[2] Empress Yuan Qigui’s ghost was believed to have saved a wrongfully accused imperial consort from death.^[3]

In 405 C.E., Empress Yuan Qigui was born in Yangxia (located in modern-day Henan Province).^[4] She was from a prominent family.^[5] Her father was an official of the Liu-Song Dynasty named Yuan Zhan.^[6] Her mother was Yuan Zhan’s concubine, who was originally a maid.^[7] She married Emperor Wu of Liu-Song Dynasty’s third son, Liu Yilong (the Prince of Yidu). Because Prince Liu Yilong was not in line for the throne, Yuan Qigui was given the title of Consort of a Prince.^[8]

On 26 June 422 C.E., Emperor Wu of the Liu-Song Dynasty died. His successor was Prince Liu Yilong’s brother, Prince Liu Yifu. Liu Yifu ascended the Liu-Song Dynasty as Emperor Shao. On 7 July 424 C.E., Emperor Shao was deposed. On 17 September 424 C.E., Liu Yilong ascended the Liu-Song throne as Emperor Wen. On 26 October 424 C.E., Yuan Qigui was invested as empress. In 426 C.E., Empress Yuan Qigui gave birth to Emperor Wen’s eldest son, Prince Liu Shao.^[9] On 14 May 429 C.E., Liu Shao was made the Crown Prince.^[10] Empress Yuan Qigui also gave birth to a daughter named Liu Ying’e (the Princess of Dongyang) at an unknown date.^[11]

Emperor Wen was said to have treated Empress Yuan Qigui with “deep love and respect.”^[12] However, Empress Yuan Qigui believed that he did not love her enough and was “stingy with her.”^[13] Even though Yuan Qigui was the empress, her family did not receive any privileges from her position.^[14] Therefore, Empress Yuan Qigui often asked Emperor Wen for money to support her family.^[15] Emperor Wen gave Empress Yuan “30,000 to 50,000 in cash and thirty to fifty bolts of silk.”^[16] At the same time, he lavished money on his favourite imperial consort, Consort Pan.^[17] When Imperial Consort Pan asked Emperor Wen for thirty million cash for her family, he quickly granted her request.^[18] This infuriated Empress Yuan Qigui, who faked illness and refused to see Emperor Wen.^[19] 

In September 440 C.E., Empress Yuan Qigui fell gravely ill.^[20] When Emperor Wen visited her, he “held her hand and cried.”^[21] Empress Yuan Qigui “gazed at him for a while without saying a word; then covered her face with her bed cover.”^[22] On 8 September 440 C.E., Empress Yuan Qigui died. She was thirty-six years old.^[23] Emperor Wen was so grief-stricken by her death that he hired Yan Yanzhi, a famous scholar, to write an eulogy in her honour.^[24]

In 452 C.E., Crown Prince Liu Shao and Princess Liu Ying’e were accused of practising witchcraft.^[25] They were accused of letting a witch named Yan Daoyu live in their palace.^[26] Crown Prince Liu Shao’s half-brother, Prince Liu Jun, was also accused of witchcraft.^[27] When Emperor Wen heard these accusations, he believed them and was furious.^[28] He planned to kill or demote both of his sons.^[29] When Imperial Consort Pan heard of Emperor Wen’s plans, she told Prince Liu Jun.^[30] In turn, Prince Liu Jun told Crown Prince Liu Shao of his father’s plans to punish them.^[31] On 16 March 453 C.E., Crown Prince Liu Shao assassinated his father, Emperor Wen, and Imperial Consort Pan, whom he always detested.^[32] Liu Shao ascended the Liu-Song throne. However, Emperor Liu Shao’s reign was brief.^[33] On 27 May 453 C.E., Prince Liu Jun raised an army against him, and Emperor Liu Shao was defeated.^[34] Liu Jun then ascended the Liu-Song throne as Emperor Xiaowu.

Ancient chroniclers have mentioned how Empress Yuan Qigui’s ghost once visited the imperial palace.^[35] When Imperial Consort Shen was wrongfully accused of a crime that she did not commit, Emperor Wen sentenced her to death.^[36] Imperial Consort Shen ran to Empress Yuan Qigui’s chambers, which had been abandoned since her death and cried out, “I have been sentenced to death for a crime I did not commit. If the ghost of the Former Empress can hear me, let her know of this!”^[37] Immediately, the doors and windows of the chamber flew open.^[38] Emperor Wen learned of the incident and sent someone to investigate.^[39] Once she was cleared of the crime, Emperor Wen pardoned Imperial Consort Shen.^[40]

Historians have often sympathised with how Empress Yuan Qigui had been unjustly treated.^[41] Emperor Wen favoured an imperial consort over her.^[42] Because of this, she refused to talk to him on her deathbed.^[43] The case concerning Empress Yuan Qigui’s ghost shows that she is viewed as someone who administers justice.^[44] Therefore, Empress Yuan Qigui demonstrates that she was an empress who was admired and respected by the people of the Liu-Song Dynasty.^[45]

Sources:

Chan, H. Y. S., et al. (2015). “Yuan Qigui, Empress of Emperor Wen of Liu Song”. Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E. – 618 C.E.. (L. X. H. Lee, Ed.; A. D. Stefanowska, Ed.; S. Wiles, Ed.). NY: Routledge. pp. 376-378.

McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.