Imperial Consort Cui was Emperor Daizong of the Tang Dynasty’s imperial consort. She was the niece of the famous Yang Guifei.[1] She was also Emperor Daizong’s primary wife.[2] When Yang Guifei was forced to commit suicide, Emperor Daizong neglected her.[3] She died abandoned and alone.[4]
The birthdate of Imperial Consort Cui is unknown.[5] Her personal name is unknown. She was the niece of Emperor Xuanzong’s favourite imperial consort, Yang Guifei.[6] Her mother was Lady Han.[7] Her father was Cui Xun (the Junior Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat).[8]
In 750, Imperial Consort Yang Guifei arranged for her niece, Lady Cui, to marry Emperor Xuanzong’s grandson, Li Yu (the Prince of Guanping and the future Emperor Daizong).[9] Lady Cui became the Princess of Guanping.[10] According to historical records, Prince Li Yu treated Princess Cui with respect.[11] However, he did not love her because of her family’s ambitions.[12] It was said that Princess Cui was very haughty and spoiled.[13] She frequently bossed around the servants and was mean to Prince Li Yu’s imperial consorts.[14] She even stopped Prince Li Yu from visiting his mother’s grave (the posthumous Empress Zhangjing).[15]
In 755, General An Lushan rebelled against Emperor Xuanzong. This event was known as the An Lushan Rebellion (755-763). Emperor Xuanzong fled to Chengdu.[16] Crown Prince Li Heng (the future Emperor Suzong), Prince Li Yu, and Princess Cui made their journey to Lingwu (modern-day Ningxia Autonomous Region).[17] During the journey, Princess Cui was unaware of the danger they were facing.[18] She wore elaborate clothes, was frequently attended by her servants, and often complained about the bumpy carriage ride.[19] When they learned that Emperor Xuanzong was forced to kill Imperial Consort Yang Guifei, Prince Li Yu began to be cold to his wife.[20] He ordered for the removal of Princess Cui’s servants and made her ride in the back of the procession.[21]
Shortly after they reached Lingwu, the royal family decided to return to Chang’an to quell the rebellion. Prince Li Yu left Princess Cui behind in Lingwu.[22] Princess Cui begged her husband to take her with him, but he refused.[23] He left her in the care of a few elderly palace maids and made his way to Chang’an.[24] Princess Cui remained neglected in Lingwu.[25] She ate cold meals.[26] She did not have enough coal for a fire, and her maids began to take her possessions.[27]
On 12 August 756, Crown Prince Li Heng ascended the throne as Emperor Suzong. Li Yu was made the Crown Prince. However, he did not summon Princess Cui back to the imperial palace of Chang’an.[28] Instead, he placed Princess Cui under house arrest in an older residence in Lingwu.[29] It was not until 758 that Crown Prince Li Yu finally summoned her back to Chang’an because of the urging of the ministers.[30] Once Princess Cui arrived back in the imperial palace, Crown Prince Li Yu still did not appoint her as his Crown Princess.[31] Instead, he gave her the title of Liangfu and made her an imperial consort.[32]
Imperial Consort Cui was neglected in the palace, and Crown Prince Li Yu rarely saw her.[33] He preferred Imperial Consort Dugu (the posthumous Empress Zhenyi) and treated her as his Crown Princess.[34] It was said that Imperial Consort Cui was jealous of Imperial Consort Dugu.[35] When Imperial Consort Cui bore Crown Prince Li Yu a son, Prince Li Miao (later Prince of Zheng), he still did not visit her.[36] She also bore Crown Prince Li Yu another son, Prince Li Su, and a daughter, Princess Qizhaoyi. According to the ancient chronicles, Imperial Consort Cui had a strained relationship with her son, Prince Li Miao.[37] He did not want to be near his mother or let her hug him.[38]
On 18 May 762, Crown Prince Li Yu ascended the Tang throne as Emperor Daizong. He did not appoint an empress.[39] He also did not give Imperial Consort Cui an imperial title.[40] Instead, he moved her to a remote palace in the inner palace.[41] In the winter of 762, Imperial Consort Cui fell ill.[42] She did not have an imperial physician to attend to her.[43] Imperial Consort Cui quickly passed away.[44] Modern historians believe she was around thirty-two years old when she died.[45]
Emperor Daizong ordered her to be buried with the rites befitting an imperial consort.[46] Ancient chronicles claimed that Imperial Consort Cui was buried in a mass grave south of Chang’an.[47] Therefore, she was not buried in the imperial mausoleum.[48] Emperor Daizong did not mourn for her.[49] He did not suspend court.[50] He also did not give her any posthumous titles, nor did he inscribe her name on her tombstone.[51]
Imperial Consort Cui has often been portrayed negatively in historical records.[52] She has been seen as spoiled, haughty, and arrogant.[53] Before her family’s fall from power, Imperial Consort Cui bullied her servants and concubines.[54] She even prevented her husband from visiting his mother’s grave.[55] Her attitude only caused her husband to resent her.[56] He did not want her to be installed in the imperial palace.[57] He also did not want to make her his crown princess or empress.[58] Imperial Consort Cui died alone without any honours.[59] However, Imperial Consort Cui was a victim of imperial politics.[60] When her family rose, Imperial Consort Cui also rose.[61] When her family fell, she also met a tragic end.[62] Therefore, Imperial Consort Cui’s story shows that a woman’s future was entirely dependent on her family’s fortunes.[63]
Sources:
iNews. (n.d.). “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”. Retrieved on December 13, 2025 from https://inf.news/en/history/3443261cfd11d9ae2f9d0b9d738b2ae2.html.
Liu, N. & Cui, H. S. (trans.). (2014). “Zhang, Demoted Empress of Emperor Suzong of Tang.” Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women, Volume II: Tang Through Ming 618 – 1644. (Xiao, H. Lee, L., Ed. & Wiles, S., Ed.) NY: Routledge. pp. 578-579.
McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.
[1] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[2] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[3] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[4] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[5] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[6] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[7] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[8] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[9] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[10] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[11] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[12] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[13] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[14]iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[15] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[16] Liu, 2014
[17] Liu, 2014
[18] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[19] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[20] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[21] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[22] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[23] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[24] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[25] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[26] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[27] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[28] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[29] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[30] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[31] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[32] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[33] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[34] McMahon, 2013
[35] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[36] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[37] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[38] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[39] McMahon, 2013
[40] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[41] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[42] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[43] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[44] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[45] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[46] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[47] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[48] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[49] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[50] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[51] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[52] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[53] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[54] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[55] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[56] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[57] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[58] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[59] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[60] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[61] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[62] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
[63] iNews, n.d., “Yang Guifei’s niece became a tragic victim of the An Lushan Rebellion”
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