Imperial Consort Xu was the imperial concubine of Emperor Sun Quan of the Eastern Wu Dynasty. She was the adopted mother of Sun Deng, the Crown Prince of the Eastern Wu Dynasty.[1] Imperial Consort Xu was once loved by Emperor Sun Quan.[2] However, she eventually lost his favour because of her jealousy.[3] Emperor Sun Quan’s ministers wanted to make Imperial Consort Xu his empress, but he stubbornly refused.[4]
The birthdate of Imperial Consort Xu is unknown.[5] Her personal name is unknown.[6] She was from the Wu Commandery.[7] She came from a military family.[8] Her father was Xu Kun.[9] She was Sun Quan’s second cousin.[10] Sun Quan’s father, Jian, and her grandfather, Zhen, were very close.[11] Jian’s sister married Zhen, and she begat Xu Kun.[12] Xu Kun married a woman whose name is unrecorded and begat Imperial Consort Xu.[13] Imperial Consort Xu also had two brothers named Xu Jiao and Xu Zuo.[14]
Lady Xu married Lu Shang at an unknown date.[15] In circa 200 C.E., Lu Shang died.[16] Sun Quan then took Lady Xu as his concubine.[17] He let her raise Sun Deng, whom he had with a concubine of lesser status.[18] Sun Quan loved and favoured her.[19] He tried to put Lady Xu above his principal wife, Lady Xie, in status.[20] However, Lady Xie refused to do so and died shortly afterwards.[21] Lady Xu produced no children of her own with Sun Quan.[22]
In 212 C.E., Lady Xu lost Sun Quan’s favour because of her jealousy.[23] He abandoned her in Wu.[24] On 23 May 229 C.E., Sun Quan proclaimed himself Emperor of the Eastern Wu Dynasty. He made his eldest son, Sun Deng, the Crown Prince.[25] His ministers wanted to make Imperial Consort Xu his empress because she was Crown Prince Sun Deng’s adopted mother.[26] However, Emperor Sun Quan preferred to make his favourite, Imperial Consort Bu, his empress.[27] Emperor Sun Quan and his ministers could not agree on who to appoint as empress.[28] Imperial Consort Bu acted as the de facto Empress of Emperor Sun Quan’s harem.[29]
In 238 C.E., Imperial Consort Bu died and was made a posthumous empress.[30] Imperial Consort Xu died of illness at an unknown date.[31] Imperial Consort Xu’s older brother, Xu Jiao, inherited his father’s marquisate.[32] He conquered Mountain Yue.[33] Xu Jiao was promoted to Lieutenant General.[34] Imperial Consort Xu’s other brother, Xu Zuo, became a Supervisor of Wuhu and a general.[35]
Imperial Consort Xu was once Emperor Sun Quan’s favourite concubine.[36] Because of her jealous nature, she quickly lost it.[37] She never regained Emperor Sun Quan’s favour.[38] He did not want to make her his empress.[39] Therefore, Imperial Consort Xu’s story teaches women a moral lesson to never show jealousy in front of their husbands.[40]
Sources:
Chen, S., & Pei, S. (1999). Empresses and Consorts: Selections from Chen Shou’s Records of the Three States with Pei Songzhi’s Commentary. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press.
McMahon, K. (2013). Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao. NY: Rowman and Littlefield.
[1] Chen and Pei, 1999
[2] McMahon, 2013
[3] McMahon, 2013
[4] McMahon, 2013
[5] Chen and Pei, 1999
[6] Chen and Pei, 1999
[7] Chen and Pei, 1999
[8] McMahon, 2013
[9] Chen and Pei, 1999
[10] McMahon, 2013
[11] Chen and Pei, 1999
[12] Chen and Pei, 1999
[13] Chen and Pei, 1999
[14] Chen and Pei, 1999
[15] Chen and Pei, 1999
[16] McMahon, 2013
[17] McMahon, 2013
[18] Chen and Pei, 2013
[19] Chen and Pei, 1999
[20] Chen and Pei, 1999
[21] McMahon, 2013
[22] Chen and Pei, 1999
[23] Chen and Pei, 1999
[24] Chen and Pei, 1999
[25] Chen and Pei, 1999
[26] Chen and Pei, 1999
[27] McMahon, 2013
[28] McMahon, 2013
[29] McMahon, 2013
[30] Chen and Pei, 1999
[31] Chen and Pei, 1999
[32] Chen and Pei, 1999
[33] Chen and Pei, 1999
[34] Chen and Pei, 1999
[35] Chen and Pei, 1999
[36] McMahon, 2013
[37] Chen and Pei, 1999
[38] Chen and Pei, 1999
[39] McMahon, 2013
[40] Chen and Pei, 1999
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