Princess Tang Ji was Emperor Shao of the Eastern Han Dynasty’s favourite imperial concubine.[1] When he was forced to commit suicide by poison, he ordered her to never remarry.[2] Princess Tang Ji had various marriage proposals, including the famous General, Li Jie.[3] However, she refused to marry them.[4] Emperor Xian of the Eastern Dynasty greatly admired Princess Tang Ji’s loyalty to Emperor Shao.[5] He honoured and rewarded her by appointing her a princess.[6]
The birthdate of Princess Tang Ji is unknown.[7] She was from Yingchuan (near modern-day Xuchang in Henan Province).[8] Her father was Tang Mao (the Governor of Guiji).[9] She entered Emperor Shao’s harem and became his favourite imperial concubine.[10] On 28 September 189 C.E., General Dong Zhuo deposed Emperor Shao (whose personal name is Liu Bian) and demoted him to Prince of Hongnong.[11] Dong Zhuo then placed his younger brother, Liu Xie, on the throne instead.[12] Liu Xie ascended the throne as Emperor Xian.
In 190 C.E., General Dong Zhuo was discontent with Emperor Shao’s demotion.[13] He ordered him to commit suicide by poison.[14] On 6 March 190 C.E., Prince Liu Bian hosted a feast so that he could say farewell to his concubines, including Imperial Consort Tang Ji.[15] During the feast, Prince Liu Bian composed a song.[16] He sang:
“The world has changed,
How hard is my life.
Deprived of my throne,
I have withdrawn my fiefdom.
Persecuted by a treacherous minister,
Death is at hand.
I leave you to go to the nether regions.”[17]
After Prince Liu Bian sang his song, he asked Imperial Consort Tang Ji to dance.[18] As Imperial Consort Tang Ji started to dance, she sang:
“The heavens have crashed down,
The earth is collapsing.
My Emperor, you are forced to die young.
We are going separate ways,
You to your death, while I go on living.
How lonely and sad will I be without you!”[19]
After Imperial Consort Tang Ji sang her song, she broke down and cried in grief.[20] Everyone present was moved by her tears.[21] Prince Liu Bian said to her, “You are an imperial concubine. Never degrade yourself by becoming the wife of an ordinary man. Do not lose your self-respect. Now, I am going forever.”[22] Then, Prince Liu Bian drank his poisoned wine and died.[23] Prince Liu Bian was eighteen years old.
After Prince Liu Bian’s suicide, Imperial Consort Tang Ji returned to Yingchuan. Her father, Tang Mao, tried to get her to remarry, but she stubbornly refused.[24] On 22 May 192 C.E., General Dong Zhuo was executed. His subordinate, General Li Jie, ignited a rebellion against the Han dynasty.[25] He captured the capital of Chang’an. After he captured all of Guangdong Province, General Li Jie kidnapped Imperial Consort Tang Ji.[26] He did not know that she was once Emperor Shao’s imperial concubine.[27] General Li Ji fell in love with her and wanted to marry her. She refused him.[28]
Jia Xu (the imperial secretary) eventually learned of Imperial Consort Tang Ji’s situation.[29] He wrote to Emperor Xian and explained her plight.[30] Emperor Xian arranged for Imperial Consort Tang Ji to be released.[31] He also issued an edict for her to be escorted back to his palace in Chang’an.[32] Emperor Xian made Imperial Consort Tang Ji the Princess of Hongnong.[33] She spent the remainder of her days living in the palace gardens.[34] Princess Tang Ji’s death remains unrecorded.[35]
Princess Tang Ji lived a very sad and turbulent life.[36] She had to watch her husband, Emperor Shao, commit suicide.[37] She lived the rest of her life fulfilling Emperor Shao’s request.[38] She continued to live, but she did not remarry.[39] She remained loyal to Emperor Shao after his death, especially during times of hardship and uncertainty.[40] Thus, her loyalty proves to scholars how deeply Princess Tang Ji loved Emperor Shao.[41] It is no wonder why she won the respect and admiration of Emperor Xian.[42]
Sources:
de Crespigny, R. (2006). A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms (23-220 AD). Netherlands: Brill.
Shen, L. (2015). “Tang, Consort of Prince Hongnong”. 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. 194-195.
[1] de Crespigny, 2006
[2] Shen, 2015
[3] Shen, 2015
[4] Shen, 2015
[5] Shen, 2015
[6] Shen, 2015
[7] de Crespigny, 2006
[8] Shen, 2015
[9] Shen, 2015
[10] Shen, 2015; de Crespigny, 2006
[11] Shen, 2015
[12] Shen, 2015
[13] Shen, 2015
[14] Shen, 2015
[15] Shen, 2015
[16] de Crespigny, 2006
[17] Shen, 2015, p. 195
[18] de Crespigny, 2006
[19] Shen, 2015, p. 195
[20] Shen, 2015
[21] Shen, 2015
[22] Shen, 2015, p. 195
[23] Shen, 2015
[24] de Crespigny, 2006
[25] Shen, 2015
[26] Shen, 2015
[27] de Crespigny, 2006
[28] de Crespigny, 2006
[29] de Crespigny, 2006
[30] de Crespigny, 2006
[31] de Crespigny, 2006
[32] Shen, 2015
[33] Shen, 2015
[34] Shen, 2015
[35] Shen, 2015
[36] Shen, 2015
[37] Shen, 2015
[38] Shen, 2015
[39] Shen, 2015
[40] Shen, 2015
[41] Shen, 2015
[42] Shen, 2015
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