Lady Hu (Shu Han)

Lady Hu
胡氏
OccupationAristocrat
EraLater Han dynasty
Three Kingdoms period
SpouseLiu Yan

Lady Hu (胡氏) was a Chinese woman of the Shu Han state during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 AD). She was the wife of Liu Yan, a Shu Han general. When her alcoholic husband offered her to be assaulted by the servants, she protested to the court, which led to his execution.[1]

Marriage to Liu Yan

Little is known of Lady Hu as a person, where she was born, her background, her personality, only that she was described as a very beautiful woman.[2] Her husband Liu Yan was handsome and skilled in debate which, along with his imperial lineage, made him a favoured figure.[3][4] Liu Yan however struggled with drink, was of limited ability,[5] extravagant and had something of an ego.[6] Liu Yan rowed with a senior general Wei Yan and Zhuge Liang, the Chancellor of Shu-Han, removed Liu Yan from office.[7] After a written apology blaming drink, which he vowed to stop,[8] Liu Yan was restored to his former ranks but sent to the capital Chengdu but with his position now token, he returned to drink and may have not been mentally well.[9][10][4]

Divorce, assault and protest

For the 234 New Year, Lady Hu, entered the palace of Shu Han in Chengdu to pay her respects to Empress Dowager Wu, Liu Bei's widow. For reasons unknown, the empress dowager ordered Lady Hu to remain in the palace. Lady Hu returned home after living in the palace for a month.[11]

As Lady Hu had a beautiful appearance, Liu Yan suspected that she had a secret affair with the emperor Liu Shan during that one month she stayed in the palace. He ordered 500 of his soldiers to beat her up, slapped her in the face with a shoe, and then divorced her and expelled her from his home.[12]

Lady Hu reported Liu Yan to the authorities for his abusive behaviour. As a result, Liu Yan was arrested and thrown into prison.[13] The investigative officer commented on the incident as follows: “Soldiers aren't meant to help someone beat up his wife. Shoes aren't meant to be used to hit someone in the face.” [14] Liu Yan was publicly executed.[15] After this embarrassing and considerable scandal, the Shu Han government put an end to the practice of allowing officials' wives and mothers to enter the palace at time of celebrations.[16][4] What happened to Lady Hu after this is not known.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In the 14th century historical novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, which romanticizes previous events and during the Three Kingdoms period of China, introduces Lady Hu in Chapter 115, which deals with the incident with Liu Yan. The event points toward Liu Shan becoming more and more obscene therefore losing the trust of talented men while promoting the corrupted. The account is recorded as such :

“In Chengdu the Second Emperor, having fallen under the influence of the eunuch official Huang Hao, indulged in vice and luxury and neglected the business of the court. Lady Hu, wife of the high court official Liu Yan, was an exceptional beauty. On one occasion she entered the court to pay her respects to the Empress, who kept her in the palace for a full month. Afterward, Liu Yan, suspecting that his wife had become intimate with the Second Emperor, arrayed five hundred of his guard before him. At Liu Yan's order, the soldiers tied up Lady Hu and struck her in the face several dozen times with a shoe. The woman fainted and nearly died, but then revived. The Second Emperor was furious when he learned of this incident and ordered an executive officer to condemn Liu Yan. The accusation read: "A common soldier is not the one to strike a wife; the face is not the place to receive punishment; Liu Yan deserves to be executed publicly." Consequently, Liu Yan was beheaded.“

“Thereafter ladies with titles conferred by the sovereign were banned from court. But court officials continued to view the Emperor as given to lust, and many resented and mistrusted him. As a result, worthy and able men began gradually to withdraw, while opportunists advanced steadily.“

References

  1. ^ Sanguozhi vol.40.
  2. ^ 胡氏有美色
  3. ^ (先主在豫州，闢為從事，以其宗姓，有風流，善談論，厚親待之，遂隨從周旋，常為賓客。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
  4. ^ a b c De Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms (23–220 AD). Boston: Brill. p. 573. ISBN 9789004156050.
  5. ^ 然不豫國政，但領兵千餘，隨丞相亮諷議而已 Sanguozhi vol.40.
  6. ^ 車服飲食，號為侈靡，侍婢數十，皆能為聲樂，又悉教誦讀魯靈光殿賦 Sanguozhi vol.40.
  7. ^ 建興十年，與前軍師魏延不和，言語虛誕，亮責讓之 Sanguozhi vol.40.
  8. ^ 琰與亮牋謝曰：「琰稟性空虛，本薄操行，加有酒荒之病，自先帝以來，紛紜之論，殆將傾覆。頗蒙明公本其一心在國，原其身中穢垢，扶持全濟，致其祿位，以至今日。閒者迷醉，言有違錯，慈恩含忍，不致之于理，使得全完，保育性命。雖必克己責躬，改過投死，以誓神靈；無所用命，則靡寄顏。」Sanguozhi vol.40.
  9. ^ 於是亮遣琰還成都，官位如故。Sanguozhi vol.40.
  10. ^ 琰失志慌惚 Sanguozhi vol.40.
  11. ^ (琰失志慌惚。[建興]十二年正月，琰妻胡氏入賀太后，太后令特留胡氏，經月乃出。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
  12. ^ (胡氏有美色，琰疑其與後主有私，呼（卒）五百撾胡，至於以履搏面，而後棄遣。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
  13. ^ (胡具以告言琰，琰坐下獄。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
  14. ^ (有司議曰：「卒非撾妻之人，面非受履之地。」) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
  15. ^ 琰竟棄市 Sanguozhi vol.40.
  16. ^ 自是大臣妻母朝慶遂絕 Sanguozhi vol.40

Sources