Xu Hui

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Xu Hui ( Chinese  徐惠 , Pinyin Xú Huì ; * 627 in Changcheng; † 650 ) was a Chinese poet, "the first Tang poet ever, hardly ever mentioned in traditional literary history ... but the only one of the over thirty 'empresses and Emperor's wives' ... with surviving biographies in the official Tang historiography, whose own writings are quoted. "

Life

Xu Hui's father was Xu Xiaode from Changcheng in Huzhou (in today's Zhejiang Province ). Hui is said to have been a child prodigy who spoke at five days, read Confucius at four and wrote poetry at eight. She became a co-wife of the second Tang Dynasty emperor , Tang Taizong . Although originally appointed court lady of the fifth rank, 'gifted' ( cairen , 才 人), she was later promoted to concubine status , as 'expressive' ( Changrong , 充 容).

Xu Hui is one of the most prominent early Chinese poets and is believed to have written about a thousand poems, only five of which have survived, including the well-known "Repentance in Changmen Palace" about the neglected or abandoned lady popular in the Tang Dynasty . The poem refers to a concrete historical incident when the Empress of the Emperor Han Wudi "was banished to the high gate palace ( changmen ) and feared that she would be replaced by a newer lover in the affection of the ruler."

You loved my cypress wood terrace,
But now you are in love with its Hellen Yang palace.
I know my place, leave your canopy.
Hide my feelings, cry for a lost fan.
There were times when my dances and songs were praised.
Those letters and poems of yore? Spurned!
I believe it's true - your affection collapsed like waves.
It is difficult to reach water that has been spilled.

Tradition has it that after Emperor Taizong's death she fell ill with grief and died the following year. Taizong's successor, Tang Gaozong , posthumously honored her with the title of Xianfei (賢妃) and promoted her father to be Prefect of Guozhou on her behalf. She was also honored that she was buried in Emperor Taizong's Zhaoling mausoleum .

Trivia

Xu Hui was featured in the film "The Empress of China" (2014, Chinese  武 媚娘 傳奇  /  武 媚娘 传奇 , Pinyin wǔ mèi niáng chuán qí , Jyutping mou 5 mei 4 noeng 4 cyun 4 kei 4 ) and the TV series "Wu Zetian" (1995, Chinese  武则天 ) shown.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Paul W. Kroll: The Life and Writings of Xu Hui (627-650), Worthy Consort, at the Early Tang Court. In: Asia Major. Third Series, Vol. 22, No. 2, 2009, pp. 35-64.
  2. ^ Kroll: p. 38.
  3. ^ Jeanne Larsen: Xu Hui (627-50). In: Kang-i Sun Chang, Haun Saussy (Ed.): Women Writers of Traditional China. An Anthology of Poetry and Criticism. Stanford University Press, 1999, pp. 52-54.
  4. ^ Paul W. Kroll: The Life and Writings of Xu Hui (627-650), Worthy Consort, at the Early Tang Court. In: Asia Major. Third Series, Volume 22, No. 2, 2009, p. 42
  5. ^ Jeanne Larsen: Xu Hui (627-50). In: Kang-i Sun Chang, Haun Saussy (Ed.): Women Writers of Traditional China. An Anthology of Poetry and Criticism. Stanford University Press, 1999, pp. 52–54 - the source does not indicate whether it refers to Guozhou Prefecture in today's Henan or Guozhou Prefecture in today's Sichuan
  6. ^ Kroll: p. 62.
Note: This article places the family name before the person's first name. This is the usual order in Chinese. Xu is the family name here, Hui is the first name.
personal data
SURNAME Xu Hui
BRIEF DESCRIPTION chinese writer
DATE OF BIRTH 627
PLACE OF BIRTH Changcheng
DATE OF DEATH 650