Lady Li (李夫人) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Lady Li as a consort, family member, musician, and royal family member. This record brings together 7 passages from 3 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Lady Li	李夫人	Lǐ Fūrén
Title	Lady Li	李夫人	Lǐ Fūrén
Title	Lady Li	李夫人	Li Furen
Title	Lady Li	李夫人
Descriptive kinship	Yannian's younger sister	延年女弟
Descriptive kinship	younger sister	女弟

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Uncertain

Sex: female
Explicit · songshu:055:s0014
Value: female
Explicit · shiji:125:s0058, shiji:125:s0065
Value: male
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0062

Roles

Consort
Family Member
Musician
Royal Family Member

Life and dates

Death

Manner: died / 卒
Explicit · shiji:125:s0065
Text: died before Li Yannian lost imperial favor
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0068

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 今天子 · Western Interval: Start: BC 141 · End: BC 87
Explicit · shiji:125:s0058, shiji:125:s0065
Source Date: Text: 李夫人 · Western Interval: Start: BC 100 · End: BC 90
Explicit · songshu:055:s0014

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Parent of Son of Lady Li
Kinship Term: son / 子男 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: mother · Object Role: son
Kinship Term: son / 子男 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: mother
Sibling of Li Yannian (李延年)
Kinship Term: younger sister / 女弟 · Subject Relative Age: younger · Shared Parentage: full
Kinship Term: younger sister / 女弟 · Subject Relative Age: elder · Shared Parentage: full

Career and standing

Label: dancer/entertainer / 善舞；故倡
Explicit · shiji:125:s0056, shiji:125:s0058
Status: imperial-favorite · Action: held
Explicit · shiji:125:s0058, shiji:125:s0061

Places and affiliations

Place: Yongxiang palace women's quarters / 永巷 · Relation: entered
Explicit · shiji:125:s0058

Events and relationships

Type: younger-sister-of · Person Id: Li Yannian (李延年)
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0062
Relation: consort-of · Person Id: Emperor Wu (今天子)
Explicit · shiji:125:s0058, shiji:125:s0061
Type: mother-of · Person Id: King of Changyi (昌邑王)
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0066

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Book of Han, Chapter 105Volume 93: Flatterers · 3 passages

Open chapter

女弟得幸於上，號李夫人，列《外戚傳》。 His sister became Lady Li, a favorite—her story is in the "Consorts" chapter.

而李夫人產昌邑王，延年由是貴為協律都尉，佩二千石印綬，而與上臥起，其愛幸埒韓嫣。 When Lady Li bore the king of Changyi, he was made director of harmony with a two-thousand-picul seal, shared the emperor's intimacy, and matched Han Yan in favor.

及李夫人卒後，其愛弛，上遂誅延年兄弟宗族。 After Lady Li's death his star faded; Wu executed Li Yannian and his whole clan.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 125Biographies of Flatterers · 3 passages

Open chapter

而平陽公主言延年女弟善舞，上見，心說之，及入永巷，而召貴延年。 Princess Pingyang mentioned that Yannian's younger sister was a gifted dancer. When the emperor saw her perform, he was captivated. After she was taken into the palace, the emperor summoned Yannian and raised him to a position of honor.

其女弟亦幸，有子男。 His younger sister likewise became an imperial favorite and bore the emperor a son.

及其女弟李夫人卒后，愛弛，則禽誅延年昆弟也。 After his sister, Lady Li, died, the emperor's affection cooled, and Yannian and his brothers were arrested and put to death.

Book of Song, Chapter 55Volume 55 Biographies 15: Zang Dao, Xu Guang, F Long · 1 passage

Open chapter

又衛後既廢，霍光追尊李夫人為皇后，配孝武廟，此非母以子貴之例，直以高、武二廟無配故耳。 Again, after Empress Wei was deposed, Huo Guang posthumously honored Lady Li as empress and paired her with Emperor Wu's temple; that was not an instance of a mother elevated through her son, but merely because the temples of Gaozu and Emperor Wu had lacked consorts.