Lady Helan
| Lady Helan | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lady of Wei | |||||
| Succeeded by Lady Chen | |||||
| Reign | 7th century to 666 | ||||
| Died | 666 | ||||
| |||||
| Father | Helan Yueshi | ||||
| Mother | Wu Shun | ||||
Lady Helan (Chinese: 賀蘭氏, 7th century – 666 CE) was the Lady of Wei (魏國夫人) during the Tang dynasty and the niece of Wu Zetian. The Lady of Wei was an honorific for relatives of the Emperor and Empress. She was involved in court politics during her lifetime.[1] She was killed by being poisoned at a dinner party.
Background
Lady Helan was the daughter of Wu Shun and Helan Yueshi (贺兰越石),[2] Wu Shun was the first daughter of Wu Shiyue and Lady Yang, and the older[3] sister of Empress Wu. Helan Yueshi was the son of the Duke of Yingshan (應山公) and died early.[4]
Lady of Wei
Lady Helan and her mother, Wu Shun, were favored by Emperor Gaozong who gave her the title Lady of Wei and her mother that of Lady of Han.
Emperor Gaozong wanted to keep Lady Helan as a concubine, but Empress Wu found out and had the Lady of Wei killed by poisoning. She then blamed Wu Weiliang and Wu Huaiyun for the murder and they were executed. Empress Wu accused Lady Helan's brother, Helan Minzhi (643 - 14 September 671),[5] of suspecting her to be behind the murder of his sister. Helan Minzhi was exiled and later died in exile.[6]
Modern Depictions
Lady Helan is often known in television series as Helan Minyue (賀蘭敏月). She is often portrayed as an antagonist.
References
- New Book of Tang, vol.76
- ^ "卷七十六 列传第一_新唐书（宋）欧阳修、宋祁_国学导航".
- ^ This name is per vol.183 of Old Book of Tang and vol.76 of New Book of Tang; Li Anqi's stele Tang Zhengguo Furen Wushi Bei (唐郑国夫人武氏碑; cited in Jigu Lumu (集古录目), complied by Ouyang Xiu and his son Ouyang Fei.) and Helan Minzhi's epitaph (大唐故贺兰都督墓志并序) both recorded Helan's name as "Anshi" (安石).
- ^ Li Anqi's stele recorded her as a younger sister of Wu Zetian.
- ^ Helan Minzhi's epitaph recorded that his father inherited a different title (應山县开国男). The New Book of Tang recorded that Wu Shun was widowed early in her life (元女妻贺兰氏，早寡。) Xin Tang Shu, vol.206.
- ^ Helan Minzhi's epitaph recorded that he died at the age of 29 (by East Asian reckoning) on the 6th day of the 8th month of the 2nd year of the Xianheng era.
- ^ (初，魏国卒，敏之入吊，帝为恸，敏之哭不对。后曰：“儿疑我！”恶之。俄贬死。) Xin Tang Shu, vol.76