Princess Runan (汝南公主, CE – 16 November 636 CE), her personal name was not recorded, was a royal princess of the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

. She was the second or third recorded daughter of

Emperor Taizong of Tang Emperor Taizong of Tang (28January 59810July 649), previously Prince of Qin, personal name Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649. He is traditionally regarded as a co-founder of the dynasty fo ...

, the second emperor of the dynasty, through an unknown consort. She was closely associated with the Longxi Li clan, and her ancestral home is given as Didao, Longxi (modern

Lintao County Lintao County () is administratively under the control of Dingxi, Gansu province, China. History Pottery from the Majiayao culture (3300 to 2000 BC) has been found in Lintao. Until the 20th century, Lintao was known as Didao (). The Battle of ...

Gansu Province Gansu is a provinces of China, province in Northwestern China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeastern part of the province. The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibetan Plateau, Ti ...

). Princess Runan never married and died when young.

Brief life

Princess Runan's birthdate is unknown, but based on historical context, she was likely born no later than 621 CE, during the Wude reign of Emperor Gaozu to the later Emperor Taizong of Tang and a unknown women. She was raised in the imperial palace during the formative years of the Tang Dynasty and received a classical aristocratic education. Her epitaph describes her as intelligent and virtuous from a young age. She studied ritual, music and literature, and mastered traditional arts such as embroidery, weaving and brocade-making. She was praised as a model of grace, modesty and decorum. Her behavior was admired by court officials and palace attendants alike. She was particularly known for her respectful conduct, soft demeanor and gentle spirit. In 630 CE, when she was likely in her early to mid-teens, Princess Runan was granted the official title Princess of Runan County (汝南公主) by imperial decree. She was awarded ceremonial clothing, jade ornaments and a royal carriage in accordance with Tang dynasty court customs. Despite her noble rank, she remained modest and diligent, continuing to pursue study and refinement. She participated regularly in court ceremonies and was particularly devoted to her elders. Her daily greetings and careful observance of palace rituals were often remarked upon by the court as exemplary.

Death and burial

In the summer of 636, Princess Runan was devastated by the death of Empress Changsun, her father's wife and the highly respected empress of the Tang court. The Empress died in the sixth month of the tenth year of the Zhenguan reign, and was buried later that year in the Zhaoling Mausoleum. According to her epitaph, Princess Runan mourned beyond the limits of traditional rites. She refused to wear silk or cotton clothing, abstained from eating and grew physically weak from grief. In 16 November 636 CE, just twelve days after the empress's burial, Princess Runan died at a young age (around 15). The epitaph attributes her death to overwhelming sorrow and emotional exhaustion. Princess Runan was buried with honor, though the exact location of her tomb remains unknown and unexcavated. Her epitaph, believed to be a draft written by the renowned Tang calligrapher

Yu Shinan Yu Shinan (558 – 11 July 638), courtesy name Boshi, posthumously known as Duke Wenyi of Yongxing, was a Chinese calligrapher and politician who lived in the early Tang dynasty and rose to prominence during the reign of Emperor Taizong. His u ...

. It vividly records her character, achievements and deep grief at the death of Empress Changsun. Although she died young and never married, Princess Runan was remembered by contemporaries and later generations for her virtue, learning and filial piety. The final lines of her epitaph plead: "Heaven blesses the benevolent, even though she has already gone to the underworld."

References

{{reflist 636 deaths Tang dynasty