Chu Fu (, died 130 BCE), was a Chinese

Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

occultist who was executed for witchcraft. She is said to have tried to approach Empress Chen Jiao and teach her sorcery and love spells to get rid of a woman who was competing with Empress Chen for favor. Alternately, some versions of the tale suggest that Empress Chen turned to sorcery for aid in conceiving, desperate to bear a son after 10 years of marriage. Still other versions present the accusations of witchcraft as largely an excuse to be rid of the Empress, to replace her with a different woman. The Empress duly completed all of Chu Fu's requests, including drinking potions and sleeping with Chu Fu, who was dressed as a man. When this supposed plot was discovered, Chen Jiao's husband

Emperor Wu of Han Emperor Wu of Han (156 – 29 March 87BC), born Liu Che and courtesy name Tong, was the seventh Emperor of China, emperor of the Han dynasty from 141 to 87 BC. His reign lasted 54 years – a record not broken until the reign of the Kangxi ...

ordered the imperial censor Zhang Tang to investigate. Zhang Tang's investigation found more than three hundred people who were implicated and executed. Chu Fu was publicly beheaded and her head hung up on public display. On the 14th day of the 7th month (

Chinese calendar The traditional Chinese calendar, dating back to the Han dynasty, is a lunisolar calendar that blends solar, lunar, and other cycles for social and agricultural purposes. While modern China primarily uses the Gregorian calendar for officia ...

) Emperor Wu deposed the empress, confiscated her imperial seal, removed her title, and banished her to the Changmen Palace (長門宮).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chu Fu 2nd-century BC Chinese women Chinese people executed for witchcraft 130 BC deaths Executed ancient people Ancient occultists Royal favourites Ancient Chinese LGBTQ people