Princess Jieyou (; 121 BC – 49 BC), born Liu Jieyou (), was a Chinese princess sent to marry the leader of the

Wusun The Wusun ( ) were an ancient semi-Eurasian nomads, nomadic Eurasian Steppe, steppe people of unknown origin mentioned in Chinese people, Chinese records from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD. The Wusun originally l ...

kingdom as part of the

Western Han The Han dynasty was an 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) and a warring int ...

Chinese policy of

heqin ''Heqin'', also known as marriage alliance, refers to the historical practice of Chinese monarchs marrying princesses—usually members of minor branches of the ruling family—to rulers of neighboring states. It was often adopted as an appeasem ...

Biography

As the granddaughter of the disgraced Prince Liu Wu (劉戊) who had taken part in the disastrous

Rebellion of the Seven States The Rebellion of the Seven States or Revolt of the Seven Kingdoms ( zh, s=七国之乱, t=七國之亂, p=Qī Guózhī Luàn) took place in 154 BC against the rule of Emperor Jing of Han dynasty by its regional semi-autonomous kings, to resist ...

, her status was low enough that she was sent to replace Princess Liu Xijun (劉細君) after her untimely death and marry the

king Cunzhou (岑陬). After his death, she married his cousin and successor, Wengguimi (翁歸靡), to whom she bore five children including Yuanguimi (元貴靡). Jieyou lived among the Wusun for fifty years and did much work to foster relations between the surrounding kingdoms and the Han. She was particularly reliant upon her attendant,

Feng Liao Feng Liao (馮嫽) was China's first official female diplomat, who represented the Han dynasty to Wusun (烏孫), which was in the Western Regions. It was a practice for the Imperial Court to foster alliances with the northern tribes via marriage, ...

, whom she dispatched as an emissary to Wusun kingdoms and even to the Han Court. She faced opposition from pro-

Xiongnu The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of Nomad, nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese historiography, Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, t ...

members of the Wusun royalty, particularly Wengguimi’s Xiongnu wife. When word came that the Xiongnu planned to attack Wusun, she convinced her husband to send for aid from the Han Emperor.

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 ...

sent 150,000 cavalrymen to support the Wusun forces and drive back the Xiongnu. When Wengguimi died, Jieyou married Nimi (泥靡), also known as the Mad King. While they had a son, Chi Mi (鴟靡), their relationship was unhappy. She soon conspired with several Han emissaries to have him assassinated, but the assassination attempt failed and Jieyou was nearly killed by his supporters in retaliation. In the end, Nimi was killed by Wengguimi’s son, Wujiutu (烏就屠) who, upon negotiating with Feng Liao, agreed to co-rule with Jieyou’s son, Yuanguimi.(焉烏就屠詣長羅侯赤谷城，立元貴靡為大昆彌，烏就屠為小昆彌，皆賜印綬。) Ban Gu et al. ''Book of Han, Vol. 96, Traditions of the Western Regions.'' In 51 BCE at the age of 70, Jieyou asked to be allowed to retire and return to the Han.

Emperor Xuan of Han Emperor Xuan of Han (; 91 BC – 10 January 48 BC), born Liu Bingyi (劉病已), was the tenth emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning from 74 to 48 BC, and was one of the only four Western Han emperors to receive a temple name (along with Empero ...

agreed and had her escorted back to

Chang'an Chang'an (; zh, t=長安, s=长安, p=Cháng'ān, first=t) is the traditional name of the city now named Xi'an and was the capital of several Chinese dynasties, ranging from 202 BCE to 907 CE. The site has been inhabited since Neolithic time ...

where she was welcomed with honor. She was given a grand palace with servants usually reserved for princesses of the imperial family. In 49 BCE, Jieyou died peacefully.

References

Citations

Sources

Sima Qian Sima Qian () was a Chinese historian during the early Han dynasty. He is considered the father of Chinese historiography for the ''Shiji'' (sometimes translated into English as ''Records of the Grand Historian''), a general history of China cov ...

. ''

Records of the Grand Historian The ''Shiji'', also known as ''Records of the Grand Historian'' or ''The Grand Scribe's Records'', is a Chinese historical text that is the first of the Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. It was written during the late 2nd and early 1st ce ...

'', Vol. 50. *

Ban Gu Ban Gu (AD32–92) was a Chinese historian, poet, and politician best known for his part in compiling the ''Book of Han'', the second of China's 24 dynastic histories. He also wrote a number of '' fu'', a major literary form, part prose ...

et al. ''

Book of Han The ''Book of Han'' is a history of China finished in 111 CE, covering the Western, or Former Han dynasty from the first emperor in 206 BCE to the fall of Wang Mang in 23 CE. The work was composed by Ban Gu (32–92 CE), ...

''
Vol. 96, Part II
* Lee, Lily Xiao Hong, A.D. Stefanowska, Sue Wiles (2015). ''Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 16E. - 618 C.E.'' Routledge. {{DEFAULTSORT:Jieyou, Princess 49 BC deaths 2nd-century BC Chinese women 2nd-century BC Chinese people 1st-century BC Chinese women 1st-century BC Chinese people Remarried royal consorts