Consort Feng Yuan (馮媛, imperial title Zhaoyi (昭儀)) (d. 6 BC) was an imperial consort during Han Dynasty. She was a consort and a favorite of Emperor Yuan. She was viewed largely positively for her heroism and (presumed) humility while she was Emperor Yuan's consort, and viewed sympathetic for her untimely and tragic death at the hand of her romantic rival Consort Fu. Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC - 0s BC - 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 11 BC 10 BC 9 BC 8 BC 7 BC 6 BC 5 BC 4 BC 3 BC 2 BC 1 BC 1... A consort is somebodys spouse, usually a royalty. ... Han commanderies and kingdoms AD 2. ... Emperor Yuan of Han (75 BC–33 BC) was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. ...

Family background

It is not known when Feng Yuan was born. Her father Feng Fengshi (馮奉世) was a famous general during the reign of Emperor Xuan, and continued to serve in a number of important posts in the imperial government thereafter. She had nine brothers and three sisters. Her brothers Feng Yewang (馮野王), Feng Jun (馮逡), Feng Li (馮立), and Feng Can (馮參) all later became important officials as well. Emperor Xuan of Han (91 BC–49 BC) was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 74 BC to 49 BC. Emperor Xuan was the great grandson of Emperor Wu. ...

As imperial consort

Feng Yuan became a consort to Emperor Yuan in 47 BC, the second year of his reign. She quickly became a favorite of his, along with Consort Fu. She bore him a son, Liu Xing (劉興), who was later created the Prince of Xindu in 37 BC. Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC - 40s BC - 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC 0s Years: 52 BC 51 BC 50 BC 49 BC 48 BC 47 BC 46 BC 45 BC 44 BC... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC - 30s BC - 20s BC 10s BC 0s 10s 20s Years: 42 BC 41 BC 40 BC 39 BC 38 BC 37 BC 36 BC 35 BC 34 BC 33 BC...

While both Consorts Fu and Feng were imperial consorts, an incident occurred that would cause Consort Feng to be greatly praised, at Consort Fu's embarrassment. In 38 BC, Emperor Yuan was watching a fight between wild animals, accompanied by a number of his concubines (but apparently not by Empress Wang Zhengjun). A wild bear broke loose and tried to get out of the cage. All of the noble men and women who accompanied Emperor Yuan, including Consort Fu, fled, but Consort Feng stepped toward the wild bear, which, however, was killed at the last moment by imperial guards. Emperor Yuan asked her why she did so. Consort Feng replied that she had heard that bears, once they had caught one person, would attack just that person and no one else; because she was afraid that the bear would attack the emperor, she was willing to sacrifice herself. Consort Fu became greatly jealous of the praise that Consort Feng received for this incident. Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC - 30s BC - 20s BC 10s BC 0s 10s 20s Years: 43 BC 42 BC 41 BC 40 BC 39 BC 38 BC 37 BC 36 BC 35 BC 34 BC... Concubinage is either the state of a couple living together as lovers with no obligation created by vows, legal marriage, or religious ceremony, or the state of a woman supported by a male lover who is married to, and usually living with, someone else. ... Empress Wang Zhengjun (Traditional Chinese: 王政君), official short-form imperial title Empress Yuan of Han, later and more commonly known as Grand Empress Dowager Wang (b. ...

Consort Feng was never recorded in history as having had the same ambition that her rival Consort Fu had at displacing Crown Prince Liu Ao (劉驁), the son of Empress Wang Zhengjun, with her son. This might have been because her son was younger not only to the crown prince, but also to Consort Fu's son Liu Kang (劉康), or it could have been that she was humbler and less ambitious. Emperor Cheng of Han (51 BC–7 BC) was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty ruling from 33 BC until 7 BC. Under Emperor Cheng, the Han dynasty continued its slide into disintegration while the Wang clan continued its slow grip on power and on governmental affairs as promoted... Empress Wang Zhengjun (Traditional Chinese: 王政君), official short-form imperial title Empress Yuan of Han, later and more commonly known as Grand Empress Dowager Wang (b. ...

During Consort Feng's years as imperial consort, Emperor Yuan considered promoting her brother Yewang to prime minister or similar positions due to his abilities, but each time thought that he would be criticized for an appearance of nepotism, and so never actually promoted Yewang as such. Nepotism means favoring relatives or personal friends because of their relationship rather than because of their abilities. ...

As princess dowager

In 33 BC, Emperor Yuan died, and Crown Prince Ao ascended the throne as Emperor Cheng. Prince Xing went to his principality at Xindu, and Consort Feng went with him with the title Princess Dowager. When Prince Xing's principality was moved to Zhongshan (roughly modern Baoding, Hebei) in 23 BC, Prince Dowager Feng was similarly moved with her son. Not much is known about her years in Zhongshan. In 24 BC, Emperor Cheng considered making her brother Yewang commander of the armed forces, replacing his own uncle Wang Feng (王鳳), whose autocratic nature he had become resentful of, but he changed his mind after the news was leaked. In retaliation, Wang Feng removed Feng Yewang from his posts. Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC - 30s BC - 20s BC 10s BC 0s 10s 20s Years: 38 BC 37 BC 36 BC 35 BC 34 BC 33 BC 32 BC 31 BC 30 BC 29 BC... Categories: China geography stubs | Cities in China ... Hebei (Chinese: 河北; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ho-pei; Postal System Pinyin: Hopeh) is a northern province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC - 20s BC - 10s BC 0s 10s 20s 30s Years: 28 BC 27 BC 26 BC 25 BC 24 BC 23 BC 22 BC 21 BC 20 BC 19 BC 18... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC - 20s BC - 10s BC 0s 10s 20s 30s Years: 29 BC 28 BC 27 BC 26 BC 25 BC 24 BC 23 BC 22 BC 21 BC 20 BC 19...

in 9 BC, Emperor Cheng, sonless, appeared to come to the resolution of making either his younger brother Prince Xing or his nephew Prince Liu Xin of Dingtao (定陶王劉欣, Prince Kang's son) his heir. Emperor Cheng became convinced that Prince Xin was more capable, and at the same time, Prince Xin's grandmother Consort Fu was endearing herself to Emperor Cheng's wife Empress Zhao Feiyan, her sister and Emperor Cheng's favorite Consort Zhao Hede, and Emperor Cheng's uncle Wang Gen with lavish gifts, and so the Zhaos and Wang Gen both praised Prince Xin as well. (There was no evidence that Consort Feng carried out similar lobbying effort on behalf of her son.) Emperor Cheng made Prince Xin crown prince in 8 BC. Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC - 0s BC - 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 14 BC 13 BC 12 BC 11 BC 10 BC 9 BC 8 BC 7 BC 6 BC 5 BC 4 BC Events... Emperor Ai of Han (27 BC–1 BC) was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC - 0s BC - 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 13 BC 12 BC 11 BC 10 BC 9 BC - 8 BC - 7 BC 6 BC 5 BC 4 BC 3 BC Births...

In 7 BC, Emperor Cheng died, and Prince Xin ascended the throne as Emperor Ai. In the same year, Prince Xing also died, and his only son, the two-year-old Prince Jizi (劉箕子) succeeded him as the Prince of Zhongshan. Princess Dowager Feng continued to serve as princess dowager. Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC - 0s BC - 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 12 BC 11 BC 10 BC 9 BC 8 BC 7 BC 6 BC 5 BC 4 BC 3 BC 2 BC Events...

Death

Prince Jizi was born with a heart ailment, which, when affliciting him, causes him to have circulation problems, manifesting itself outwardly as having his lips and appendages turn blue. Princess Dowager Feng raised him personally. She also often prayed to the gods. In 6 BC, Emperor Ai, hearing about his cousin's illness, sent imperial physicians along with his attendant Zhang You (張由) to go to Zhongshan to treat Prince Jizi. This, however, would have dire consequences of Princess Dowager Feng. Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC - 0s BC - 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 11 BC 10 BC 9 BC 8 BC 7 BC 6 BC 5 BC 4 BC 3 BC 2 BC 1 BC 1...

The imperial attendant Zhang was himself afflicted with a psychiatric condition (probably bipolar disorder), and when he got to Zhongshan, he suddenly, in a rage, left there and returned to the capital Chang'an. Once he did and was ordered to explain his conduct, he made up a false reason -- that he had discovered that Princess Dowager Feng was using witchcraft to curse Emperor Ai and his grandmother, Consort Fu, who by now carried the title empress dowager. Empress Dowager Fu, still resentful of Princess Dowager Feng from the days when they were romantic rivals, decided to use this opportunity to strike at Princess Dowager Feng. She sent an eunuch, Shi Li (史立), to serve as investigator, and Shi tortured a good number of Princess Dowager Feng's relations (inlcuding her sister Feng Xi (馮習) and her sister-in-law Junzhi (君之), Feng Li's wife), some to death, but still could not build a solid case against Princess Dowager Feng. Shi Li decided to show Princess Dowager Feng who was actually behind the investigation, by referring to an incident in which then-Consort Feng defended Emperor Yuan against a bear which had broken loose. Princess Dowager Feng, realizing that Empress Dowager Fu was behind the investigation, went back to her palace and committed suicide. In total, 17 members of the Feng clan died as a result of the investigations. Prince Jizi, then still a toddler, was spared. The artist Edvard Munch, who is now regarded as probably having suffered from bipolar disorder, depicts intense anguish in The Scream Bipolar disorder, originally called manic-depression, is a psychological condition that causes extreme shifts in mood. ... Changan   listen? (Simplified Chinese: 长安; Traditional Chinese: 長安; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chang-an) is the ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in China. ...

Before she committed suicide, Princess Dowager Feng was reportedly to have said the following:

That incident (involving the bear) happened deep in the palace and was long time ago, during a prior reign. How could this minor official know about it? It is clear that someone wants me dead, and would not stop until I am.

In 1 BC, after the deaths of Empress Dowager Fu and Emperor Ai, and after Emperor Yuan's wife Grand Empress Dowager Wang had seized power back from Emperor Ai's male favorite (and probable lover) Dong Xian, Princess Dowager Feng's reputation was restored. Later that year, her grandson Prince Jizi would become emperor, although as effectively a young puppet of Grand Empress Dowager Wang's nephew Wang Mang. Wang Mang would eventually murder him in 5 and usurp the Han throne in 8. Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC - 0s BC - 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 6 BC 5 BC 4 BC 3 BC 2 BC 1 BC 1 2 3 4 // Events Births December 25 - Jesus (died about... Dong Xian (董賢) (23 BC(?)-1 BC) was a Han Dynasty politician who quickly rose from obscurity as a minor official to being the most powerful official in the imperial administration of Emperor Ai within a span of a few years, because of his personal relationship with Emperor Ai, likely a... Wang Mang (王莽, pinyin: Wáng Măng) (45 BC–October 6, 23) was a Han Dynasty official who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded Xin (or Hsin) Dynasty (新朝, meaning new dynasty), ruling AD 8–23. ... For other uses, see number 5. ... For other uses, see number 8. ...