Concubine Li
Li Ji (?-651 BCE) (simplified Chinese: 骊姬; traditional Chinese: 驪姬; pinyin: Lí Jī) was a concubine and later wife of Duke Xian of Jin, ruler of the State of Jin between 676 BC and 651 BC during the Spring and Autumn Period of China. Li Ji is renowned for starting the Li Ji Rebellion which led to the suicide of Prince Shensheng (申生). She also attempted to place one of her own sons, Prince Xiqi (奚齊), on the throne of Jin after the death of Duke Xian of Jin. She was nicknamed as "The Witch of the Age" (Chinese: 一代妖姬; pinyin: Yī dài yāo Jī) because of her devious acts.
Biography
Li Ji was originally a native of the Lirong tribe (驪戎族), one of the northern Rong tribes (戎族). In 672 BC, the fifth year of the reign of Duke Xian of Jin, Duke Xian of Jin obtained two women from the Lirong tribe, Li Ji and her younger sister, Shao Ji (少姬), both daughters of the Lirong tribe leader. Because of her beauty and charm, Li Ji gained the favor of Duke Xian of Jin, therefore he had a desire to make Li Ji his first wife. Before doing so he asked the gods through divination whether or not it was wise to do this. The answer he received was that the outcome would not be good. He asked a second time and on receiving a positive response he made Li Ji his first wife, replacing Qi Jiang (齊姜).
Li Ji Rebellion
In 665 BC, the twelfth year of the reign of Duke Xian of Jin, Li Ji gave birth to Prince Xiqi (奚齊). Since Li Ji wanted her son to be the crown prince, she bribed two of Duke Xian's most trusted officials, Liang Wu (梁五) and Dongguan Biwu (東關嬖五). The two officials persuaded Duke Xian to let Prince Shensheng (申生), Prince Chonger (重耳) and Prince Yiwu (夷吾) leave the capital, Jiang (絳). The officials told the duke that the northern Rong tribes (戎族) and Di tribes (狄族) frequently attacked Jin such that the princes were needed to defend their territory. Duke Xian of Jin then sent Prince Shensheng to defend Quwo (曲沃), modern Quwo County in Shanxi. Duke Xian also sent Prince Chonger to defend the city of Pu (蒲), northwest of modern Xi County in Shanxi, and Prince Yiwu to Erqu (二屈), modern Ji County in Shanxi.
In 656 BC, the 21st year of the reign of Duke Xian of Jin, Li Ji plotted a scheme whereby Prince Shensheng went to Quwo and offered sacrifices for his deceased mother, Qi Jiang (齊姜). Prince Shensheng sent some of the food blessed by the gods to Duke Xian of Jin. Li Ji had secretly placed poison in the food in order to frame Prince Shensheng for murder. Before Duke Xian of Jin began eating, he gave a part of the food to a dog to check for poison whereupon the dog immediately collapsed. Discovering the poison in the food, Duke Xian sent men to Quwo to arrest Prince Shensheng. Upon hearing the news, Prince Shensheng committed suicide.
After Prince Shensheng committed suicide, Li Ji falsely accused Prince Chonger and Yiwu of revolting so both escaped to Pu (蒲) and Erqu (二屈) respectively. In 655 BC, the 22nd year of the reign of Duke Xian of Jin, Duke Xian of Jin sent troops to Pu and Erqu to capture Prince Chonger and Yiwu. Prince Chonger and some of his loyal subjects scaped to the Di tribe (翟族), one of the northern Rong tribes (戎族), since his mother was a native from the Rong tribes. Prince Yiwu failed to be captured in Erqu by Duke Xian of Jin.
On the ninth month of 651 BC, Duke Xian of Jin died. Li Ji placed the 15-year old Crown Prince Xiqi into the throne of Jin and made Xunxi, a Jin official, the chancellor of Xiqi to help him in government affairs. On the tenth month of 651 BC, the Jin general Li Ke (里克) killed Xiqi roughly a month after his ascension. Duke Xian of Jin was not yet properly buried at that time. Xunxi then placed Prince Zhuozi into the throne of Jin even though Zhuozi was still a toddler at that time. After that, Xunxi finished the burial of Duke Xian of Jin. On the eleventh month of 651 BC, Li Ke killed Zhuozi and his aunt Li Ji (驪姬). Xunxi then committed suicide by hanging himelf. Shao Ji, the younger sister of Li Ji and mother of Prince Zhuozi, was imprisoned.
Li Ke then invited Prince Chonger who was then in the State of Qi back to the State of Jin to become the next duke. Prince Chonger declined so Li Ke then invited Prince Yiwu who was then in the State of Liang and he accepted. Prince Yiwu ascended the throne of Jin and became Duke Hui of Jin.