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墨書 Inktalez
She is the "Kardashian" of the Spring and Autumn period, one of the Five Great Beauties.
It is said that she mastered the art of balancing yin and yang, leading to the deaths of nine men because of her. She not only had entanglements with her half-brother but also became a queen three times and a wife seven times. Her actions triggered a butterfly effect that lasted for hundreds of years, leading to events such as the Wu and Chu Rivalry, Zhao's Orphan, Endure Hardship for Future Success, and Wolves' Ambition.
She is Xia Ji, who caused the deaths of three husbands, one king, and one son, as well as the downfall of one nation and two ministers.
So as one of the Four Great Beauties of the Spring and Autumn period, was she inherently promiscuous or simply a victim of circumstance?
"There is a beauty in the north, unparalleled and independent. One glance topples a city, another glance topples a nation." This phrase perfectly describes Xia Ji.
Xia Ji was born around 640 BC as a princess of Zheng State.
From a young age, she had beautiful eyebrows and flowing hair. As she grew up, her bright eyes and pearly teeth, combined with her natural grace and charm, made her stand out among many suitors.
Her brother Gongzi Man developed feelings for her. Under his coaxing and deception, Xia Ji reluctantly maintained this unhealthy relationship until it ended three years later with Gongzi Man's death.
Later, Xia Ji married Xia Yushu, a minister from Chen State, which is how she got her name "Xia Ji."
After marrying into Chen State, something happened that proved someone could indeed be breathtakingly beautiful. Xia Ji gave birth to a son named Xia Zhengshu in less than nine months.
This left Xia Yushu bewildered; he thought the child's arrival was suspicious but decided to overlook it due to Xia Ji's stunning beauty and continued living his life peacefully.
However, when their son Xia Zhengshu turned twelve, tragedy struck—Xia Yushu passed away, leaving Xia Ji a widow.
As the saying goes, widows attract gossip, especially one as beautiful as her.
Kong Ning, a minister from Chen State, frequently visited Xia Ji's home and was captivated by her beauty. Like the story of Ximen Qing and Pan Jinlian, he used both soft and hard tactics to become her confidant.
Initially thinking he had found happiness, Kong Ning turned out to be not only a scoundrel but also a bigmouth. He bragged about his affair with Xia Ji to his colleague Yi Xingfu, claiming that Yi Xingfu was more handsome and skilled at seducing women than himself.
Before long, Xia Ji fell in love with Yi Xingfu. Meanwhile, Kong Ning noticed he was losing favor and became extremely jealous.
He was unsure whether he regretted boasting everywhere, so he told Chen Linggong about Xia Ji's beauty. In the end, the four of them began to live an unashamed life together.
At this time, Xia Zhengshu was already in his twenties, strong and robust, especially skilled in archery.
To please Xia Ji, Chen Linggong had Xia Zhengshu inherit Xia Yushu's official position, appointing him as the Sima of Chen State, in command of the military.
Xia Zhengshu felt deeply ashamed; his mother had long been occupied by three lecherous men, and he usually tried to ignore it.
However, this time, Chen Linggong joked with Yi Xingfu that Xia Zhengshu resembled them, and Yi Xingfu also joked with Chen Linggong that Xia Zhengshu looked like them. After hearing this, Xia Zhengshu could no longer endure it.
After drinking, Chen Linggong came out, and Xia Zhengshu ambushed him and shot him dead. Kong Ning and Yi Xingfu managed to escape to the State of Chu.
Once in Chu, Kong Ning and Yi Xingfu did not stay quietly but sought revenge through King Zhuang of Chu, claiming that Xia Zhengshu deserved death for regicide.
King Zhuang of Chu then sent troops to Chen State. Chen State was easily defeated, and Xia Zhengshu surrendered.
When the Chu army arrived at Chen State, they captured Xia Zhengshu alive and subjected him to death by dismemberment. As a result, Xia Zhengshu perished, and Chen State was destroyed. Meanwhile, Xia Ji was captured and sent to Chu.
Although Xia Ji was already over forty years old, she still retained her beauty. When King Zhuang of Chu saw her, he was immediately captivated by her appearance.
He ordered that Xia Ji be taken as his consort.
At this moment, however, the minister known as Witch Minister advised against it: "A ruler should not covet beauty." King Zhuang of Chu heeded this advice and abandoned his intention to marry Xia Ji.
Upon hearing this, one might think that Witch Minister was a straightforward loyal subject. But as we continue the story, you will understand otherwise.
King Zhuang of Chu gave up on Xia Ji; however, the young noble Zifan from Chu also coveted her beauty.
At this point, Witch Minister remarked that Xia Ji was an ill-fated person; anyone who had relations with her met a bad end, and Chen State fell because of her.
Zifan, lacking the courage to act on his desires, thought about living a few more years and decided to give up.
The reason the Witch Minister opposed others marrying Xia Ji was that he himself had feelings for her.
He believed that with his silver tongue, he could persuade all his competitors to withdraw, but unexpectedly, Xia Ji was given to Elder Xiang by King Zhuang of Chu.
The Witch Minister's efforts were in vain, but he had no way to oppose it.
However, it seemed that Elder Xiang truly had a fate of misfortune with wives; less than a year after marrying Xia Ji and enjoying little happiness, he died on the battlefield, and even his body was taken away.
Just as he left, his son Heiyao eagerly occupied Xia Ji.
Yet there was one person who always kept Xia Ji in mind: the Witch Minister.
Seeing the situation unfold, the Witch Minister felt extremely anxious and realized he could not wait any longer. He must win over the beauty, so he sweet-talked Xia Ji and shared his plans with her, which moved her.
Following the Witch Minister's plan, Xia Ji requested to return to Zheng State under the pretense of seeking help from Zheng State to retrieve Elder Xiang's body. The King of Chu agreed.
After some time, taking advantage of a diplomatic mission to Qi State, the Witch Minister went to Zheng State and used the national gifts meant for Qi State as betrothal gifts to elope with Xia Ji to Jin State.
In an inn, they consummated their relationship.
It should be noted that the Witch Minister sacrificed everything for love and directly defected. However, one can escape from a monk but not from the temple.
King Zhuang of Chu felt deceived because he initially wanted Xia Ji for himself but gave up after being persuaded by the Witch Minister. Now that the Witch Minister had abandoned everything to elope with Xia Ji, King Zhuang killed all of the Witch Minister's family members.
The price the Witch Minister paid for love was quite high, so he decided to seek revenge.
After arriving in Jin State, the Witch Minister quickly gained favor there. Although he had a somewhat lecherous reputation, he was a renowned minister from Chu and an outstanding politician.
He strategized for the Jin State, helping it gain the support of the Wu Kingdom, which had suffered from the deceit of the Chu State, and imparted the most advanced military tactics of the time.
Later, he led the Jin State and Wu Kingdom to gradually weaken the influence of the Chu State, thus initiating the rivalry between Wu and Yue during the Late Spring and Autumn Period.
This series of historical events is also considered a butterfly effect, with Xia Ji being regarded as a legendary beauty akin to an American version of Spring and Autumn.
Confucius's relocation resulted in his demise, yet Fan Guanjia remained stunningly beautiful even at fifty, retaining the youthful appearance of a young girl.
What do you think? This ageless beauty can be attributed to Xia Ji's mastery of techniques for preserving youth through balancing yin and yang.
I can only say this reflects a certain imagination of beauty by later generations.
Chinese poetry, novels, and dramas have all portrayed her, but opinions vary; this is something that can only be interpreted differently by different people.
The Disaster of Beauty has long been an enduring theme in discussions about her as the first female diviner in Chinese history.
It can only be said that Xia Ji's life was tumultuous; she either became a victim of politics or a plaything for nobles.
Due to her beauty, many men surrounding her sought to possess her.
What can a woman do in such circumstances?
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