Biography & Historical Record
Lady He (何氏, Hà thị; c. 200s–?) was a noblewoman of Shu Han from Qianwei Commandery and the biological mother of celebrated scholar and official Li Mi (李密). When Li Mi was merely six months old, his father passed away. When Li Mi was four years old, Lady He’s brothers forced her to remarry against her wishes.
Deeply grieved by the separation from her infant son, Lady He left Li Mi under the devoted care of his paternal grandmother, Lady Liu. This tragic childhood separation became the core emotional foundation of Li Mi’s immortal masterpiece Chen Qing Biao (陈情表), where he movingly recounted: “My mother He was forced by my uncle to remarry; infant as I was, I was left without support.” Lady He lived honorably, maintaining familial bonds with her son through later years.
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Paragon of Filial Literature: While not a battlefield commander, Lady He (何氏) is immortalized through Li Mi’s Chen Qing Biao, revered for centuries as one of China’s supreme literary testaments to filial piety.
Lady He (何氏) — Historical & Literary Timeline
Birth of Li Mi
Gives birth to Li Mi in Qianwei Commandery.
Forced Remarriage
Compelled by family elders to remarry, leaving Li Mi with his grandmother.
See historical sources cited below.
Key Relationships
Family
In Historical Accounts
- Jin Shu (晋书): Volume 88 (Biography of Li Mi, citing Chen Qing Biao): "When I was four, my mother He was forced by my uncle to remarry. Grandmother Liu pitied my frailty and nurtured me."
In History
Summary
- Lady He (何氏, Hà thị) was the biological mother of Li Mi.
Historical Record
- Book of Jin Volume 88.
- Wen Xuan (Chen Qing Biao).
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