NAME
Chinese Name骊姬, 驪姬, Lí Jī
NicknameNữ nhân làm loạn nước Tấn
Other nameLy Cơ
INFORMATION
Birth PlaceLirong State (骊戎国; nước Ly Nhung)
Died651 TCN
Death ReasonBị các đại thần nước Tấn giết sau khi Tấn Hiến Công qua đời.
FAMILY
Father
Vua nước Ly Nhung
Spouse
Tấn Hiến Công
Children
Hề Tề
Trác Tử
Relatives
Tấn Hiến Công
Thân Sinh
Trùng Nhĩ
Di Ngô
CAREER
AllegianceNước Tấn

Biography & Historical Record

Li Ji (骊姬) was a royal consort of Duke Xian of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. Originally a princess of the Li Rong tribe, she was captured and taken as a concubine after Duke Xian conquered Li Rong. Blessed with extraordinary beauty, she swiftly secured the supreme favor of the Duke of Jin.

Li Ji’s renown in history is intrinsically tied to the “Li Ji Unrest.” In her ambition to install her biological son, Xiqi, as crown prince, she orchestrated ruthless schemes to eliminate Duke Xian’s elder sons—Shensheng, Chong’er, and Yiwu. Exploiting her allure and fabricating deceitful slanders, she turned Duke Xian against his own sons, ultimately driving Crown Prince Shensheng to commit suicide and forcing Chong’er and Yiwu into exile. Her machinations triggered a protracted political crisis in the State of Jin, plunging the realm into devastating fratricidal strife.

Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms

This historical figure lived during the Spring and Autumn period and does not appear in Luo Guanzhong’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Li Ji — Historical & Literary Timeline

Before 655 BC

Entry into the Jin Palace

Brought back by Duke Xian of Jin following his conquest of Li Rong, rapidly becoming his most favored consort.

655 BC

Deposition of the Crown Prince

Li Ji falsely accused Crown Prince Shensheng of poisoning sacrificial meat to murder his father, driving Shensheng to suicide.

651 BC

Death

Following Duke Xian’s death, loyalist factions supporting the exiled princes revolted, executing Li Ji alongside her sons Xiqi and Zhuozi.

For detailed historical records, archives, and official chronicles, explore Li Ji on Wikipedia.

Key Relationships

  • Duke Xian of Jin
    • Husband; held absolute authority over the state but was emotionally manipulated by Li Ji, ultimately leading to the destruction of his rightful heirs.
  • Shensheng
    • Stepson (Crown Prince); the primary victim of Li Ji’s treacherous conspiracies.
  • Chong’er (Duke Wen of Jin)
    • Stepson; survived Li Ji’s persecution through years of exile and later rose to become one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period.

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