Chinese and Korean Imperial Harem Scandals (1/?)
Consort Qi, Mutilation and “Human Pig”- Reign of Emperor Gaozu
Who was Consort Qi?
Consort Qi, often known as Lady Li was born in Dingtao, Shendong. Consort Qi originally a commoner who meet Liu Bang (Gaozu Emperor), then King of Han, during his campaign against Xiang Yu at the end of the Qin Dynasty (around 206 BCE). She entered his household as a favored concubine and bore him a son, Liu Ruyi, who would become Prince of Zhao
Her Rise to Favor
After Liu Bang became the Gaozu Emperor in 202 BCE, Lady Qi quickly rose to become his most beloved consort, surpassing even his lawful wife, Empress Lü Zhi. Her son, Liu Ruyi, was doted on by the emperor. The Gaozu Emperor openly declared his desire to make Liu Ruyi the Crown Prince, replacing Lü Zhi’s son, Liu Ying (the future Hui Emperor)
The Succession Crisis
This created one of the first major succession and harem conflicts in Chinese imperial history — known as the Qi-Lü Conflict. Empress Lü, though outwardly calm, was politically ruthless. She has deep support of the Lü clan and high-ranking officials. The emperor’s favoritism toward Lady Qi alarmed the court, who feared the replacing the Crown Prince (Lü Zhi’s son) would destabilize the dynasty The Shiji records the “The Emperor wished to despise the Crown Prince and make Prince Ruyi his heir but all this ministers opposed it, saying that the Lü family’s power was great and such a move would bring disater.” Lady Qi’s pleas and influence could not overcome the political balance. When the Gaozu Emperor fell ill in 195 BCE, Lü Zhi gradually regained control over court matters.
Downfall and Death (Multilation and “Human Pig”)
After the Gaozu Emperors death in 195 BCE, Empress Lü Zhi seized full power as Empress Dowager and acted swiftly against her rival. The Shiji account is chilling: She imprisoned Lady Qi and her son Liu Ruyi. She ordered the young prince to be poisoned. Lady Qi suffered one of the most horrific recorded punishments in Chinese history: she was mutilated and turned into what the Empress Dowager called a “Human Swine” — her limbs were cut off, eyes gouged out, ears destroyed, tongue removed, and she confined to a pigsty. Empress Lü then made her son, the new Hui Emperor, look upon Lady Qi’s mutilated body as punishment and wearing to her challenge his mother authority. The young Hui Emperor was reportedly so traumatized he withdrew from governance, declaring: “This is something no son should even witness. How can a mother do such a thing?”. He fell into depression and died young, allowing the Lü clan to dominate until the Lü ClanPirge (180 BCE).