Princess Huai Ying was the wife of Duke Huai of Jin. During the year of 638 B.C.E., Princess Huai Ying was forced to choose between her father and her husband.[1] In the end, Princess Huai Ying handled the tough predicament wisely.[2] Her decision earned her praise from ancient chroniclers for being unbiased.[3] Princess Huai Ying was also known for being a capable diplomat.[4] She managed to maintain peace between her natal State of Qin and Jin (which was the state where she was briefly a duchess).[5]
In circa 650 B.C.E., Princess Huai Ying was born.[6] She lived during the Spring and Autumn period, which lasted from 771 to 453 B.C.E.[7] During this period, Chinese states were declaring their own independence from the ruling Zhou Dynasty to form their own dynasties.[8] Her name is unknown.[9] She was a Princess of the State of Qin.[10] Ying was the surname of the royal family of the State of Qin.[11] Huai was the posthumous name of her husband.[12] Therefore, her name means “lady of the Ying clan, [consort of Duke] Huai.” [13] Her father was Duke Mu of Qin.[14]
The State of Qin was rivals with the State of Jin (which is in present-day Shanxi and Hebei Provinces). In 643 B.C.E., the State of Qin had taken Crown Prince Yu of Jin (the future Duke Huai of Jin) as a hostage. Duke Mu of Qin arranged for Princess Huai Ying to marry Crown Prince Yu of Jin to ensure that he would not escape the State of Qin.
In 638 B.C.E., Crown Prince Yu of Jin prepared for his escape back to the State of Jin.[15] He asked Princess Huai Ying if she could flee with him.[16] Princess Huai Ying then had to make a difficult choice between her father and her husband.[17] She decided to let him escape back to the State of Jin and not tell her father about Crown Prince Yu’s plans.[18] However, she would not flee with her husband to the State of Jin.[19]
In 637 B.C.E., Crown Prince Yu ascended to the State of Jin’s throne as Duke Huai.[20] This made Princess Huai Ying the Duchess of Jin.[21] However, she was still left behind in the State of Qin.[22] Duke Huai of Jin’s reign was brief.[23] In that same year, he was murdered by his uncle, Prince Chong’er of Jin.[24]
In 636 B.C.E., Prince Chong’er ascended to the State of Jin’s throne as Duke Wen.[25] During that same year, Duke Wen of Jin sent for Princess Huai Ying to live in the State of Jin.[26] This was because Princess Huai Ying would advise him on diplomatic affairs between the States of Qin and Jin.[27] Thus, Princess Huai Ying helped establish a strong relationship between the States of Qin and Jin.[28] Princess Huai Ying died in 620 B.C.E.[29]
Princess Huai Ying married Crown Prince Yu of Jin to prevent him from escaping to the State of Jin.[30] She was forced into a difficult decision to choose between her father and husband.[31] In the end, she chose to be neutral.[32] She would remain loyal to her father by not escaping with her husband to the State of Jin.[33] She was also loyal to her husband by not divulging to her father his escape plans.[34] She was also a skilled diplomat and made peaceful negotiations between the States of Qin and Jin.[35] Ancient chroniclers have portrayed her “for being impartial” [36] and for “controlling her heart very evenly.” [37] In Biographies of Eminent Women, her biography is categorised under “Biographies of the Chaste and Righteous.” [38]
Sources:
Cook, C. A., Hendrischke, B. (2015). “Ying, Wife of Duke Huai of Jin”. Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E. – 618 C.E. (L. X. H. Lee, Ed.; A. D. Stefanowska, Ed.; S. Wiles, Ed.). NY: Routledge. pp. 88-89.
Eno, R. (2010). 1.7. Spring and Autumn China (771-453). Indiana University, PDF.
Liu, X., Kinney, A. B. (2014). Exemplary Women of Early China: The Lienü Zhuan of Liu Xiang. United Kingdom: Columbia University Press.
O’Hara, A. R. (1978). “The Biographies of Chinese Women.” The Position of Woman in Early China: According to the Hieh Nü Chuan. Taiwan: Mei Ya Publications. pp. 127-153.
[1] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[2] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[3] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[4] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[5] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[6] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[7] Eno, 2010
[8] Eno, 2010
[9] Liu & Kinney, 2014
[10] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[11] Liu & Kinney, 2014
[12] Liu & Kinney, 2014
[13] Liu & Kinney, 2014, p. 242
[14] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[15] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[16] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[17] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[18] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[19] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[20] Liu & Kinney, 2014
[21] Liu & Kinney, 2014
[22] Liu & Kinney, 2014
[23] Liu & Kinney, 2014
[24] Liu & Kinney, 2014
[25] Liu & Kinney, 2014
[26] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[27] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[28] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[29] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[30] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[31] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[32] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[33] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[34] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[35] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015
[36] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015, p. 89
[37] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015, p. 89; O’Hara, 1978, p. 131
[38] Cook & Hendrischke, 2015, p. 89
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