The Records of the Grand Historian is the first general historical text written in the biographical style in the history of China. It is a great historical book and a prominent literary work and is one of the jewels of Chinese literary culture.
((Zhaojun Departs for the Frontier
Wang Zhaojun was born into a prominent family in what is now Xingshan County in Hubei Province during the reign of Emperor Yuan (48 BC-33 BC) of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-25 AD) . Zhaojun was a very beautiful girl, and when she was old enough, she was selected to enter the harem of Emperor Yuan.
These girls who enteredtheemperor’sharem were like birds shut in a cage, as they lost all freedom. Living a lonely and monotonous life in the harem, these beautiful and lovely girls idled away their youth. It was more difficult for them to meet the emperor than to ascend to heaven, because when he chose a new wife, the Emperor was first presented with portraits of all the beautiful women in the land. Only those who caught his eyes could be selected to wait on him.
In order to gain the emperor’s favor, many ladies-in-waiting bribed the imperial painter Huang Yanshou in order that he would flatter them in his painting.
Wang Zhaojun, who was very honest and straightforward, was not willing to pay a bribe, so Mao Yanshou did not paint her as beautiful as she really was. Though she had been in the harem for many years, she never seen the emperor.
In 33 BC, Huhanye visited Chang’an on a tribute trip, and he paid a formal visit to Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty. He took the opportunity to ask that he be allowed to become an imperial son-in-law.
In the past, the Han court often selected a princess or a daughter born to the imperial family and married her to a Shanyu. This time, Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty decided to choose one of his concubines from the imperial harem for Shanyu. He gave orders, saying, “Whoever is willing to go to the Hun will be regarded as a princess by the Emperor. ”
Instead of honouring the Chanyu with a princess, Huhanye was presented with five women from the imperial harem, one of them who was Wang Zhaojun.
Almost all the ladies -in-waiting wished to leave the palace. However no one responded because nobody wanted to go to the distant and desolate Hun area.
Wang Zhaojun stood up and volunteered to join the Shanyu, which greatly pleased the minister who was sent to handle the affair.
Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty bade the minister to choose a propitious day on which Huhanye Shanyu and Wang Zhaojun could get married in Chang’an.
When Huhanye Shanyu and Wang Zhaojun went to thank the emperor for his kindness before departing, the emperor saw the stunningly beautiful and elegant Wang Zhaojun for the first time. Her beauty amazed the Emperor and made him reconsider his decision to send her to the Hun. But he had to keep his word, so he gave her up regretfully.
After seeing them off, Emperor Yuan felt very angry. He was especially enraged at the Painter Mao Yanshou, thinking that it was his fault because he had failed to paint Wang Zhaojun in all her glory. Then the Emperor had Mao executed.
Wang Zhaojun, along with Huhanye Shanyu, departed Chang’an. Braving the cold wind, she rode a horse, and made light of travelling a thousand km to the Hun. Wang was honoured as Ninghu Yanzhi. When Huhanye died, Wang Zhaojun requested to be allowed to return to China. Emperor Cheng, however, ordered that she follow the Hun custom and become the wife of the next Shanyu, her stepson, born by her husband’s first wife.
Wang Zhaojun spread the culture of the Han Dynasty to the Hun and gained the love and esteem of the Hun people. Once she persuaded Huhanye Shanyu not to declare war against China. After that, peace was maintained for over 60 years between China and the Hun.
