Li Shishi (?-?) was a

courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other ...

() from Bianjing (now

Kaifeng Kaifeng () is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, China. It is one of the Eight Ancient Capitals of China, having been the capital eight times in history, and is best known for having been the Chinese capital during the No ...

), the capital of the

Song Empire The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...

. At the time, jiaoji refers to women who engaged in performing arts for a living, and their scope of work included: singing, dancing, reciting poetry and painting during the

Northern Song dynasty Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ...

(960 - 1127). According to '' Gui Er Ji'' () written by Zhang Duanyi (), Emperor Huizong was a regular patron of hers. She fled to

Zhejiang Zhejiang ( or , ; , Chinese postal romanization, also romanized as Chekiang) is an East China, eastern, coastal Provinces of China, province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable citie ...

Hunan Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi ...

(recorded in Da Song Xuanhe Yishi, ) after the Jingkang Incident of the

Jin–Song wars The Jin–Song Wars were a series of conflicts between the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty (1115–1234) and the Han-led Song dynasty (960–1279). In 1115, Jurchen tribes rebelled against their overlords, the Khitan-led Liao dynasty (916–1125), ...

occurred in year 1127 AD, as recorded in ''

Mo Man Lu Mo or MO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Mo, a girl in the ''Horrible Histories'' TV series * Mo, also known as Mortimer, in the novel '' Inkheart'' by Cornelia Funke * Mo, in the webcomic ''Jesus and Mo'' * Mo, the ...

'' () by

Zhang Bangji Zhang may refer to: Chinese culture, etc. * Zhang (surname) (張/张), common Chinese surname ** Zhang (surname 章), a rarer Chinese surname * Zhang County (漳县), of Dingxi, Gansu * Zhang River (漳河), a river flowing mainly in Henan * ''Z ...

().

Early life

Born Wang Shishi, her mother died soon after her birth. Her father fed her bean starch to keep her alive. Her father, Wang Yin, was worker in a clothing pigment factory in Bianjing. When Li was four, her father was jailed for delaying an Imperial textile order. He later died in prison. Li went at first to an orphanage but was later taken in by a

procuress Procuring or pandering is the facilitation or provision of a prostitute or other sex worker in the arrangement of a sex act with a customer. A procurer, colloquially called a pimp (if male) or a madam (if female, though the term pimp has still ...

named Li Yun, who owned a brothel. Li Yun changed the girl's surname to Li. (Her given name, Shishi, has

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

connotations. Li was taken to the entertainment district Jinqian Xiang and put to work as a young prostitute.

Courtesan

Li was renown for her beauty and artistic abilities. Amongst her admirers were the renowned poet and bureaucrat

Zhou Bangyan Zhou Bangyan (; 1056–1121) was a Chinese bureaucrat, literatus and ''ci'' poet of the Northern Song Dynasty. He was from Qiantang (in modern Hangzhou). His courtesy name was Meicheng (), and his art name was Qingzhen Jushi (). He left a two ...

and the outlaw

Song Jiang A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetition ...

. Her frame spread to the Emperor, Huizong, who visited her in disguised as a business man in 1109. Her charm and elegance led him to visit her whenever he could after the meeting. Their relationship became on open secret in Bianjing. Some sources relate that Li Shishi moved into the Emperor's palace and was given the title Lady of Ying State. Other sources say Huizong had a tunnel dug from the palace to Li Shishi's house. Part of the story is told in the classic novel, the ''Water Margin''. In 1126 Huizong took responsibility for overwhelming losses during the Jin–Song Wars and abdicated in favour of his eldest son Zhao Huan ( Emperor Qinzong). Realising she was in a precarious position, Li Shishi donated all the gifts from Huizong to the army who were putting up a valiant defence, and requested the Emperor's permission to become a Daoist nun. In 1127 Bianjing was overrun by the Jin army. Huizong and his court was captured and Huizong later died, ending the Northern Song dynasty. Li is reported to have fled south, although other accounts give that she committed suicide by swallowing a gold hairpin after she was offered to Jin commander.

In fiction

In the classical novel ''

Water Margin ''Water Margin'' (''Shuihu zhuan'') is one of the earliest Chinese novels written in vernacular Mandarin, and is attributed to Shi Nai'an. It is also translated as ''Outlaws of the Marsh'' and ''All Men Are Brothers''. The story, which is ...

'', Li Shishi encounters the outlaws from

Liangshan Marsh Mount Liang (, often referred to in Chinese as ) is a mountain in Liangshan County, Shandong, China which rises to 197.9 metres above sea level. It is well known as the stronghold of the 108 Heroes in the classic Chinese novel ''Water Margin ...

on two occasions; on the second, more important encounter, she befriends

Yan Qing Yan Qing is a fictional character in ''Water Margin'', one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "''Langzi''" (浪子; meaning "the Wanderer" or "the Prodigal"), he ranks last among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the fi ...

and agrees to become her sworn sister. She then promises Yan Qing that she will tell the emperor about the outlaws' plight and desire to be granted amnesty. ''

'', Chapter 72.

Poems about Li Shishi

Song dynasty poet

Chao Chongzhi Chao Chongzhi () was a Song Chinese poet. His cousins Chao Buzhi, Chao Shuozhi, Chao Yongzhi were all famous litterateur at that time. Chao had studied with Chen Shidao in the year one. He was a close friend of Lü Benzhong. His son Chao Gongwu w ...

described Li Shishi's dancing and singing talents as follows:

''Watch her dance to "Nichang Yuyi Qu", "Nichang Yuyi Qu" (霓裳羽衣曲; literally: "Song of Colourful Plumage") was a musical piece presented by Yang Jingzhong (楊敬忠), ''
jiedushi The ''jiedushi'' (), or jiedu, was a title for regional military governors in China which was established in the Tang dynasty and abolished in the Yuan dynasty. The post of ''jiedushi'' has been translated as "military commissioner", " legate" ...
'' of Hexi (河西), during the Tianbao era (713-741) of the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the
Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...
. listen to her recite / sing "Yushu Houting Hua".'' "Yushu Houting Hua" (玉樹後庭花; literally: "Jade Trees and Courtyard Flowers") was a poem written by the Chen dynasty's last ruler
Chen Shubao Chen Shubao (, 10 December 553 – 16 December 604), also known as Houzhu of Chen (), posthumous name Duke Yáng of Chángchéng (), courtesy name Yuánxiù (元秀), childhood name Huángnú (黃奴), was the fifth and last emperor of the Chines ...
(553-604). It was of the ''gongti'' (; literally: "palace style") genre of
Chinese poetry Chinese poetry is poetry written, spoken, or chanted in the Chinese language. While this last term comprises Classical Chinese, Standard Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Yue Chinese, and other historical and vernacular forms of the language, its poetry ...
. (看舞霓裳羽衣曲，聽歌玉樹後庭花)

Southern Song era poet Zhu Dunru (朱敦儒; 1081–1159) wrote:

''Performing an interpretation of "Yangguan." "Yangguan" refers to the "Yangguan Qu" (陽關曲; literally: "Song of
Yangguan Yangguan, or Yangguan Pass (), is a mountain pass that was fortified by Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty around 120 BC and used as an outpost in the colonial dominions adjacent to ancient China. It is located approximately southwest of Du ...
"), which is also known as "Yangguan San Die" (陽關三疊; literally: "Three Overlaps of
Yangguan Yangguan, or Yangguan Pass (), is a mountain pass that was fortified by Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty around 120 BC and used as an outpost in the colonial dominions adjacent to ancient China. It is located approximately southwest of Du ...
"). It is an ancient Chinese musical piece based on a poem by
Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...
poet Wang Wei (699-759). In another tone and style, in the previous dynasty. The "previous dynasty" refers to the Northern Song dynasty. only Madam Li (Li Shishi) was capable of doing that.'' (解唱《陽關》別調聲，前朝惟有李夫人)

References

Bibliography

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