Background
Zhao E was born in Gansu province, but there is no information about the date of her birth. She was the daughter of Zhao An. She also had three younger brothers.
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E Zhao
Edit Profile趙娥
also known as
Pang E
Career
In 179 AD Zhao E's father, Zhao An, was killed by his fellow countryman Li Shou. Other members of the Zhao household took ill and died. She and her three younger brothers plotted to avenge him only for the latter three to die from the plague before they could take action, days later her husband also died. Overjoyed at the news of their deaths, Li Shou invited his clansmen to a celebration where he said that all the strong ones of the Zhao clan are dead and only a weak daughter remains. Zhao E was enraged when she heard from her son what Li Shou had said and vowed to take his life. She secretly bought a famous sword and sharpened it day and night. A neighbour of Zhao E, a Madame Xu, tried to dissuade her from her mission. However, Zhao E didn't change her mind. She became obsessed with Li Shou, abandoning all else to stalk him from a small cart in which she rode. One day in 179, she finally confronted him at the metropolitan post-house in Jiuquan. Descending from her cart, she grabbed the bridle of his horse and began to abuse him.
When Li Shou tried to yank his horse away, Zhao E lashed out with her sword, wounding both him and the horse. Li Shou was thrown from his horse and landed in the gutter. She then fought with Li Shou's soldiers and killed him, then cut off his head. With the head, she went to the county office and asked to be executed. Magistrate Yin Jia resigned his position rather than punish her and when Zhao E persisted the commandery office had her escorted home. An amnesty was issued thus she was able to escape punishment honorably. Several people, including Zhou Hong, the regional inspector of Liangzhou, and Liu Ban, the governor of Jiuquan, memorialized the emperor about Zhao E’s integrity, and her story was inscribed on a stone stele so that her family might be glorified.
Achievements
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Zhao E was known in Chinese history as a woman who murdered her family's killer. Zhao E’s act of revenge was recorded in official histories and spread far and wide by word of mouth, while men of letters of later ages immortalized her in biographies and poetry. The Tang poet Li Bai also praised Zhao E’s chivalrous deed in a poem also titled QinnU xiu xing.
Connections
Zhao E was married to a member of the Pang family, but there is no information about her husband. She had a son named Pang Yu.
References
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Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E. - 618 C.E
This new volume of the "Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women" spans more than 2,000 years from antiquity to the early seventh century. It recovers the stories of more than 200 women, nearly all of them unknown in the West.
1998
