Yuan Qigui, also known as Empress Yuan, was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song.
Background
Yuan Qigui was born in 405. She was a daughter of Yuan Zhan. Her grandfather had served the Eastern Jin dynasty as prefect of Liyang and her father had served the same dynasty as a grand master for splendid happiness of the left. However, despite the prominence of her family, Yuan Qigui had grown up in poverty, as her mother had been only a maid in the Yuan household.
Career
Yuan Qigui married Liu Yilong when he was still the Prince of Yidu. She was given the title Consort of a Prince and became empress when Liu Yilong was installed as emperor after court officials removed his older brother Liu Yifu (Emperor Shao; r. 422-424) from the throne. Their son Liu Shao was named heir apparent at the age of six.
Emperor Wen initially favored Empress Yuan greatly. Because the Yuan clan was a poor one, she often requested him to give her money so that she could give them to her clan. Emperor Wen, known as a thrifty man, refused to give her much. Yet, at the same time, he was quick to lavish money on another of his palace women, Lady Pan (d. 453), who was then his favorite: when she asked for thirty million cash for her family, he granted her request in full after reflecting on it for only a day. This enraged Empress Yuan, who feigned illness and refused to see Emperor Wen.
In 440, she became seriously ill. Emperor Wen went in to see her and, crying, held her hands to ask what request she had. She looked at him for a long time and then, without saying anything, covered her face with a blanket and refused to look at him again. She soon died. Emperor Wen is said to have been so grieved at her death that he ordered the famous scholar and literary man Yan Yanzhi to write a eulogy for her.
Achievements
Connections
Yuan Qigui was the wife of Emperor Wen. She bore him two children.