Xiao Yi Lu

Background

There is no exact information about the date and the place of her birth.

Career

Xiao Yi was appointed as a nurse for the youngest son of Duke Wu whose name was Cheng. She also had a son.

After the death of Duke Wu, his oldest son became ruler of Lu but was murdered by his own son Boyu. When Xiao Yi heard that Boyu was planning to kill Cheng she dressed her own son in Cheng’s clothes and left him to be killed by the usurper. Meanwhile, Xiao Yi escaped with Cheng, saving his life.

Achievements

• Xiao Yi was known as one of the most outstanding characters of Chinese history and folklore.
  
  In Chinese folklore, the tale about Xiao Yi celebrates the self-sacrifice of the common people for the sake of the state.

Personality

Xiao Yi was famous for her trustworthiness in protecting the legitimate heir.

Connections

Xiao Yi was a widow of the Zang clan and had a son. She sacrificed her own son's life in order to save the life of Prince Cheng.

References

• The Position of Woman in Early China According to the Lieh Nu Chuan, The Biographies of Chinese Women.
  1971
• 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