Chen Yuanyuan(1624–1681)was acourtesanwho lived during the lateMingand earlyQingdynasties. She was the concubine ofWu Sangui, the Ming dynasty general who surrenderedShanhai Passto theManchuQing dynasty, and later rebelled in theRevolt of the Three Feudatories. Chen's life and relationship to Wu later became the subject of a number of popular stories and legends, many of them focusing on her supposed role in Wu's fateful decision to defect to the Qing, thereby sealing the fate of the Ming dynasty.
Chen Yuanyuan was born to a peasant family inJiangsuprovince, and on the death of her father, she became a courtesan. Chen became a leading figure in theSuzhouopera scene.In 1642, she became the concubine of the scholar and poet Mao Xiang. Subsequently, Chen was bought by the family of Tian Hongyu, father of one of theChongzhen Emperor's concubines. She was then either purchased for Wu Sangui by his father,or given to Wu as a gift by Tian.
In that time when theemperorabandoned the human world,
Wu crushed the enemy and captured thecapital, bearing down from Jade Pass.
The six armies, wailing and grieving, were uniformly clad in the white of mourning,
One wave of headgear-lifting anger propelled him, all for the sake of the fair-faced one.
The fair-faced one, drifting, and fallen, was not what I longed for.
The offending bandits, smote by heaven, wallowed in wanton pleasures.
Lightning swept theYellow Turbans, the Black Mountain troops were quelled.
Having wailed for ruler and kin, I met her again.
— Wu Weiye, excerpt fromSong of Yuanyuan
Yuanyuan in China means circle, also means a happy end, just like our circle floating seals, can bring others happniess.
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