For those who are very interested in Princess Anle Li Hou’er, the History Encyclopedia editor brings a detailed article for your reference.
Emperor Tang Zhongzong Li Xian had a little daughter whom he doted on very much, and this little daughter was Princess Anle Li Hou’er. Li Hou’er is said to have been intelligent and clever since childhood, and is also known as the “First Beauty of the Tang Dynasty”. She was not only deeply loved by Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, but even her grandmother Wu Zetian doted on her, making her a ‘heavenly beauty’.
But in the year 710 AD, Princess Anle, who was only 26 years old, was killed by Li Longji and even demoted to a commoner. Why did a generation of heavenly beauties end up in such a tragic fate? In fact, his father was the driving force, and the sugar coated bullets given by fate were the introduction, leading her unconsciously into the abyss.
Born at an untimely time, my father dotes on me, causing me to be arrogant, domineering, and tyrannical
In 683 AD, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Li Xian, ascended to the throne. Pei Yan was posthumously ordered to assist in politics, and although Wu Zetian was named Empress Dowager, she made all political decisions. In order to get rid of his puppet identity, Li Xian began to use relatives of his wife Empress Wei in an attempt to establish his own group, and even wanted to appoint Empress Wei’s father, Wei Yuanzhen, as prime minister.
Pei Yan quickly reported to Wu Zetian about Li Xianyu’s appointment of Wei Yuanzhen as prime minister. Upon hearing this, Wu Zetian was furious and deposed Li Xianyu as the Prince of Luling.
Li Xiansu came to know his mother’s temperament. He knew very well that he had fallen from heaven into hell, not only losing his imperial identity, but even his life could be taken away at any time. At the lowest point of his life, Li Hou’er was born.
When Li Hou’er was born, she did not have a “golden spoon” in her mouth. At that time, due to excessive depression, Wei Shi gave birth prematurely on their way to Fangzhou and gave birth to Li Hou’er in a carriage. So the birth of Li Wan’er was a sudden situation, and Li Xian and his wife were unprepared, not even having a blanket to wrap around her young body.
Watching his little daughter turn blue from the cold, Li Xian felt heartbroken. He immediately took off one of his clothes and wrapped his daughter’s body around it. As soon as Li Xian thought about not having the opportunity to enjoy a good day with his youngest daughter and having to live a life of fear and hardship with him every day in the future, his heart was filled with guilt.
Li Xian knew that all he could give his daughter was love, so from the moment Li Hou’er was born, he decided to hold her in his palm and not let her suffer any harm. Moreover, Li Xian obediently followed his daughter’s words and did not let her suffer any hardship. Gradually, Li Hou’er developed a arrogant and domineering personality.
Li Hou’er developed such a personality because Li Xian found the wrong way to compensate his daughter. He felt extremely guilty towards his wife and children for acting recklessly and causing them to fall into a terrible situation. But he had no need to spoil his little daughter out of guilt. As the saying goes, ‘a loving mother often defeats a child.’ Li Xian could use his meticulous care to make his daughter feel what fatherly love is.
Moreover, there is a saying that goes, ‘The most ruthless imperial family.’ In fact, his demotion gave Li Hou’er an opportunity to enjoy family happiness like an ordinary person. But he raised his daughter into a arrogant and domineering person, planting the seeds for her tragic ending.
If Li Xian had never been summoned back to Beijing, no matter how arrogant Li Hou’er was, she would have only been in her own home. His relatives could have tolerated her and were in the safe zone, so it should not have led to a tragedy.
But what should happen always happens. In 699 AD, Wu Zetian summoned Li Xian back to the palace. Li Xian was very happy in his heart. Not only did he not have to worry anymore, but he also had the opportunity to regain his rights. More importantly, he finally had the chance to compensate his wife and daughter. But the loss of a horse is not necessarily a blessing, as good and bad always depend on each other. What would happen if Li Wan’er, who has developed a self-centered personality, were to receive double compensation from Li Xian?
The status is becoming more prestigious, and the pursuit of money and power is becoming increasingly fierce
After Li Xian was crowned crown prince, Li Hou’er was soon crowned princess, and her quality of life greatly improved. Li Hou’er’s heart was suddenly captured by everything that came before her.
At this time, Wei Shi, in order to maintain his relationship with the Wu family, betrothed Li Hou’er to Wu Chongxun, the son of Wu Sansi, who was an important figure under the Wu Zetian regime. With this relationship, Li Hou’er unconsciously developed a longing for intervening in political affairs.
At this moment, Li Wan’er, who possessed multiple levels of prestigious status, had an increasingly arrogant and domineering personality that could affect her. At the same time, the seeds of pursuing money and power were quietly planted in her heart. In the year 699 AD, Li Xian ascended to the throne smoothly. Li Xian thought that he could provide more compensation for his wife and children. Lady Wei was appointed as Empress Wei, and Li Hou’er was appointed as Princess Anle. Li Xian hopes that his daughter can be safe and happy, but how could he have thought that her daughter would be one step closer to the abyss.
Li Hou’er became the most prestigious person in the circle of princes and princesses thanks to Li Xian’s indulgence. She treats her brothers and sisters even more condescendingly, and treats Li Chongjun, the crown prince of concubines, as if he were a slave.
In July 707 AD, Li Zhongjun launched a rebellion due to his inability to tolerate the abuse of Li Hou’er. He first attacked the princess’s mansion and killed Li Hou’er’s father-in-law and husband, while Li Hou’er was still in the palace at that time.
Li Zhongjun and others pursued to the imperial palace, while Li Xian and Li Hou’er fled to Xuanwu Gate. When Li Chongjun attempted to attack Xuanwu Gate, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang promised the rebels that “as long as they lay down their weapons, they would enjoy glory and wealth.” His subordinates defected and killed Li Chongjun. Li Chongjun’s rebellion ended in failure, and Li Hou’er also escaped because he was not in the princess’s mansion at the beginning of the rebellion.
The death of Wu Chongxun did not bring much grief to Princess Anle. On the contrary, she married Wu Yanxiu, the nephew of Wu Zetian, less than a hundred days after Wu Chongxun’s death. At the time of her marriage, Li Xian and Empress Wei not only personally attended the wedding and held a grand banquet in the palace, but also ordered a general amnesty for the world. When Princess Anle gave birth to a son, Li Xian once again granted amnesty to the world, and the celebration was no less than the scene of Princess Anle’s remarriage.
Princess Anle’s arrogance, tyranny, and extravagance not only affected the palace and the civil and military affairs of the Manchu dynasty, but also seriously infringed upon the interests of the people. Because the national treasury takes from the people and should be used for the people, during the reign of Li Xian, the hard-earned money of the people was repeatedly used on Princess Anle. This led to a severe depletion of the national treasury during that period of the Tang Dynasty, and the rulers naturally had to exert pressure on the people. Over time, internal problems were bound to accumulate within the Tang Dynasty.
Excessive arrogance and tyranny lead to retaliation
However, no matter how extravagant and licentious Princess Anle’s behavior was, Li Xian, out of a compensatory mentality, only indulged in it blindly. Little did they know that Princess Anle had already hurt many people. Although ordinary people did not have the ability to fight back, there were always people who could fight back against her. And others have also started to counterattack, but she was lucky enough to escape a disaster.
Is it really a good thing that Princess Anle escaped Li Zhongjun’s retaliation? Actually, it’s not necessarily the case. If Princess Anle had been killed at that time, her father, who loved her very much, would have buried her in glory and even given her some titles. How could she have ended up being deposed and disobedient to the common people?
If Anle’s extravagance and debauchery only stop here, perhaps she can still have a good ending, but she should never, never interfere in political affairs. Striving for power is the most charming and dangerous behavior.
I wanted to emulate my grandmother and become emperor, but failed
Princess Anle had already conceived the idea of participating in political affairs when she married Wu Chongxun, but it was only after Tang Zhongzong ascended the throne that she truly had the opportunity.
She once colluded with Empress Wei to sell official titles and even held blank edicts for Li Xian to stamp, and then wrote the content of the appointment herself. Most of the people who bought official positions from her were nouveau riche, so they often used a lot of treasures to “show filial piety” to her. She tasted the taste of power more and more, so she wanted to ascend to the throne and become emperor like her grandmother, and the first step to becoming an empress dowager.
Princess Anle went to find her father, the emperor, as before, hoping that he would crown her as the empress dowager, but she was rejected by Li Xian. But Li Xian only treated her behavior as a playful act and did not punish or even reprimand her, which led to Princess Anle never giving up her thoughts.
And the death of Tang Zhongzong gave Princess Anle hope of being crowned as the “Empress Dowager”. She and Empress Wei issued a decree appointing Li Chongmao, the 16-year-old son of Tang Zhongzong, as emperor and attempted to kidnap Prince Li Dan and Princess Taiping. Unexpectedly, the news leaked and Princess Taiping joined forces with Li Longji to launch the Tang Long Rebellion.
Li Longji led the Feather Forest Army into the palace through Xuanwu Gate, and Empress Wei was the first to be killed. At that time, Princess Anle and Wu Yanxiu were still putting on makeup in front of the dressing table in the deep palace, unaware that something had happened outside. As soon as Princess Anle finished drawing her eyebrows, she heard the sound of the Feather Forest Army killing from outside. The two of them led their attendants to resist the rebels and fought for a long time before being killed by them.
The tragic fate of a generation of ‘heavenly beauties’ ultimately stems from Princess Anle’s failure to recognize her identity and control the degree of her arrogance, leading her to plunge into an extremely dangerous vortex of power.
Princess Anle had no understanding of the dangers of power struggles, and as a spoiled child, how could she compare to her grandmother Wu Zetian? In the end, she sank deeper and deeper into the quagmire of power until her tragic death.
People often say that it was her arrogance and tyranny that led to her tragic fate, but her father’s extreme indulgence was not her subjective choice. And fate never gave up casting sugar coated bullets at her, and she also unconsciously walked step by step towards the abyss?
