Song, Liao, and Jin · Yelü Clanswoman, Writer, and Exemplary Woman

Changge 常哥

Attested AD 1065 - AD 1077

Passages: 5
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Changge was a Yelü Clanswoman, Writer, and Exemplary Woman.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Alternate name	Woman of the Yelü clan	耶律氏	Yelü shi

Life and dates

Death

At at home 於家 · Age Value: 70
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 46

Age

70
Reckoning Stated
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 46

Attested activity

AD 1077 大康三年
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 107, passages 41-42
AD 1065 to AD 1074 咸雍間
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 107, passage 24

Family

Sibling of Shilu (適魯)
younger sister 妹 · Full siblings
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passages 19, 42

Career and standing

Maintained
Unmarried by vow
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 21

Places and affiliations

Polity Id liao · Relation Lived under
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passages 19, 24
AD 1077 大康三年
At Zhen Prefecture 鎮州 · Relation Accompanied exile to
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 42

Learning and skills

Skill poetry and prose 詩文 · Level accomplished
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 22

Works and attributed material

essay on current affairs 述時政之文
AD 1065 to AD 1074 咸雍間 · Relation Author
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 24
Essay · Author · Direct quotation
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passages 25-37
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 44

Events and relationships

Grieved when heir apparent was killed
AD 1077 大康三年 · Personal · Mourner
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 45
Plain clothes and simple food during brother's exile
Personal · Ascetic
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 42
Sent palindrome verse to Yelü Yixin
Literary · Author
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 39
Relation Satirized · Person Yelü Yixin (耶律乙辛)
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passages 39-40

Assessments and attributes

Assessment worthy woman: kept herself pure, unmarried, yet loyal to her sovereign · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 96
vowed never to marry
Vow
Directly stated · History of Liao 107, passage 21

References in the histories

History of Liao, Chapter 107Volume 107 Biographies 37: Exemplary Women · 5 passages

○邢簡妻陳氏耶律氏常哥耶律奴妻蕭氏耶律朮者妻蕭氏耶律中妻蕭氏 ○ Lady Chen, wife of Xing Jian; the Yelü clanswoman Changge; Lady Xiao, wife of Yelü Nu; Lady Xiao, wife of Yelü Shuzhe; Lady Xiao, wife of Yelü Zhong

耶律氏，太師適魯之妹，小字常哥。 A woman of the Yelü clan, sister of Grand Preceptor Shilu, was known by the childhood name Changge.

時樞密使耶律乙辛愛其才，屢求詩，常哥遺以回文。 At the time Commissioner of Military Affairs Yelü Yixin admired her talent and repeatedly asked her for poems; Changge sent him a palindrome verse in reply.

會兄適魯謫鎮州，常哥與俱，常布衣疏食。 When her elder brother Shilu was banished to Zhen Prefecture, Changge went with him and lived always in plain clothes on simple fare.

論曰：陳氏以經教二子，並為賢相，耶律氏自潔不嫁，居閨閫之內而不忘忠其君，非賢而能之乎！ The commentators say: Lady Chen taught her two sons through the classics, and both became worthy chancellors; the Yelü clanswoman kept herself pure and would not marry, yet within the inner quarters she did not forget loyalty to her sovereign—could anyone but a worthy woman do such things?