1. Overview
Princess Qianjin, later known as Princess Dayi, was a prominent figure in 6th-century China and the Turkic Khaganate, embodying the complex political interplay between these powers. Born as `千金公主Qianjin GongzhuChinese`, a princess of the Northern Zhou dynasty, her life was marked by significant geopolitical shifts and personal tragedy. She served as the `Khatun` (queen consort) to three successive Turkic `Qaghans`: `Taspar Qaghan`, `Ishbara Qaghan`, and `Tulan Qaghan`. Her initial role involved advocating for her fallen Northern Zhou homeland against the rising Sui dynasty. Later, under the name `大義公主Dayi GongzhuChinese`, she became a strategic ally and diplomatic advisor to the Sui court, even adopting the imperial Yang surname. Despite her adaptability and influence, she became a victim of the intricate political machinations between the Sui and the Turks, ultimately meeting a tragic end. Her life reflects the profound human impact of turbulent imperial transitions and the struggles of individuals caught between warring states.
2. Early Life and Background
Princess Qianjin was born to `Yuwen Zhao`, the Prince of Zhao, making her an imperial princess of the Northern Zhou dynasty. She was also a `cousin` to Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou. Her early life unfolded within the Northern Zhou imperial court, a period of political instability preceding the dynasty's collapse.
3. Marriages and Political Activities
Princess Qianjin's life was intricately woven into the diplomatic and military relations between the Chinese dynasties and the Turkic Khaganate, primarily through her successive marriages to three powerful Turkic `Qaghan`s. Her role evolved from a representative of the Northern Zhou to a key figure in the Sui dynasty's attempts to assert influence over the Turks.
3.1. Marriage to Taspar Qaghan
In 579, as part of a diplomatic alliance, Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou sent Princess Qianjin to marry `Taspar Qaghan`, the ruler of the `Turkic Khaganate`. This exchange included the return of a `Northern Qi` prince who had sought refuge among the Turks. The marriage followed traditional nomadic customs. However, later that same year, the Northern Zhou dynasty was overthrown by the newly established `Sui dynasty`. This abrupt political change had devastating personal consequences for Princess Qianjin; her father, three brothers, and two uncles were executed during the Sui's consolidation of power. Deeply grieving the slaughter of her family and the fall of her homeland, Princess Qianjin attempted to persuade Taspar Qaghan to launch an attack against the burgeoning Sui dynasty, seeking revenge for her family and her former state.
3.2. Marriage to Ishbara Qaghan and Alliance with Sui
After Taspar Qaghan's death, Princess Qianjin married his successor, `Ishbara Qaghan`. She continued her efforts to instigate conflict between the Turks and the Sui dynasty, successfully persuading Ishbara Qaghan to attack the Sui in 582. The Turks allied with `Yingzhou` officer `Gao Baoning` in these assaults, prompting the Sui emperor to fortify sections of the Great Wall of China.
Recognizing the strategic importance of an alliance with the Turks, the `Emperor Wen of Sui` sought to establish diplomatic ties with Ishbara Qaghan. Ishbara Qaghan appointed an `ambassador` to the Sui court. This move, however, angered other Turkic leaders, including `Apa Qaghan` and `Da Luobian`, who joined forces against Ishbara. In response to these internal Turkic conflicts, Princess Qianjin wrote to Emperor Wen of Sui, expressing her submission as an initial gesture of outreach. Through their subsequent correspondence, Ishbara Qaghan proposed a unique alliance: Emperor Wen would be considered Princess Qianjin's father, thus making Emperor Wen his father-in-law and formally allying the Turks and Sui. Emperor Wen accepted these terms, dispatching an `envoy` to visit his newly adopted "daughter." As a symbolic gesture of this new allegiance, Emperor Wen renamed Princess Qianjin to `Princess Dayi` and bestowed upon her the Sui imperial family surname, `Yang`. Princess Dayi subsequently provided the Sui court with valuable diplomatic advice, cautioning them against demanding ritualistic indications of Ishbara's subservience as a son-in-law, thereby helping to maintain the delicate balance of the alliance.
3.3. Marriage to Tulan Qaghan and Deepening Conflict
Following Ishbara Qaghan's death in 587, his brother `Chuluohou` briefly succeeded him. After Chuluohou's death the following year, Princess Dayi married her third husband, `Tulan Qaghan`, who was Ishbara Qaghan's son and the new ruler.
By 593, political tensions escalated when a Chinese turncoat fled to the Turks, falsely claiming that the `Yuwen family`, the former rulers of the Northern Zhou dynasty, were plotting to attack the Sui. While these rumors were baseless, they significantly strained relations and likely harmed Princess Dayi's standing, given her connection to the Northern Zhou.
4. Poetic Expression and Sorrow
In 589, `Emperor Wen of Sui` sent Princess Dayi a room panel that had belonged to the recently conquered `Chen dynasty`. This gift, intended perhaps as a display of Sui power, deeply disheartened Princess Dayi. She viewed the fallen Chen dynasty as a reflection of her own lost homeland, the Northern Zhou. In response, she composed a poignant piece known as the `叙亡詩Xù Wáng ShīChinese` or 'Poem of Lamentation for the Lost State', which expressed her profound sorrow over the demise of her ancestral dynasty and the tragic fate of her family. When Emperor Wen learned of this poem, he was displeased, interpreting it as a sign of lingering loyalty to the former Northern Zhou or even a potential threat. Her perceived resentment, coupled with suspicions that she was re-establishing contact with the `Western Turks`, fueled Emperor Wen's fear of a potential attack on the Sui, further escalating his distrust towards her.
5. Death and Its Circumstances
Princess Dayi's life ended tragically due to intense political machinations. In 593, `Yami Qaghan` (also known as `Qimin Qaghan`), another Turkic leader, contacted the Sui court seeking a marriage alliance after the death of his first wife. Emperor Wen of Sui, seizing this opportunity to neutralize a perceived threat, made a chilling demand: the marriage alliance would only proceed if Princess Dayi was killed. `Qimin Qaghan` subsequently urged `Tulan Qaghan` to comply with the Sui emperor's demand.
Ultimately, Tulan Qaghan, incensed by political pressure and perhaps other factors, brutally killed Princess Dayi in her tent. The precise reasons behind Tulan's decision remain subject to historical debate. Some sources suggest it was due to Princess Dayi gossiping about Tulan, while others claim Tulan himself was swayed by slanderous accusations against her. Another theory alleges that she had committed `adultery`. Regardless of the immediate trigger, her death, occurring before 597, was a direct consequence of Emperor Wen's ruthless political strategy to ensure the loyalty of the Turkic Khaganate. Despite Tulan Qaghan's compliance, his subsequent request for a Sui wife was denied, highlighting the ruthless and manipulative nature of Sui diplomacy.
6. Legacy and Historical Assessment
Princess Qianjin, later Princess Dayi, holds a significant place in the historical narrative of `Sino-Turkic relations` during the late 6th century. Her life, marked by successive marriages into the Turkic royalty, exemplifies the strategic use of `marriage alliances` in inter-state diplomacy. Initially, she acted as a strong advocate for her fallen Northern Zhou dynasty, embodying resistance against the newly established Sui. Her efforts to incite Turkic attacks on the Sui, while unsuccessful in their ultimate aim, demonstrated her agency and loyalty to her original lineage amidst profound personal loss.
Her transformation into Princess Dayi and her role as a diplomatic advisor to the Sui court highlight her remarkable adaptability and political acumen. Despite her influential position, she ultimately became a tragic figure, a pawn in the high-stakes geopolitical game between the powerful Sui dynasty and the rival Turkic factions. Her death, orchestrated by Emperor Wen of Sui as a condition for alliance, underscores the brutal realities of power politics and the vulnerability of individuals, even those of royal birth, in the face of ruthless imperial ambition. Princess Dayin's 'Poem of Lamentation for the Lost State' stands as a poignant testament to her enduring sorrow and the human cost of dynastic change and conflict, leaving a legacy that reflects both her personal resilience and the broader geopolitical struggles of her era.