Lady Xiang

Lady Xiang was the Chinese-born wife of Niri Khan of the western Göktürks and the mother of Heshana Khan.^[1] The histories name her because the Sui used her twice, in 608 and in 611, to bring her son to submission.^[2]

At the Sui court

The Sui Shu calls her Chinese by origin.^[3] She bore Niri his son Daman, the later Heshana.^[1] After Niri’s death she married his younger brother Poshi Tegin.^[4] The marriage followed the Göktürk custom of the levirate. At the end of the Kaihuang era Poshi and Lady Xiang came to the Sui court.^[5] That era ended in 600.^[6] The troubles of Tardush kept them from going back. They stayed at the capital, lodged in the Honglu office for foreign guests.^[1] The Zizhi tongjian tells the same as background to the year 605.^[7]

The embassy of 608

In 608 the Sui official Pei Ju learned that her son Heshana longed for his mother. Heshana was then khan of the western Göktürks under the name Chuluo.^[2] The emperor sent Cui Junsu to him with an edict. The Zizhi tongjian dates his departure to the second month of that year.^[2] Cui Junsu told the khan that his mother, hearing of the edict, had waited at the palace gate day and night in tears.^[2] She had begged pardon on her knees and asked that an envoy be sent to call her son into submission.^[3] If the khan refused, Cui Junsu said, she would stand as a woman who had deceived the Son of Heaven. She would be put to death, and her head would be sent to the khan’s court.^[2] The khan rose and wept. He bowed twice and received the edict on his knees.^[3]

The summons of 611

Shegui, whom the Sui had raised against her son, attacked and beat him.^[2] Heshana fled east and hid on the Shiluoman mountain east of Gaochang.^[3] The emperor sent Pei Ju with Lady Xiang’s trusted attendants to the town of Jinchang at the Jade Gate.^[2] Pei Ju sent her messenger to Heshana to set out the goodwill of the court. Heshana came in.^[3] The words of the Sui Shu allow a second interpretation, in which Pei Ju took the lady herself and sent her to her son.^[8] Heshana came before the emperor at the Linshuo palace in the twelfth month of 611.^[9]

One modern study holds that only the threat to kill his mother, who lived in China, brought the khan to terms.^[10] After 611 the histories do not mention her again.

Name

向氏ChineseSui Shu 84
向夫人ChineseSui Shu 84

The Sui Shu and the Tongdian call her 向氏, of the Xiang family.^[5] In Cui Junsu’s speech she is 向夫人, the Lady Xiang.^[2] Her personal name is not recorded.