Feng Xiaolian

Also known as Consort Feng · Empress Feng

Feng Xiaolian was a favourite of Gao Wei, the late Northern Qi ruler. A maid of Empress Mu, she was presented to him by the empress and made Consort Shu, and he planned to make her Left Empress. The History of the Northern Dynasties says she was clever, played the pipa and sang and danced well. In 576 Northern Zhou attacked Pingyang while he was hunting with her. When Northern Qi fell in 577 she was captured and given to Yuwen Da, then passed to the household of Li Xun, where she was forced to kill herself. Later poets used her to lament the fall of Qi.