Yu Xuanji (844-868, some say about 871), also known as Youwei and Huilan, was a female poet and famous prostitute in the late Tang Dynasty. She later became a Taoist priest and was a native of Chang'an. He was born in about the fourth year of Huichang, Emperor Wuzong of Tang Dynasty. Before his death, he wrote a famous poem: "It is easy to get priceless treasures, but it is difficult to buy a lover." It has been sung for thousands of years and is widely known to the world. ?
The Tang Dynasty was an open and tolerant era. Yu Xuanji was smart since he was a child. He could memorize many poems at the age of 5. He started writing poems at the age of 7. At the age of 10, he met Wen Tingyun, the originator of Huajian Ci. Wen Tingyun was a famous talent, and he was attracted by Yu Youwei's intelligence and talent, and he liked this little girl very much. For the young Yu Youwei, Wen Tingyun is undoubtedly the noble person in her life. He brought her into the world of poetry and let her see the beauty of this world. He also acted as a matchmaker for her and asked her to marry the number one scholar Li Yi, the second most important man in her life.
Li Yi inspired Yu Xuanji’s passion for writing poetry. But Yu Xuanji's life began to become unfortunate. Yu Youwei married Li Yi as his concubine, but out of jealousy, Li Yi's wife didn't like Yu Youwei at first, and later simply kicked her out of the house. Li Yi placed Yu Youwei in Xianyiguan and asked her to become a nun. Before leaving, Li Yi vowed to wait for him for three years and he would definitely take her home in three years. Yu Xuanji waited impatiently, but what he got was the news that Li Yi was taking his wife to take a job abroad.
Yu Youwei chose a path that is completely opposite to these two situations: playing life in order to take revenge on men and society. From then on, Yu Youwei changed her name to Yu Xuanji. After changing her name, Yu Xuanji's temperament changed drastically. She hung a sign on the door of the Taoist temple saying "Yu Xuanji's poetry is waiting for teaching". This is equivalent to telling men, come on, come on, there is a beautiful poet here waiting for you. Yu Xuanji wants to enjoy life and play life. From then on, there was one less talented woman and one more slutty female Taoist priest in the world.
The third man in her life appeared, a musician named Chen Wei. Yu Xuanji seems to have a soft spot for musician Chen Wei. But Chen Wei didn't have Yu Xuanji's shoulders to rely on. He secretly fell in love with a little girl named Lv Qiao in the Taoist temple behind Yu Xuanji's back. The child he raised took away his lover, which Yu Xuanji couldn't accept. Out of jealousy, Yu Xuanji killed Lu Qiao. She herself was executed for murder by the government at the age of 27.
"Bei Meng Suo Yan" said that she "was a prostitute if she indulged in her pregnancy." She had close contacts with many scribes, such as Wen Feiqing, and sent poems to each other, but she was ultimately alone. All over, she helplessly expressed the painful and desperate voice of "It is easy to find priceless treasures, but it is rare to find a caring man." Later, he killed his maid Luqiao out of jealousy and was executed by Yin Wenzhang of Jingzhao.
Extended information
Yu Xuanji, a female Taoist priest from Xianyi Temple in Xijing, whose courtesy name is Youwei, was also a housewife advocate in Chang'an. The beauty captivates the country, and the thoughts are enchanting. He likes reading and writing, and is especially fond of chanting. At the age of breaking melon, my ambition is pure and empty. At the beginning of Xiantong period, Guanpei came to Xianyi, and the beautiful poems about enjoying the wind and moon were often spread among scholars. However, Cymbidium is weak in nature and cannot control herself. She is manipulated by heroes again, so she just wanders around. Therefore, romantic people compete for grooming in order to get married, or those who drink wine will surely play the harp and compose poems, and occasionally joke around, making the students think they are incompetent.
Regarding Yu Xuanji’s crime, Professor Zhang Chengjian of Wenzhou University believes that the story about Yu Xuanji’s “jealous murder” of Lu Qiao has traces of fabrication. It probably comes from the statement of Yu Xuanji's crime by the official of Jingzhao Prefecture; Lu Qiao's denunciation of Yu Xuanji as "obscene" is simply the stern judgment of Yu Xuanji by the governor of Jingzhao Prefecture. Zhang Chengjian believes that the Luqiao incident must have a complicated background, with hidden grievances and details; the so-called "jealousy murder" case of Yu Xuanji is an eternal mystery and an eternal injustice.
Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Yu Xuanji