A Fateful Birth and the Weight of Destiny

On the Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day) in 937, in the ancient city of Jinling (modern-day Nanjing), a baby boy was born into the royal household of what would soon become the Southern Tang dynasty. His birth coincided with a pivotal moment—his grandfather, Li Bian, would ascend the throne just months later, founding the Southern Tang. This child, named Li Congjia at birth (later known as Li Yu), would grow up to be the dynasty’s last ruler, his life marked by uncanny coincidences and tragic irony.

Li Yu’s destiny was intertwined with legend from the start. He was born with chongtong (double pupils), a rare ocular condition considered in ancient China a mark of sage-kings like Emperor Shun and the warlord Xiang Yu. His physical traits—a broad forehead, full cheeks, and overlapping teeth—were also seen as auspicious signs of greatness. Yet, despite these omens, Li Yu was never meant to rule.

The Unlikely Rise to Power

Li Yu was the sixth son of Emperor Li Jing, and the throne should have been far beyond his reach. However, a series of tragedies cleared his path: his elder brothers died young, and his eldest brother, the crown prince, succumbed to illness after poisoning their uncle in a power struggle. By 961, Li Yu, now the de facto heir, was reluctantly thrust onto the throne.

His reign began under the shadow of the expanding Song dynasty. The Southern Tang, once a regional power, was now a vassal state, its survival dependent on appeasing the Song emperor. Li Yu, a gifted poet and artist, was ill-suited for the brutal realities of politics. He sought solace in art, music, and love—most famously, with the Zhou sisters.

The Legend of the Zhou Sisters: Love and Tragedy

### The Brilliance of Empress Zhou (Da Zhou)

Li Yu’s first wife, Empress Zhou (known as Da Zhou, or “Elder Zhou”), was a woman of extraordinary talent. A skilled musician, she reconstructed the lost Rainbow Skirt, Feathered Dress melody, a Tang dynasty masterpiece. Their marriage was a partnership of artistic souls—Li Yu wrote poetry, she composed music, and together they indulged in a life of courtly pleasures.

Yet, their romance came at a cost. As Li Yu neglected state affairs, the Southern Tang’s decline accelerated. Officials like Xiao Yan rebuked him, overturning his chessboard in fury, but Li Yu remained absorbed in his artistic pursuits.

### The Scandal of Xiao Zhou

When Empress Zhou fell gravely ill, her younger sister, Xiao Zhou (“Little Zhou”), entered the palace—and Li Yu’s life. Their secret affair, immortalized in Li Yu’s poem “Pusa Man”, describes a furtive midnight rendezvous:

> “Flowers in moonlight, veiled in mist—tonight, I steal to my lover’s side.
> Barefoot on fragrant steps, golden slippers in hand…”

Empress Zhou, upon discovering the betrayal, turned her face to the wall and died heartbroken at 29.

The Fall of Southern Tang and Li Yu’s End

After Empress Zhou’s death, Li Yu married Xiao Zhou in a lavish ceremony, but their happiness was short-lived. In 975, the Song dynasty conquered Southern Tang. Li Yu was taken captive to Kaifeng, where he lived under house arrest. His most poignant poems, like “Silent, Alone, I Ascend the Western Tower”, express his despair:

> “The endless river of sorrow flows eastward…”

On the Qixi Festival of 978—his birthday—Li Yu was poisoned by Song Emperor Taizong, ending his life at 41.

Legacy: The Poet-King Who Lost an Empire

Li Yu’s political failure was eclipsed by his literary genius. His ci poetry, raw with emotion, redefined the genre, blending personal sorrow with universal themes. Today, he is remembered not as a failed emperor, but as one of China’s greatest poets—a man whose love stories and tragedies transcended his reign.

His life remains a cautionary tale: a ruler who cherished beauty over duty, whose passions shaped history as much as his failures. In the end, Li Yu’s true kingdom was the written word, and there, he reigns eternally.