Hu Shunfei

Hu Shunfei, born in the 14th century, was from Mianyang County in Hubei Province. She was the eldest daughter of Hu Mei, a meritorious figure of the founding of the Ming Dynasty and held the title of Marquis of Yuzhang. Later, she became a consort of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, with some accounts referring to her as a noble imperial consort. She was the mother of Zhu Bai, the twelfth son of Ming Taizu and King of Xiangxian. According to the "Mianyang Zhi" (Record of Mianyang), Hu Mei served as the Chancellor of Jiangxi Province during the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty and garrisoned in Nanchang. In the 21st year of Zhiyuan (1361), after Jingzhou was captured by Zhu Yuanzhang, Hu Mei surrendered to him. In the spring of the 22nd year of Zhiyuan (1362), Hu Mei met Zhu Yuanzhang in Nanchang and continued to hold his previous office; it is possible that during this period, Hu Shunfei entered the palace to serve Zhu Yuanzhang. In the first year of the Hongwu era (1368), when the Ming Dynasty established court banquet etiquette, it is unclear whether Hu Shunfei was among the six imperial consorts. In the third year of Hongwu (1370), she was titled Chong Fei (Confirmed Consort), and bore Zhu Bai. According to the "Tianhuang Yu Die" (Records of the Heavenly Pool), she and other noble consorts were collectively referred to as "Imperial Noble Consorts." Modern scholars speculate that in the 17th year of Hongwu (1384), Zhu Yuanzhang suspected foreign officials of entering the palace to plot rebellion and ordered the killing of Hu Shunfei, citing motives related to palace coup plots. In the 23rd year of Hongwu (1390), Zhu Yuanzhang issued orders to the Ministry of Justice to execute Hu Mei and others for allegedly "entering the rebellious palace." Hu Shunfei committed suicide and died; her family was also exterminated. Various historical records depict differing accounts of these events.