Wang Yi (wife of Zhao Ang)
| Wang Yi | |
|---|---|
| Born | (Unknown) |
| Died | (Unknown) |
| Names | |
| Traditional Chinese | 王異 |
| Simplified Chinese | 王异 |
| Pinyin | Wáng Yì |
| Wade–Giles | Wang I |
Wang Yi (birth and death dates unknown) was the wife of Zhao Ang, an official who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty and was aligned with the faction that would later become the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period. She is known for her morally upright character and for supporting her husband in their conflict with the warlord Ma Chao in the 210s.
Wang Yi's exact origins were not recorded in history. All that is known of her heritage was that her family name was "Wang", and that she was married to Zhao Ang, an official who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. She bore Zhao Ang three sons and a daughter.
When Zhao Ang was serving as the Prefect (令) of Qiangdao County (羌道縣; around present-day Zhugqu County, Gansu), he left his family in Xi (西), a district in the county. Around the time, Liang Shuang (梁雙) started a revolt in the county and he conquered Xi District. Wang Yi's two sons were killed in the conflict, leaving behind Wang Yi and her six-year-old daughter, Zhao Ying (趙英). When Wang Yi saw that her two sons had died, she feared that Liang Shuang would violate her, so she attempted to slit her throat with a sword. However, she gave up when she saw her daughter and she said, "If I killed myself and abandoned you, who will take care of you? I heard that people will cover their noses if someone wore unclean clothing – even if the person was Xi Shi. Besides, my looks aren't even comparable to Xi Shi's." She then rubbed dirt and excrement on her clothes and fasted to make herself become thin. This lasted for about a year.
Wang Yi was spared from disaster when Liang Shuang reconciled with the authorities in Qiangdao County. Zhao Ang sent his men to fetch his wife and daughter. When they were about 30 li away from their destination, Wang Yi suddenly stopped and said to Zhao Ying, "I'd have never left that place if your father didn't send someone to fetch us. Whenever I read the stories of Lady Jiang and Lady Bo, I feel inspired by their devotions and convictions. However, I'm still alive after having gone through similar experiences as them, so wouldn't I feel ashamed when I face those ladies after I die? I didn't choose death then because of you. Now, since we're close to safety and within the protection of the authorities, I can leave you and die." Having said that, she attempted suicide by consuming poison but luckily for her, an antidote was available, so she received medical treatment quickly and survived.
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