Ten of the most debauched emperors in Chinese history and their sexual "play"

In Chinese history,emperorAs the "Son of Heaven," emperors possessed supreme power and resources. Some were recorded in history as "tyrants" due to their indulgence in pleasure and debauchery. These emperors' "playing" not only reflected their personal preferences but also the social atmosphere and political environment of their time. The following lists ten emperors considered tyrannical and debauched, detailing their behavior and background.

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1. King Zhou of Shang (Di Xin, c. 1075 BC – 1046 BC)

Background and Debauched Deeds:
The last monarch of the Shang DynastyEmperor XinHe was historically known as King Zhou, and was infamous for his tyranny and debauchery.Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of YinAccording to historical records, King Zhou was "fond of wine and debauchery," indulging in women and a life of extravagance. His relationship with his favorite concubine, Daji, is particularly criticized by later generations. It is said that in order to please Daji, King Zhou built the "Deer Terrace" and the "Wine Pool and Meat Forest," expending a great deal of manpower and resources.
Specific "gameplay":

• Jiuchi RoulinKing Zhou ordered the excavation of a huge pond in the palace, filled it with wine, and hung dried meat around it for him, his concubines, and his ministers to drink and make merry. They even allowed people to play naked in the pond, creating an extremely extravagant scene.
• The torture of brandingAlthough it was a form of tyranny rather than direct debauchery, King Zhou's use of cruel punishments (such as making people walk on red-hot copper pillars) for amusement revealed his distorted mentality and indirectly contributed to his image of debauchery.
• Favoring DajiLegend has it that Daji was promiscuous, and King Zhou, in order to satisfy her desires, did not hesitate to allow her to interfere in politics and even kill loyal ministers to please her.
  InfluenceKing Zhou's debauchery led to the loss of popular support for the Shang Dynasty, which was eventually overthrown by King Wu of Zhou, making him a typical example of a foolish ruler in later generations.

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2. Qin Shi Huang (Ying Zheng, 259 BC – 210 BC)

Background and Debauched Deeds:
Qin Shi HuangHe unified the six kingdoms and established the title of "Emperor," achieving remarkable feats. However, in his later years, he indulged in pleasure and the pursuit of immortality, leading a life of extravagance in the palace. According to the Historical Encyclopedia website, Qin Shi Huang abducted palace women from the six kingdoms to fill his harem, numbering in the tens of thousands.
Specific "gameplay":

• expansion of the haremQin Shi Huang took the palace women and musicians from the six states as his own and built luxurious palaces such as the Epang Palace for his own enjoyment. The number of palace women was so large that it was "countless".
• Parade and pleasureHe traveled to various places many times, not only for political purposes, but also to seek out beautiful women from the common people to enrich his harem.
• Seeking Immortality and Indulging in DesireIn his later years, he became superstitious about immortality and sent Xu Fu to sea to seek the elixir of life. At the same time, he indulged in sensual pleasures in the palace, believing that enjoyment would help him live a long life.
  InfluenceQin Shi Huang's debauchery and tyranny led to widespread public resentment, and the dynasty collapsed after only two generations.

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3. Emperor Cheng of Han (Liu Ao, 51 BC – 7 BC)

Background and Debauched Deeds:
Emperor Cheng of HanHe was an emperor in the late Western Han Dynasty who was obsessed with women, especially the Zhao Feiyan sisters. According to the Book of Han, he "neglected state affairs and was fond of sensual pleasures," and eventually died from excessive indulgence.
Specific "gameplay":

• Zhao sistersThe Zhao Feiyan and Zhao Hede sisters were favored by Emperor Cheng of Han for their beauty and singing and dancing skills. Emperor Cheng of Han commissioned the construction of luxurious palaces for them. Zhao Hede was especially skilled in seduction, and it was said that she could keep the emperor "by her side every night".
• Excessive sexual activity can cause illnessEmperor Cheng was obsessed with women for a long time. According to the Book of Han, his excessive indulgence led to physical weakness, and he eventually died suddenly in Zhao Hede's palace. Legend has it that this was related to taking an overdose of aphrodisiacs.
• Palace debaucheryEmperor Cheng not only favored the Zhao sisters, but also had affairs with other palace maids and noblewomen, leading to a decline in the moral atmosphere of the palace.
  InfluenceEmperor Cheng of Han's debauchery led to the neglect of state affairs and the usurpation of power by his relatives, foreshadowing the decline and fall of the Western Han Dynasty.

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4. Emperor Wen of Wei (Cao Pi, 187–226)

Background and Debauched Deeds:
Cao PiAs the founding emperor of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period, he was exceptionally talented in literature, but also infamous for his womanizing.Romance of the Three KingdomsAccording to records, he had a large harem, was fond of women, and used rather "creative" methods.
Specific "gameplay":

• plundering Yuan's wives and daughtersAfter defeating Yuan Shao, Cao Pi took Yuan's family members into his harem, with Zhen (Empress Wenzhao) being his favorite, revealing his lustful nature.
• vying for the emperor's favor in the haremCao Pi encouraged the women in his harem to compete in beauty and frequently held banquets, allowing his concubines to entertain him with songs, dances, and poems.
• The Art of SexInfluenced by the Taoist traditions of the Wei and Jin dynasties, Cao Pi was superstitious about sexual techniques and believed that having sex with women could prolong life, leading to extreme chaos in the management of the harem.
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InfluenceCao Pi's licentious behavior led to fierce infighting in the harem and even triggered political disputes, which damaged his image as a ruler.

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5. Emperor Wu of Jin (Sima Yan, 236–290)

Background and Debauched Deeds:
Emperor Wu of JinHe unified the Three Kingdoms and established the Western Jin Dynasty, but his harem was enormous. According to the Book of Jin, there were more than 10,000 concubines in his harem, which was unprecedented.
Specific "gameplay":

• Imperial concubine beauty pageantSima Yan ordered the selection of beautiful women from across the country to enrich his harem, and even established a special agency to manage the beauty selection.
• Nightly revelryHe would select different concubines to serve him every night. It is said that there was a peculiar method called "selecting concubines by sheep cart", in which the concubines would stand at the palace gate and the emperor would stop at will in a sheep cart to select them.
• Unrestrained indulgenceEmperor Wu of Jin was obsessed with women and neglected state affairs, which led to chaos in the early days of the Western Jin Dynasty.
  InfluenceHis debauchery led to political corruption, sowing the seeds for the short-lived Western Jin Dynasty.

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6. Emperor Yang of Sui (Yang Guang, 569–618)

Background and Debauched Deeds:
Emperor Yang of SuiHe was known for his grand projects such as the construction of the Grand Canal and the conquest of Goguryeo, but his extravagant lifestyle and womanizing were equally notorious. The Book of Sui records that he was "excessively lustful."
Specific "gameplay":

• Touring to select concubinesEmperor Yang of Sui made several tours of the Jiangnan region, and along the way he conscripted an astonishing number of women from the common people to enter the palace.
• Dragon boat enjoymentHe traveled south along the canal in a luxurious dragon boat, which was filled with beautiful women, and he indulged in revelry every night.
• Palace extravaganceEmperor Yang of Sui built palaces in Yangzhou and other places for his own enjoyment, which cost a huge amount of money.
  InfluenceEmperor Yang of Sui's debauchery and aggressive military campaigns led to widespread public resentment, ultimately resulting in the downfall of the Sui Dynasty.

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7. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (Li Longji, 685–762)

Background and Debauched Deeds:
Emperor Xuanzong of TangHe was diligent and hardworking in his early years, creating the prosperous Kaiyuan era, but in his later years he favored Yang Guifei and became infatuated with women, which led to the An Lushan Rebellion.
Specific "gameplay":

• Favoring Yang GuifeiEmperor Xuanzong doted on Yang Guifei, composed the "Rainbow Feather Dress Dance" for her, and indulged her family in monopolizing power.
• Court danceHe was fond of singing and dancing, and often enjoyed music and dance with Yang Guifei, neglecting political affairs.
• expansion of the haremEmperor Xuanzong had thousands of concubines in his harem, and his court life was extremely luxurious.
  InfluenceHis debauchery led to the decline of the Tang Dynasty, with the An Lushan Rebellion becoming the turning point.

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8. Emperor Huizong of Song (Zhao Ji, 1082–1135)

Background and Debauched Deeds:
Emperor Huizong of SongHe was famous for his calligraphy and painting, but he was equally notorious for his womanizing and extravagance. The History of Song records that he "indulged in sensual pleasures".
Specific "gameplay":

• Flower Stone GangTo satisfy his desire for pleasure, Emperor Huizong of Song collected rare flowers and stones, and also gathered beautiful women to enter the palace.
• Harem DebaucheryHe was obsessed with the harem and often drank and made merry with his concubines all night long.
• Art and WomenEmperor Huizong of Song used his talent in calligraphy and painting to depict palace women, which fostered a decadent atmosphere.
  InfluenceHis debauchery led to the downfall of the Northern Song Dynasty, and Emperor Huizong himself was captured by the Jurchens.

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9. Emperor Wuzong of Ming (Zhu Houzhao, 1491–1521)

Background and Debauched Deeds:
Emperor Wuzong of MingHe was intelligent and brave, but also licentious and tyrannical, especially known for his "golden house." The History of Ming states that he "indulged in debauchery."
Specific "gameplay":

• Keeping a mistressEmperor Wuzong of Ming built a "Golden House" in the palace, which was used exclusively for debauchery and housed a large number of women from the common people.
• Seeking pleasure in JiangnanHe traveled to the south of the Yangtze River many times in search of beautiful women, and it is said that he fell into the water and died from an illness.
• Armed playEmperor Wuzong enjoyed disguising himself as a soldier or merchant, playing with women, and behaving eccentrically.
  InfluenceHis debauchery led to political chaos and the decline of the Ming Dynasty.

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10. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (Hongli, 1711–1799)

Background and Debauched Deeds:
Emperor QianlongHe was diligent and hardworking in his early years, but became lecherous and extravagant in his later years, especially known for his six trips to the south of the Yangtze River. The Draft History of the Qing Dynasty records that he "indulged in pleasure" in his later years.
Specific "gameplay":

• Six trips to the south of the Yangtze RiverEmperor Qianlong made several southern tours, ostensibly to inspect the people's conditions, but in reality to summon beautiful women from Jiangnan to the palace.
• Imperial FeastWith thousands of concubines in his harem, Emperor Qianlong selected consorts every night, leading an extremely luxurious life.
• Private affairsIt is rumored that he left behind illegitimate children in Jiangnan, which shows his lecherous nature.
  InfluenceHis debauchery in his later years exacerbated the corruption of the Qing Dynasty, sowing the seeds for its eventual decline and demise.

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Summarize

The decadent behavior of these ten emperors was largely related to the expansion of their harems, extravagant pleasures, and the selection of concubines during imperial tours. These practices not only drained the nation's resources but also led to political corruption and a loss of popular support. History generally views them negatively, making them typical examples of incompetent rulers to serve as a warning to later generations. It is important to note that some accounts may be influenced by the historian's subjective evaluation, and their actions should be understood within the context of their historical period.

Further reading:

• The world's ten most lewd emperors
• Why do chickens feel happy?