- Duke Ling of Wei
-
Duke Ling of Wei (c. 534- 492 BC) was a ruler of the ancient Chinese state of Wei. He was the subject of Chapter 15 of the Analects of Confucius. Duke Ling was also one of the most famous representatives of the homosexual tradition in China, as portrayed in the philosophic work Han Fei Zi by Han Fei. In that tale, Duke Ling favors a courtier named Mizi Xia, whom he allows to use the ducal carriage without permission, and whom he admires for handing over the remainder of an especially delicious peach. Han Fei records that once Mizi Xia's looks faded, however, the Duke turned against his former lover, accusing him of stealing the carriage and of degrading the Duke by giving him a half-eaten peach. This story was so widespread amongst the literati of China that the phrase "the bitten peach" became a byword for homosexuality.[1]
References
- ^ Hinsch, Bret. (1990). Passions of the Cut Sleeve. Published by the University of California Press. pp. 20-21.
Categories:- Chinese dukes
- 5th-century BC deaths
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.