Traditional Chinese 黃月英 Pinyin Died 235 AD Parents Huang Chengyan | Simplified Chinese 黄月英 Wade–Giles Huang Yüeh-ying Spouse Zhuge Liang Children Zhuge Guo | |
Similar Zhuge Liang, Lady Sun, Lady Zhen, Cai Yan, Pang Tong | ||
Lady Huang (birth and death dates unknown), also known in fiction as Huang Yueying, was the wife of Zhuge Liang, chancellor and regent of the state of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms period. Her name was not recorded in history; "Huang Yueying" is simply a fictional name.
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In historical records
The only mention of Lady Huang in historical sources was in the Xiangyang Ji (襄陽記; Records of Xiangyang). In the fifth century, the account was added as an annotation by Pei Songzhi to Zhuge Liang's biography in the historical text Records of the Three Kingdoms, which was written by Chen Shou two centuries earlier.
The account stated that Huang Chengyan approached Zhuge Liang and said, "I have an ugly daughter and I heard you are looking for a wife. She is yellow-haired and dark-skinned, but I think her talent matches yours." Zhuge Liang agreed to meet Huang's daughter and eventually married her. Shortly after their meeting, a light hearted proverb was spread among the townsfolk: "Do not follow the manner in which Zhuge Liang chose his wife. He ended up with Huang Chengyan's ugly daughter."
In folklore
A story tells that Huang Yueying challenged her suitors to visit her personally by claiming that she was ugly. In the event that a suitor would visit her, she would hide herself under veils as a quiet dare to test their resolve. When Zhuge Liang came to her, her figure was silhouetted by moonlight and her head was covered with two red veils. Unlike other men, Zhuge Liang entered her room alone and did not hesitate in removing her disguises. As he removed the first veil from her face, he calmly stated that her ugliness was a misunderstanding by her father. Zhuge Liang was then rewarded by Huang Yueying's joyful visage and gratification.
A memorial for her exists in her supposed hometown of Huangjiawan (黄家湾) in Yao'an Village (姚庵村) outside Xiangyang.
In popular culture
Huang Yueying is featured as a playable character in Koei's Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi video game series. She is referred to as "Yue Ying" in the games up to Dynasty Warriors 7. Since Dynasty Warriors Next (on PS Vita) and Warriors Orochi 3, she is referred to as "Yueying" instead. She also appears in other games produced by Koei, such as Kessen II and all instalments of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms strategy game series.
She also appears in various other video games, such as Hou Feng San Guo Online, Zong Heng San Guo Online, Meng Jiang Zhuan Online, and Qun Ying Fu Online.
She is portrayed by Gui Gui in the Taiwanese television drama K.O.3an Guo, which spoofs the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms in a modern high school setting.