Li sent two letters to Wu, including one in the name of Wu's father, then held captive in Beijing. Knowing that Wu Sangui's formidable army at Ningyuan posed a serious threat, Li immediately made overtures to gain Wu's allegiance. In April 1644, the rebel army of Li Zicheng captured the Ming capital of Beijing, and the Chongzhen Emperor Zhu Youjian committed suicide. Statue of Chen Yuanyuan in Gold Hall Park in Kunming Locals believe that she retired as a nun later in life. The inscription on the tombstones were intentionally cryptic to deter detection throughout the years but has been confirmed by government historians in 2005.

Seen as a connection to a failed uprising, this knowledge was subsequently only passed down by oral history until the 20th century, when it was published by historian Huang Tousong. Īfter failing to deter Wu Sangui's rebellion, Chen asked General Ma Bao to escort her and her son with Wu Sangui, Wu Qihua, to what is now known as the Majia Zhai village in Guizhou, where they would hide amongst the ethnic minorities who were hostile to Qing rule. The other famed courtesans of this group are Ma Xianglan, Bian Yujing, Li Xiangjun, Dong Xiaowan, Gu Mei, Kou Baimen, and Liu Rushi. She is one of the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai described by late Qing officials. She was then either purchased for Wu Sangui by his father, or given to Wu as a gift by Tian. Subsequently, Chen was bought by the family of Tian Hongyu, father of one of the Chongzhen Emperor's concubines. In 1642, she became the lover of the scholar and poet Mao Xiang, who became infatuated with her after watching her in The Story of the Red Plum, sung in the yiyangqiang style. An account praised her performance as the maid Hongniang in Romance of the Western Chamber. Chen became a leading figure in the Suzhou kunqu scene. Chen Yuanyuan was born to a peasant family in Jiangsu province, and on the death of her father, she became a courtesan.

The Green Phoenix by Alice Poon