Wei Qing was a consort kin of Emperor Wu of Han as the younger half-brother of Emperor Wu's wife Empress Wei Zifu, and later the third husband of Emperor Wu's older sister Eldest Princess Yangxin.
21 Facts About Wei Qing
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Wei Qing was the maternal uncle of Huo Qubing, another decorated Han general who participated in the war against the Xiongnu.
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Wei Qing was born from humble means as a bastard child from a serf family.
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Wei Qing's father Zheng Ji was a low-level official for Pingyang County and was commissioned to serve at the estate of Cao Shou, the Marquess of Pingyang, and his wife Princess Pingyang.
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Unable to tolerate the abuse, Zheng Wei Qing eventually ran away back to his mother's side during his early teenage years, and served as a stableboy in the marquess's estate of Pingyang.
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Wei Qing then severed his paternal bond by adopting the surname "Wei" of his mother's family.
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The powerful Grand Princess Guantao Liu Piao, the mother of Empress Chen Jiao, angry that Wei Zifu had siphoned off the imperial favor from her daughter, kidnapped Wei Qing and wanted to kill him privately as retaliation.
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However, Wei Qing was rescued at the last moment by his friends, a group of fellow palace guards led by Gongsun Ao.
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Wei Qing publicly made Wei Zifu a consort, and rewarded other members of her family.
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In 128 BC, Consort Wei Qing Zifu gave birth to Emperor Wu's first son, Liu Ju, and was created Empress very soon after.
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Later that year, Wei Qing, who was now officially a trusted member of Emperor's extended family, led 30,000 cavalry from Shanwu in Yanmen Commandery, killing thousands of Xiongnu soldiers.
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In 127 BC, Wei Qing led a 40,000-strong cavalry from Yunzhong Commandery, then maneuver to Gaoque to Longxi region, and totally outflanking and surrounding the forces of Xiongnu's Princes of Loufan and Baiyang, killing 2,300 and capturing 3,017 Xiongnu soldiers as well as over a million cattle.
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In 124 BC, Wei Qing would be the vital part of the greatest Han victory over Xiongnu to date.
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When Xiongnu's Right Worthy Prince made harassing raids against outskirts of Shuofang, Wei Qing launched a crushing long-distance night assault from Gaoque with 30,000 cavalrymen, completely surprising and surrounding the Worthy Prince's main camp.
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In 123 BC, Wei Qing set off from Dingxiang and returned with several thousand enemy kills.
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Under Wei Qing's command were four other generals, namely Gongsun He, Zhao Yiji, Cao Xiang and an elderly but very enthusiastic Li Guang.
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Many people, including the historian Sima Qian, thus blamed Wei Qing for causing Li Guang's death.
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Wei Qing personally shot dead Li Gan during a hunting trip.
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Wei Qing assisted his nephew, Crown prince-regent Liu Ju, when Emperor Wu was away on official tours.
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Wei Qing was impressed by Ji's integrity in face of pressure and respected Ji greatly, often requesting Ji's opinion on important matters.
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Wei Qing died in 106 BC and was buried in a large tomb built to the model of Mount Lu.