China: A Xiongnu noble seated on an oriental carpet, Lady Wenji and her child seated inside a tent. Detail from a 14th century scroll painting based on a 10th-11th century Song Dynasty original. Cai Wenji was born shortly before 178 CE in what is now Qi County, Henan. In 195, the chaos after Chancellor Dong Zhuo's death brought Xiongnu nomads into the Chinese capital and Cai Wenji was taken as prisoner to the northern lands. During her captivity, she became the wife of the Xiongnu chieftain Liu Bao and bore him two sons. She was eventually ransomed back and returned home 12 years later.

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Size: 4700px × 3731px
Photo credit: © Pictures From History / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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