Lu Xiaoman, on the right pictured together with Xu Zhimo. Because Xu left during an argument, and because he took an old plane since he could not afford a modern one due to Lu’s spending, some argue that it was Lu Xiaoman who actually “killed” her husband (Sina 2014 Hong Lee&Stefanowska 2003, 389-391). Lu’s luxurious lifestyle eventually got Xu in serious financial trouble.ĭuring a fight over their expenses, the two got into a fight and Xu left their home for a trip, during which he died in a plane crash. She rented an expensive apartment and hired 14 servants. She lavishly spend their money on luxury goods, delicacies and extravagant nights out. Xu soon found out that he could not afford Lu’s lifestyle.

Eventually, she got divorced herself and remarried to Xu in 1926. Lu and the poet soon got tangled up in a complicated love-affair, while Lu was still married to Wang. Zhimo had been married before, but was already divorced in what has been described as China’s “first modern divorce” (Lee 2007, 389). Within the first years of their marriage, Lu fell in love with one of Wang’s friends named Xu Zhimo, who was one of China’s most famous poets at the time. She became married to the erudite Wang Geng. She spoke fluent English and was a gifted writer and painter. Lu was born in an upperclass Shanghai family in 1903 and became known as a beautiful, well-educated and talented woman. In her own time, she was considered scandalous: she had an extramarital affair, was then divorced, and led a lavish lifestyle. Lu Xiaoman was one of the most famous women in China’s roaring twenties. (Updated April/2018: Check out our recent video on this topic here). From ten to one: a top 10 of evil power women in China’s history, carefully selected and compiled by What’s on Weibo based on different online Chinese charts and books about ‘evil’ women of China. They were rebels of their time, and would bewitch men with their charms to win more power – some of them changed China’s history because of it.

They were often beautiful on the outside but cruel on the inside. They might have lived centuries ago, but are still the talk of the day in Chinese books, television shows and online media. This is a list compiled by What’s on Weibo of 10 women in China’s history who are often referred to as “evil” in (online) media. China has a long history of notoriously strongheaded or ruthless women.

Chinese opera history