American Perspectives: Chabi, Khubilai Khan's Wife, Advisor, and Strong Woman Standing Beside him

I know, I've been running horribly behind schedule with this blog!  I pack my day very full, spending most of it making dolls or 한복, taking online classes on how to sell, market, network; watching a 사극, Xianxia, or Wuxia, and then ending the day with some reading that is relevant to Korean, Chinese, or Mongolian Culture.  As a result, sometimes things fall through the cracks!

"Chinese sources tell about two of his wives, starting with Chabi, who was an influential advisor.  Originally his second wife, she became principal wife when his first wife died in 1259...Though a Tibetan Buddhist, like Sorghaghtani she promoted tolerance of other religions.  She was influential when Mongke died while Khubilai was in a campaign against the Song in Southwestern China...Mongke's younger brother and others were conspiring to take the throne.  Chabi stalled the conspirators and sent for Khubilai, who returned in time to secure his position...She remonstrated with Khubilai when he approved an order to turn Chinese farm land near the capital, Dadu, to pastureland for Mongol Horses.  The Emperor reversed the order." Keith McMahon, "Celestial Women."

Chabi is an interesting person because she is clearly virtuous, non narcissistic, but she isn't a martyrly "Mary Sue" type.  She strikes me as someone who is observant, diplomatic, and has a lot of common sense.  To be fair, she had to be.  Her husband was an unpopular candidate for Great Khan, who got the position by working the system.  So, we have the issue of intense opposition hanging over their heads like a storm cloud.  She and her husband were ruling over people who followed a completely different culture, and spoke a completely different language, in addition to opposing their leadership.  Add their son in law nation, 고려 to the mix, and it really gets interesting.  With these existing issues, she had to demonstrate intelligence, cultural flexibility, open mindedness, and common sense.

She was known for being frugal, taking old bowstrings and having them woven into cloth.  Because she was a foreign leader at the mercy of a nation that could rebel any time, she had to be.  Overusing Han Chinese resources for her own vanity absolutely would not bode well.  While Khubilai was the more excessive one, she had to be the rock in order to make their leadership reliable to a foreign nation.