Sengge Ragi of Lu

Sengge Ragi of Lu (also Xiangge-Laji) (b. ca. 1283 – d. 1331) held the title Grand Princess of the State of Lu and was most notable for her collection of priceless Chinese works of art and calligraphy during the Yuan period of China. She was a patroness of the arts, having commissioned works of art and calligraphy during her lifetime, and was a collector of artwork, most of which dated to the period of the Song Dynasty.

Sengge Ragi was the daughter of Darmabala (posthumously known as Shun-tsung) (b. ca. 1265 – d. 1310), who, according to the Yuanshi, was the eldest son of Zhenjin, second son of Kublai Khan as well as his heir apparent until his death. Darmabala had a close relationship with his father, who greatly valued Chinese culture and learning. Her mother was Dagi, who came from the influential Khongirad tribe.

The princess had three brothers: the eldest, a step-brother, was eventually invested with the title of Prince of Wei. The other two brothers were full brothers and became emperors. Khayishan, her elder brother, ruled from 1307 until his death in 1311, and was succeeded by his brother, Ayurbarwada, who ruled from 1311 to 1320. It was from these two brothers that Sengge Ragi first rose to great prominence.

In his first year as emperor, her elder brother, Külüg Khan, granted her the title of Grand Princess (or Princess Supreme) of the State of Lu, and to her husband, Diwabala, was granted the title of Prince Consort of Lu. The following year, he granted her the Yung-p’ing District from which she could receive income. He also desired that she have Yung-p’ing’s salt taxes, but this was opposed by officials of the Secretariat.

Sengge Ragi’s younger brother, Buyantu Khan, also increased his sister’s fortune: he gave to her a grant of 10,000 ting in currency (equal to 500,000 ounces of silver), and soon after granted her the unique title of “Imperial Elder Sister and Grand Princess”.

In 1319, the princess sponsored a series of charitable acts in accordance with her Buddhist faith. The most notable of these acts was the release of twenty-seven important prisoners from the Ch’uan-ning District. These prisoners were later recaptured, however, as the pardoning of criminals was solely the prerogative of the emperor.

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