Biography

Zhuo Wenjun was a lady from the Zhuo family of the Sichuan province, and her father was Zhuo Wangsun. She was highly educated, especially skilled at music and poetry. Married at sixteen, she was soon widowed and returned to her parents. Sima Xiangru, a famous poet and musician, during a stay in Chengdu, was invited to their home by the Zhuos. Zhuo Wenjun fell in love with him when she saw him play the qin and did not hesitate to run away with him. Angry, her father denied her any support. Finding herself in poverty because her new husband's family was not rich, Zhuo Wenjun opened a wine shop. Ashamed that his daughter was a simple innkeeper, her father relented and gave them money and servants.

Emperor Wu learned of Sima Xiangru's talent and offered him an official cargo in the capital. There, Sima distanced himself not only physically from his wife, but also wrote her a letter informing her of his intent to take a concubine. Saddened, Zhuo Wenjun replied with a long poem that moved him so deeply that he was ashamed of his plan and returned with her, living together until their old age. When he died, she composed a funeral ode in his honor.

Popular media

She is portrayed by Park Si-yeon in the 2004 Chinese television series Feng Qiu Huang.

生平

卓文君为四川临卭巨商卓王孙之女，姿色娇美，精通音律，善弹琴，有文名。十六岁时嫁人，卓文君先后嫁了五个丈夫，五个前后任的丈夫都早死，返回娘家寡居。没有人敢娶她。司马相如到卓王孙家里赴宴，得知卓文君新寡，便弹奏了一曲《凤求凰》，倾吐爱慕之情。文君听了相如的琴之后，当夜与相如连夜私奔逃到成都。

《西京杂记》记载：「眉色如望远山，脸际常若芙蓉，肌肤柔滑如脂」。

在成都时，夫妇二人一贫如洗，只好回临卭开小酒店为生，卓文君卖酒，司马相如洗碗，生活清苦。卓文君之父卓王孙得知后，最初卓王孙羞愧的不敢出门，后来是在亲友劝谏下说你就这么一儿一女而已，不如分些财产给他们，资助他们，所以卓王孙给了他们夫妻很大的一笔财富，也因此司马相如跟卓文君也变成富翁，传说后来司马相如与卓文君生下一个女儿，司马氏，唤名琴心。因正月初一生，故皇后赐名元春。

王闓运认为卓文君私奔司马相如是「史公欲为古今女子开一奇局，使皆能自拔耳」，陈锐说：「读《史记》，疑相如文君事不可入国史，推司马意，盖取其开择婿一法耳。」

轶事

汉武帝时，司马相如获得赏识，打算纳茂陵女子为妾，冷淡卓文君。于是民间传说，卓文君写了《白头吟》给相如。

:皑如山上雪，皎若云间月。

:闻君有两意，故来相决绝。

:今日斗酒会，明旦沟水头。

:躞蹀御沟上，沟水东西流。

:凄凄复凄凄，嫁娶不须啼。

:愿得一心人，白头不相离。

:竹竿何袅袅，鱼尾何簁簁。

:男儿重意气，何用钱刀为。

司马相如看了之后感到惭愧，于是打消纳妾的念头。

此外，相传司马相如在长安，被封为中郎将时，由于自己觉得身分不凡，曾经兴起休妻的念头，因此写了一封信，信上写著「一二三四五六七八九十百千万」，要卓文君立刻回信；信中数字独欠「亿」，令卓文君合晓司马相如对自己再无「忆」，故此卓文君写了《数字诗》，以示怨情。

《白头吟》与《数字诗》皆后人所录，传说为文君作，但从风格及形式上来说，应出于好事者附会，不太可能是出于西汉时期。

相关文学作品

• 《西京杂记》

• 朱权《卓文君私奔相如》一卷

• 舒位《瓶笙馆修箫谱》中的《卓女当垆》

• 郭沫若的剧本《三个叛逆的女性》中的《卓文君》

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