生平

生年不详，当生于前211年之前。鲁元公主和母亲吕氏、弟弟刘盈以前居于乡里时，都曾得到拥有高贵面相的评价。

前204年三月，楚汉战争中楚军围困刘邦，突然刮西北风，楚军一时大乱，刘邦乘乱与数十骑冲破重围逃走。在奔走途中遇见儿子刘盈与女儿鲁元公主，共登一车仓惶而去。楚骑兵追赶，刘邦见情势危急，就将子女推下车去。夏侯婴又将二人收登于车，总算逃离虎口。

其父刘邦在汉五年（前202年）称帝，她应该是此后获封公主。同年，公主的丈夫张敖继承了父亲张耳的赵王之位，公主因此成为赵王王后。公主与张敖的成婚时间已不可考。根据《史记》的记载，白登之围（前200年）之后，匈奴「数苦北边」。刘敬建议刘邦以真正的嫡女嫁与冒顿单于和亲，期望公主日后以下一代单于生母的身分为汉朝谋取最大的政治利益。虽然刘邦同意了这个建议，终因母亲吕后反对、日夜哭泣，公主才免于远嫁。

汉九年（前198年），丈夫张敖下狱，后获赦，因鲁元公主的缘故，张敖获封为宣平侯。惠帝二年（前193年），齐王刘肥为求自保，而将齐国的城阳郡作为公主汤沐邑献上，并尊公主为齐国王太后。惠帝四年（前191年）冬十月壬寅，其弟汉惠帝立张敖之女张氏为皇后。《汉书》记载，公主为张皇后生母。

封号鲁元的疑问

史书称其为鲁元公主，但「鲁元」作何解，并无确切的解释。东汉服虔的解释：元，长也。食邑于鲁，意思是「鲁国长公主」。东吴韦昭的解释：元，谥也。

由于史料缺乏，对于西汉如何册封公主，知之甚少。从她的侄女刘嫖起，公主的封号通常是「某某公主」，「某某」即「某某县」，可能是她们食邑所在的县。而与鲁元公主同时代的考古实例所见，她的姊妹或侄女（李公主、申徒公主、荣公主、傅公主），则可能以生母的姓氏加以区分。

家庭

父母

• 汉高祖刘邦

• 汉高皇后吕雉

兄弟

• 哥哥 齐悼惠王刘肥

• 弟弟 汉惠帝刘盈

• 弟弟 赵隐王刘如意

• 弟弟 汉文帝刘恒

• 弟弟 赵共王刘恢

• 弟弟 赵幽王刘友

• 弟弟 淮南厉王刘长

• 弟弟 燕灵王刘建

丈夫

• 宣平武侯张敖

子女

• 张偃

• 皇后张氏

影视形象

注释

Biography

Princess Yuan's exact birth date is unknown, but her appearance in official records suggests that she was born before 211 BCE. She was born before her father Liu Bang became a serious political contender, after which most of her early life was spent avoiding capture by enemy forces.

In 204 BCE, during the Chu–Han Contention, the carriage of Princess Yuan and her brother Liu Ying was pursued by forces of the Chu State. Duke Teng, a member of the Xiahou family, ordered the two to leave the carriage and replaced them with two decoy travellers to allow them to escape.

Liu Bang was proclaimed Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty in 202 BCE. Princess Yuan's mother Empress Lü Zhi had little power after her husband became emperor and was powerless to prevent Emperor Gaozu from making plans to marry Princess Yuan, as the daughter of the legitimate wife, to a Xiongnu leader to prevent the nomads from causing trouble on the northern border. She was married later, however, to Zhang Ao of Zhao, who succeeded his father as ruler in 204 BCE. The exact date of their marriage is unknown. Their daughter Zhang Yan was married to Princess Yuan's younger brother Liu Ying in 191 BCE, as part of their mother's attempts to control the imperial household.

In 193 BCE, King Daohui of Qi presented Chengyang Commandery to Princess Yuan and honoured her as Queen dowager.

Burial

Princess Yuan is buried in the Han Royal Tomb group near Xianyang at Anling; alongside her brother, daughter and husband. Her tomb is larger than that of her husband.

Medias

• She's one of the character of the 2010 Chinese TV series Beauty's Rival in Palace. She is portrayed by Lu Jia Rong.