生平

生年不詳，當生于前211年之前。魯元公主和母親呂氏、弟弟劉盈以前居于鄉里時，都曾得到擁有高貴面相的評價。

前204年三月，楚漢戰爭中楚軍圍困劉邦，突然刮西北風，楚軍一時大亂，劉邦乘亂與數十騎衝破重圍逃走。在奔走途中遇見兒子劉盈與女兒魯元公主，共登一車倉惶而去。楚騎兵追趕，劉邦見情勢危急，就將子女推下車去。夏侯嬰又將二人收登于車，總算逃離虎口。

其父劉邦在漢五年（前202年）稱帝，她應該是此後獲封公主。同年，公主的丈夫張敖繼承了父親張耳的趙王之位，公主因此成為趙王王后。公主與張敖的成婚時間已不可考。根據《史記》的記載，白登之圍（前200年）之後，匈奴「數苦北邊」。劉敬建議劉邦以真正的嫡女嫁與冒頓單于和親，期望公主日後以下一代單于生母的身分為漢朝謀取最大的政治利益。雖然劉邦同意了這個建議，終因母親呂后反對、日夜哭泣，公主才免于遠嫁。

漢九年（前198年），丈夫張敖下獄，後獲赦，因魯元公主的緣故，張敖獲封為宣平侯。惠帝二年（前193年），齊王劉肥為求自保，而將齊國的城陽郡作為公主湯沐邑獻上，並尊公主為齊國王太后。惠帝四年（前191年）冬十月壬寅，其弟漢惠帝立張敖之女張氏為皇后。《漢書》記載，公主為張皇后生母。

封號魯元的疑問

史書稱其為魯元公主，但「魯元」作何解，並無確切的解釋。東漢服虔的解釋：元，長也。食邑于魯，意思是「魯國長公主」。東吳韋昭的解釋：元，謚也。

由于史料缺乏，對于西漢如何冊封公主，知之甚少。從她的侄女劉嫖起，公主的封號通常是「某某公主」，「某某」即「某某縣」，可能是她們食邑所在的縣。而與魯元公主同時代的考古實例所見，她的姊妹或侄女（李公主、申徒公主、榮公主、傅公主），則可能以生母的姓氏加以區分。

家庭

父母

• 漢高祖劉邦

• 漢高皇后呂雉

兄弟

• 哥哥 齊悼惠王劉肥

• 弟弟 漢惠帝劉盈

• 弟弟 趙隱王劉如意

• 弟弟 漢文帝劉恆

• 弟弟 趙共王劉恢

• 弟弟 趙幽王劉友

• 弟弟 淮南厲王劉長

• 弟弟 燕靈王劉建

丈夫

• 宣平武侯張敖

子女

• 張偃

• 皇后張氏

影視形象

注釋

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.