by : http://www.koh-antique.com/
"When Mingfei left the palace of Han,
Face damp with tears, hair hanging loose,
Turning her lowered head she gazed back, expressionless.
And her sovereign could not restrain his anguish.
Blame lay in an artist's hand,
Few had he seen so pleasing to the eye.
Yet the source of such beauty was not painted;
Mao Yanshou was killed at once.
Departing, she knew, never to return,
Pitiable in the costume of the Han court.
Her plaintive voice asking for news of the south.
Where only the swan geese flew and returned each year.
Messages sent by her family, ten thousand li,
So that she in the foreign land will not pine.
Close by, Chang'an gate has locked out the beauty,
Life's aspirations thwarted by neither north nor south."
Sabtu, 27 November 2010
The Inmitable Wang Zhaojun
by : http://www.womenofchina.cn/
For 2,000 years the marriage of Wang Zhaojun has been a popular motif for composers, writers, poets and painters. What kind of a woman would volunteer to be married off to a powerful neighbor in order to secure a temporary peace? Such a figure needs to be assessed against the background of her times. Was she merely a miserable pawn or a person of remarkable integrity? Does she deserve praise or merely sympathy?
Wang Zhaojun, who came from a humble family, was selected for the harem of Emperor Yuandi (reigned 49–33 B.C.). At that time, the Xiongnu (Huns) on China's northern border were beginning to respond to military pressure from the Han Empire. The time was ripe to consolidate the progress made in Han-Xiongnu relations. Among the measures the imperial court took was to give Zhaojun in marriage to Huhanye, King of the Southern Xiongnu. According to historians, the proposal to link the two people through marriage came from Huhanye himself, and Zhaojun stepped forward to be his bride.
"After several years in the palace without an opportunity to meet the emperor," explains one historian, "Zhaojun became resentful and thus she presented herself to the eunuchs, asking them to let her go." When she appeared at the farewell banquet, her beauty stunned Emperor Yuandi, who so far had not met this particular concubine. He regretted having promised such a charming woman to a Xiongnu ruler. However, in his eyes, the dignity and credibility of an emperor were more valuable than a beautiful concubine; thus he merely watched as she was escorted out of his palace to begin her long journey.
It was in 33 B.C. that Zhaojun left Chang'an (present day Xi'an), the capital of Han Dynasty, for what is now central Inner Mongolia. She lived in a palace of yurts, adopted the local diet of meat and dairy products, and bore the king a son. On her husband's death, following the Xiongnu custom, she married his eldest son. By her second husband she had two daughters.
Her native village is now called Zhaojun village. The stream where she is believed to have washed yarn before she was brought to the imperial palace was named Xiangxi (Fragrant Steam) in her honor. Different places in Inner Mongolia are said to be the site of her tomb. Both the one near Hohhot and the one near Baotou are overgrown with such lush grass that each of them is referred to as the Green Tomb.
Zhaojun's story remains a puzzle. Her decision to marry a Xiongnu king at a time when people's attachment to their ancestral homes was strong and Han chauvinism was rampant is hard to understand. Equally puzzling is her failure to be noticed by the emperor despite her beauty and her length stay in the palace.
The celebrated writer Cai Yong (132–192) maintained that Emperor Yuandi did see this particular concubine of his, but he failed to appreciate her beauty. Disappointment and resentment had overtaken Zhaojun after having lived isolated in the palace for years. Thus, claimed Cai Yong, Zhaojun's unusual decision was a retaliatory action against the emperor.
The historian Wu Jun (469–520) cast her decision in another perspective. As Emperor Yuandi's harem grew, according to Wu Jun, he ordered that portraits be painted of all his concubines to form an album for his reference. This stupid order gave the portrait painters the chance to extort bribes from the concubines, whose fortunes depended on how flattering their portraits were. Zhaojun's refusal to bribe them was responsible for the ugly picture of her in the emperor's album. Thus, she had never drawn the monarch's interest until he had to choose one of the eyesores in his harem to be married to the Xiongnu ruler. At the farewell banquet he found that the painters had deceived him. In his rage he had all the portrait painters in the imperial capital executed.
Poetic work about Zhaojun that appeared between the early seventh and the late 13th century were based on amplified versions of Wu Jun's story. The majority of them focus on her journey and underline her resentment. The best example is Wang Zhaojun by the great poet Li Bai (701–762).
Zhaojun grasped the saddle inlaid with jade and mounted, as tears ran down her rosy cheeks: Today I am a Han lady of honor, tomorrow I shall be a Xiongnu concubine.
Later artists based their paintings on Li's description, and depicted her as a melancholy beauty in a red veil and a marten coat, with a Chinese lute under her arm setting off on her white horse.
It was known that the imperial palace was actually a gold cage for all the members of the imperial harem. Deprived of the right to a normal human life and freedom, they served as slaves and playthings. Whether in favor or out of favor, they were victims of one man's lust. Even the normal satisfactions of marriage and motherhood were denied to them.
For a person born and brought up in the "Central Kingdom," having to leave home for good was an agony. The prospect of living in a region plagued by dust storms where nomadic customs and practices prevailed made the agony worse. The poet's sympathetic description of Zhaojun as she leaves for the northern desert points an accusing finger at the feudal oppression to which women were subjected.
More penetrating comments were made by another great poet, Du Fu (712–770), in one of a series of poems devoted to different historical figures:
Across the ranges and valleys beyond Jingmen*
There is a village known to be Mingfei's home**
She disappeared into the Gobi beyond the Great Wall,
Leaving only a Green Tomb to wave goodnight to the setting sun.
Greedy artists kept her from the emperor,
The moon will fail to bring her ghost to him.
The song sung in foreign words to a lute
Tells of nothing but resentment.
* In modern Hubei.
** During the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317–420), Zhaojun was referred to as Mingfei to avoid the character "Zhao" which appeared in the name of Jin Emperor Sima Zhao. Sharing the same character with an emperor was a taboo in feudal times. The name "Mingfei" has stuck through the ages.]
The whole poem implicitly criticizes Emperor Yuandi's arrogance and dissipation, and the cruel practice of maintaining large harems. It also underlines the contrast between the ruler's heartless attitude towards Zhaojun and the people's sympathy for her.
For 2,000 years the marriage of Wang Zhaojun has been a popular motif for composers, writers, poets and painters. What kind of a woman would volunteer to be married off to a powerful neighbor in order to secure a temporary peace? Such a figure needs to be assessed against the background of her times. Was she merely a miserable pawn or a person of remarkable integrity? Does she deserve praise or merely sympathy?
Wang Zhaojun, who came from a humble family, was selected for the harem of Emperor Yuandi (reigned 49–33 B.C.). At that time, the Xiongnu (Huns) on China's northern border were beginning to respond to military pressure from the Han Empire. The time was ripe to consolidate the progress made in Han-Xiongnu relations. Among the measures the imperial court took was to give Zhaojun in marriage to Huhanye, King of the Southern Xiongnu. According to historians, the proposal to link the two people through marriage came from Huhanye himself, and Zhaojun stepped forward to be his bride.
"After several years in the palace without an opportunity to meet the emperor," explains one historian, "Zhaojun became resentful and thus she presented herself to the eunuchs, asking them to let her go." When she appeared at the farewell banquet, her beauty stunned Emperor Yuandi, who so far had not met this particular concubine. He regretted having promised such a charming woman to a Xiongnu ruler. However, in his eyes, the dignity and credibility of an emperor were more valuable than a beautiful concubine; thus he merely watched as she was escorted out of his palace to begin her long journey.
It was in 33 B.C. that Zhaojun left Chang'an (present day Xi'an), the capital of Han Dynasty, for what is now central Inner Mongolia. She lived in a palace of yurts, adopted the local diet of meat and dairy products, and bore the king a son. On her husband's death, following the Xiongnu custom, she married his eldest son. By her second husband she had two daughters.
Her native village is now called Zhaojun village. The stream where she is believed to have washed yarn before she was brought to the imperial palace was named Xiangxi (Fragrant Steam) in her honor. Different places in Inner Mongolia are said to be the site of her tomb. Both the one near Hohhot and the one near Baotou are overgrown with such lush grass that each of them is referred to as the Green Tomb.
Zhaojun's story remains a puzzle. Her decision to marry a Xiongnu king at a time when people's attachment to their ancestral homes was strong and Han chauvinism was rampant is hard to understand. Equally puzzling is her failure to be noticed by the emperor despite her beauty and her length stay in the palace.
The celebrated writer Cai Yong (132–192) maintained that Emperor Yuandi did see this particular concubine of his, but he failed to appreciate her beauty. Disappointment and resentment had overtaken Zhaojun after having lived isolated in the palace for years. Thus, claimed Cai Yong, Zhaojun's unusual decision was a retaliatory action against the emperor.
The historian Wu Jun (469–520) cast her decision in another perspective. As Emperor Yuandi's harem grew, according to Wu Jun, he ordered that portraits be painted of all his concubines to form an album for his reference. This stupid order gave the portrait painters the chance to extort bribes from the concubines, whose fortunes depended on how flattering their portraits were. Zhaojun's refusal to bribe them was responsible for the ugly picture of her in the emperor's album. Thus, she had never drawn the monarch's interest until he had to choose one of the eyesores in his harem to be married to the Xiongnu ruler. At the farewell banquet he found that the painters had deceived him. In his rage he had all the portrait painters in the imperial capital executed.
Poetic work about Zhaojun that appeared between the early seventh and the late 13th century were based on amplified versions of Wu Jun's story. The majority of them focus on her journey and underline her resentment. The best example is Wang Zhaojun by the great poet Li Bai (701–762).
Zhaojun grasped the saddle inlaid with jade and mounted, as tears ran down her rosy cheeks: Today I am a Han lady of honor, tomorrow I shall be a Xiongnu concubine.
Later artists based their paintings on Li's description, and depicted her as a melancholy beauty in a red veil and a marten coat, with a Chinese lute under her arm setting off on her white horse.
It was known that the imperial palace was actually a gold cage for all the members of the imperial harem. Deprived of the right to a normal human life and freedom, they served as slaves and playthings. Whether in favor or out of favor, they were victims of one man's lust. Even the normal satisfactions of marriage and motherhood were denied to them.
For a person born and brought up in the "Central Kingdom," having to leave home for good was an agony. The prospect of living in a region plagued by dust storms where nomadic customs and practices prevailed made the agony worse. The poet's sympathetic description of Zhaojun as she leaves for the northern desert points an accusing finger at the feudal oppression to which women were subjected.
More penetrating comments were made by another great poet, Du Fu (712–770), in one of a series of poems devoted to different historical figures:
Across the ranges and valleys beyond Jingmen*
There is a village known to be Mingfei's home**
She disappeared into the Gobi beyond the Great Wall,
Leaving only a Green Tomb to wave goodnight to the setting sun.
Greedy artists kept her from the emperor,
The moon will fail to bring her ghost to him.
The song sung in foreign words to a lute
Tells of nothing but resentment.
* In modern Hubei.
** During the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317–420), Zhaojun was referred to as Mingfei to avoid the character "Zhao" which appeared in the name of Jin Emperor Sima Zhao. Sharing the same character with an emperor was a taboo in feudal times. The name "Mingfei" has stuck through the ages.]
The whole poem implicitly criticizes Emperor Yuandi's arrogance and dissipation, and the cruel practice of maintaining large harems. It also underlines the contrast between the ruler's heartless attitude towards Zhaojun and the people's sympathy for her.
Wang Zhaojun
by : http://www.chinaculture.org/
Wang Zhaojun is perhaps the best known of China's "political brides". Wang Zhaojun was a real person, born in Zigui County (in current Hubei Province) in the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-8AD). Her name was Wang Qiang, and Zhaojun was her style name. During the Jin Dynasty (265-420), she was referred to as Mingfei (Concubine Ming) as the name Zhao could not be used by ordinary folks since the King Sima Zhao had the same surname.
All this can be found in the official records, for in her teens she entered the palace as one of the numerous candidates from whom Emperor Yuan chose his concubines.
According to records, during the reign of Emperor Yuan (48-33BC), Wang Zhaojun, a daring and determined young woman, entered the imperial harem willingly to save her father, a scholar-official, from persecution. She was beautiful, intelligent and well read.
At that time, the emperor chose concubines from his vast harem of maidens by looking at their portraits. As a result of this practice, it had become the custom for palace ladies to offer large bribes to court artists to ensure that they painted a flattering likeness. Wang Zhaojun, however, so sure of her beauty, refused to bribe the court painter Mao Yanshou. As a result Mao Yanshou painted an unflattering picture of her. From the finished portrait, she seemed to be the ugliest of all the palace ladies, and thus never received the emperor's favor. Wang Zhaojun did not like the thought of wasting her life in the imperial harem, and hoped that some day something would happen that would free her from it.
In the year 33BC the Huns, a nomadic people of the north, wanted to establish friendly relations with the Han Dynasty through marriage. When Huhanxie, the Chanyu (Khan) of Hun, came to the Han capital to request a Han princess as a bride, Emperor Yuan agreed. Unwilling to pick out a real beauty, the emperor ordered that the plainest girl in the harem be selected for the marriage, and gave her away like his own daughter. He asked for volunteers. The idea of leaving their homeland and comfortable life at the court for the grasslands of the far and unknown north was abhorrent to most of the young women. But not to Wang Zhaojun: she saw it as a chance to leave the empty palace life and possibly play a more important role than she ever would. She applied. When the lady-in-charge of the harem sent the unflattering portrait of Wang Zhaojun to the emperor, he merely glanced at it and nodded his approval.
Only when Wang Zhaojun was on the point of departure did Emperor Yuan set eyes on her. Much to his dismay, he realized his terrible mistake that Wang Zhaojun was in fact the loveliest woman in his harem. He wanted to find a substitute for her; however, it was too late for the Emperor to change his decision. The fate of Wang Zhaojun had however been sealed. In anguish and sorrow, he parted with Wang Zhaojun. The court artist Mao Yanshou was subsequently put to death for deceiving the Emperor.
Emperor granted Wang a generous dowry and , specifically for this event, even changed the name of his reign to Jing Ning (peaceful boundary), implying that Zhaojun's departure for Hun way beyond the Great Wall would ensure everlasting peace and harmony between the Han and the Hun and a trouble-free border.
Under the escort of Han and Hun officials, Wang, in a beautiful red dress and with a pipa in her arms, set off from Chang'an on a white horse for her long journey to the distant land of the Huns. At the beginning, she found it hard to adapt to the way of life of the Hun. However, she was determined to overcome all difficulties and gradually became used to their habits and customs. Eventually Wang Zhaojun got on very good terms with the Huns and succeeded in spreading the Han culture and civilization among the Hun tribe. As she was loved and respected by the Huns, Chanyu (Khan) Huhanxie conferred on her the title of the First Lady of Hun Peace, eulogizing Zhaojun as a queen who had brought peach and security to the Hun tribe.
Wang Zhaojun lived in Hun for the rest of her life. Her children continued her work of forging a friendly and amicable relationship between the Han and the Hun. The story of Zhaojun's Settlement Way beyond the Great Wall has become a household tale in the history of the friendship and unity among Chinese nationalities as well as a popular subject in Chinese poetry, drama and novels. Today, her tomb at Hohhot in Inner Mongolia was one of the eight special scenery spots in present Inner Mongolia, which was built by the Huns of olden times in memory of this goodwill envoy from the Han.
Wang Zhaojun is perhaps the best known of China's "political brides". Wang Zhaojun was a real person, born in Zigui County (in current Hubei Province) in the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-8AD). Her name was Wang Qiang, and Zhaojun was her style name. During the Jin Dynasty (265-420), she was referred to as Mingfei (Concubine Ming) as the name Zhao could not be used by ordinary folks since the King Sima Zhao had the same surname.
All this can be found in the official records, for in her teens she entered the palace as one of the numerous candidates from whom Emperor Yuan chose his concubines.
According to records, during the reign of Emperor Yuan (48-33BC), Wang Zhaojun, a daring and determined young woman, entered the imperial harem willingly to save her father, a scholar-official, from persecution. She was beautiful, intelligent and well read.
At that time, the emperor chose concubines from his vast harem of maidens by looking at their portraits. As a result of this practice, it had become the custom for palace ladies to offer large bribes to court artists to ensure that they painted a flattering likeness. Wang Zhaojun, however, so sure of her beauty, refused to bribe the court painter Mao Yanshou. As a result Mao Yanshou painted an unflattering picture of her. From the finished portrait, she seemed to be the ugliest of all the palace ladies, and thus never received the emperor's favor. Wang Zhaojun did not like the thought of wasting her life in the imperial harem, and hoped that some day something would happen that would free her from it.
In the year 33BC the Huns, a nomadic people of the north, wanted to establish friendly relations with the Han Dynasty through marriage. When Huhanxie, the Chanyu (Khan) of Hun, came to the Han capital to request a Han princess as a bride, Emperor Yuan agreed. Unwilling to pick out a real beauty, the emperor ordered that the plainest girl in the harem be selected for the marriage, and gave her away like his own daughter. He asked for volunteers. The idea of leaving their homeland and comfortable life at the court for the grasslands of the far and unknown north was abhorrent to most of the young women. But not to Wang Zhaojun: she saw it as a chance to leave the empty palace life and possibly play a more important role than she ever would. She applied. When the lady-in-charge of the harem sent the unflattering portrait of Wang Zhaojun to the emperor, he merely glanced at it and nodded his approval.
Only when Wang Zhaojun was on the point of departure did Emperor Yuan set eyes on her. Much to his dismay, he realized his terrible mistake that Wang Zhaojun was in fact the loveliest woman in his harem. He wanted to find a substitute for her; however, it was too late for the Emperor to change his decision. The fate of Wang Zhaojun had however been sealed. In anguish and sorrow, he parted with Wang Zhaojun. The court artist Mao Yanshou was subsequently put to death for deceiving the Emperor.
Emperor granted Wang a generous dowry and , specifically for this event, even changed the name of his reign to Jing Ning (peaceful boundary), implying that Zhaojun's departure for Hun way beyond the Great Wall would ensure everlasting peace and harmony between the Han and the Hun and a trouble-free border.
Under the escort of Han and Hun officials, Wang, in a beautiful red dress and with a pipa in her arms, set off from Chang'an on a white horse for her long journey to the distant land of the Huns. At the beginning, she found it hard to adapt to the way of life of the Hun. However, she was determined to overcome all difficulties and gradually became used to their habits and customs. Eventually Wang Zhaojun got on very good terms with the Huns and succeeded in spreading the Han culture and civilization among the Hun tribe. As she was loved and respected by the Huns, Chanyu (Khan) Huhanxie conferred on her the title of the First Lady of Hun Peace, eulogizing Zhaojun as a queen who had brought peach and security to the Hun tribe.
Wang Zhaojun lived in Hun for the rest of her life. Her children continued her work of forging a friendly and amicable relationship between the Han and the Hun. The story of Zhaojun's Settlement Way beyond the Great Wall has become a household tale in the history of the friendship and unity among Chinese nationalities as well as a popular subject in Chinese poetry, drama and novels. Today, her tomb at Hohhot in Inner Mongolia was one of the eight special scenery spots in present Inner Mongolia, which was built by the Huns of olden times in memory of this goodwill envoy from the Han.
Sabtu, 20 November 2010
Four Beauties
The Four Beauties, or Four Great Beauties are four ancient Chinese women, renowned for their beauty. According to legend, they are the most beautiful women of ancient China. Using their beauty they exercised influence over kings and warriors. Three of the four beauties even brought kingdoms to their knees.
The four beauties lived in four different dynasties. The four beauties were:
Xi Shi
Xi Shi was said to have lived during the end of the Spring and Autumn period in Zhuji, the capital of the ancient State of Yue. Her beauty was said to be so extreme that while leaning over a balcony to look at the fish in the pond, the fish would be so dazzled that they forgot to swim and gradually sunk away from the surface, birds would forget to fly and fall from the sky, the moon would fade, and flowers would close their petals in shame in comparison to her.
Xi Shi's Story
King Goujian of Yue, king of Yue, was once imprisoned after a defeat in a war by King Fuchai of Wu, king of the State of Wu. King Fuchai was a sexaddict and could not resist beautiful women, so Goujian's minister, Wen Zhong, suggested training beautiful women and offering them to Fuchai as a tribute. Goujian's other minister, Fan Li, found Xi Shi and Zheng Dan and gifted them to Fuchai in 490 B.C.
Fuchai was bewitched by the beauty of Xi Shi and Zheng Dan. Because of it, he forgot all about his state affairs and on their instigation, killed his best advisor, the great general Wu Zixu. Fuchai even built Guanwa Palace (Palace of Beautiful Women) in an imperial park on the slope of Lingyan Hill, about 15 kilometers west of Suzhou. The strength of Wu dwindled, and in 473 B.C. Goujian launched his strike and put the Wu army to full rout. King Fuchai lamented that he should have listened to Wu Zixu, and then committed suicide.
Death
Each of the Four Beauties died under tragic or mysterious circumstances. The latter would apply to Xi Shi, however there is one disputed account of her fate, it was written that Goujian ordered Xi Shi to be drowned by being thrown into a lake, to avoid being tempted by her as Fuchai was.
In Remembrance
Xi Shi is remembered by the Xi Shi Temple, which lies at the foot of the Zhu Lou Hill in the southern part of the city, on the banks of the Huansha River.
The West Lake in Hangzhou is said to be the incarnation of Xi Shi, hence it is also called Xizi Lake, Xizi being another name for Xi Shi, meaning Lady Xi.
Wang Zhaojun
Added by Zantam03Wang Zhaojun was born to a prominent family of Zigui country, Nan county (now Xingshan county, Hubei) in the south of the Western Han empire.
Wang Zhaojun's Story
She entered the harem of Emperor Yuan probably after 40 BC. During her time in the Lateral Courts, Wang Qiang was never visited by the emperor and remained as a palace lady-in-waiting. When choosing a new wife, the Emperor was first presented with portraits of all the possible women. Wang Zhaojun’s portrait was either never viewed by the Emperor, or was not in its true form, and therefore the Emperor overlooked her.In 33 BC, Huhanye visited Chang’an on a homage trip, as part of the tributary system between the Han and Xiongnu. He took the opportunity to ask to be allowed to become an imperial son-in-law. Instead of honouring the chanyu with a princess, Huhanye was presented with five women from the imperial harem, one of them who was Wang Zhaojun.
A story from the Hou Han Shu relates that Wang Zhaojun volunteered to join the shanyu. When summoned to court, her beauty astonished the emperor’s courtiers and made the emperor reconsider his decision to send her to the Xiongnu.
Wang Zhaojun became a favourite of the Huhanye shanyu, giving birth to two sons. Only one of them seems to have survived, Yituzhiyashi. They also had at least one daughter, Yun, who was created Princess Yimuo and who would later become a powerful figure in Xiongnu politics. When Huhanye died in 31 BC, Wang Zhaojun requested to return to China. Emperor Cheng, however, ordered that she follow Xiongnu levirate custom and become the wife of the next shanyu, the oldest brother(or her stepson, born by her husband’s first wife) of her husband. In her new marriage she had two daughters.
Wang was honoured as Ninghu Yanzhi.
Death
In legend, she commits suicide after her husband dies, seeing it as her only resort in order to avoid marrying his son. Historically, it is not known how or when she died.
In Remembrance
Wang Zhaojun was a symbol of the cohesion for the Chinese nation. Her deeds are respected by the later people. Her tomb is repeatedly renovated by the later generation in memory of her. And the story of Zhaojun going out of the frontier strongly attracted numerous artists of every dynasty, who created thousands of works based on her story in a variety of artistic forms, such as music, painting, poetry, drama and novels.
Diao Chan
Added by Zantam03Main article: Diao Chan
Diao Chan was said to have been born in 161 or 169 AD, depending on the source. However, unlike the other three beauties, Diao Chan, as we know her from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, does not appear in any known historical writings, and is quite possibly a fictional character.
Legend has it that when Diao Chan paid offerings to the moon at midnight, Chang'e (the Chinese Moon Goddess) hurried to hide in clouds, for this beautiful lady made her feel inferior. The phrase “outshines the moon“ in the beauty-describing idiom “Beauty which outshines the moon and shames the flowers“ has Diao Chan as the very subject. This legend embodies in an exaggerated way Diao Chan’s beautiful appearance in the eyes of the Chinese people.
Diao Chan's Story
Diao Chan appears in the classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms in a plot involving the warrior Lü Bu and the warlord Dong Zhuo. Wang Yun married Diao Chan to Lü Bu and later Dong Zhuo. This created jealousy between the two who were father and son since Lü Bu had entered Dong Zhuo's service and eventually Lü Bu killed his adoptive father. According to historical records, Lü Bu did have relations with a maid of Dong Zhuo’s. However, there is no evidence that this person’s name was Diao Chan. In fact, it is extremely unlikely that it was Diao Chan, because “Diāo” was not, and is not, commonly used as a Chinese family name. “Diāochán” likely referred to the sable (diào) tails and jade decorations in the shape of cicadas (chán), which at the time adorned the hats of high-level officials.
Some people are of opinion that Diaochan, because of it's meaning, would not have been an uncommon name for a palace-born girl.
Death
There are different stories concerning Diao Chan's death. There is a folktale that Diao Chan was captured by Cao Cao after Xiapi. When Cao Cao was trying to keep Guan Yu in his service, he sent Diao Chan to seduce Guan Yu. Guan Yu suspected that he was being tricked as he knew how she had betrayed Lü Bu and Dong Zhuo so he killed her to prevent her from hurting anyone else. A second version of this story is that years after Xiapi, Liu Bei, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu all wanted to marry Diao Chan and the three argued bitterly over her. To end the strife between them Guan Yu cut her in half.
In one Yuan Dynasty play, Diao Chan is introduced to Guan Yu by his ‘brother’ Zhang Fei after the death of Lü Bu, but instead of accepting her as the spoils of war, Guan Yu decapitates her with his sword. This event does not appear either on the history records or the novel itself, but is propagated through mass media such as operas and storytelling. There is also another idea of what happened to Diao Chan. There is also a source that says she did meet Guan Yu, but he let her become a nun. After hearing this, Cao Cao wanted to take her as his own. When the news reached Diao Chan, however, she committed suicide.
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Records of the Three Kingdoms, Diao Chan is not mentioned after Lü Bu kills Dong Zhuo.
In Remembrance
According to scholar Meng Fanren's textual research, Diao Chan is a real person in history. She was living in Muzhi Village in Xinzhou, Shaanxi Province and her real name was Ren Hongchang. In the village still stands a stele written with “Diao Chan’s Hometown“ as well as her tomb and temple. They were built for commemoration of this respectable woman who sacrificed herself for the country.
Yang Guifei
Added by Zantam03Yang Yuhuan often referred to as Yang Guifei was said to have lived during the Tang Dynasty. She was an imperial concubine of Emperor Xuanzong and commonly called Imperial Concubine Yang. She was also known briefly under her Taoïst nun name Taozhen.
Yang Guifei's Story
Yang Yuhuan was born in an old, well-known official family. She was naturally beautiful with a docile character. She was gifted in music, singing, dancing and playing lute. These talents, together with her education, made her stand out among the imperial concubines and win the emperor‘s favor. Yang Yuhuan was also known for being slightly overweight, which was a much sought-after quality at the time. Misinterpretation of quotes describing this in the West has often led to her being described as “obese”. The term “obese”, when used to describe Yang Yuhuan, must not be viewed in its modern context of someone who is extremely overweight. She was often compared and contrasted with Empress Zhao Feiyan, the beautiful wife of Emperor Cheng of Han, because Consort Yang was known for her full build while Empress Zhao was known for her slender build. This led to the Four-character idiom yanshou huanfei, describing the range of the types of beauties. Emperor Xuanzong, a fan of music, ordered his musicians to play the music Song of Rainbow Skirt & Feathered Dress composed by him to express his cheerful feeling of seeing Imperial Concubine Yang. Latterly, Imperial Concubine Yang was banished twice from the palace, for her envy peeved Emperor Xuanzong. However, Xuanzong, who was so hard to forget her, called her back every time at the end.
Death
In 755 A.D. when the military insurgence “Anshi Insurgence (Anshizhiluan)“ was launched by the local forces of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Tang Xuanzong, together with Imperial Concubine Yang, fled from Chang’an. When they arrived at the Mawei Slope, the army refused to march, for the army thought that the reason of this rebellion by An Lushan was that Imperial Concubine Yang’s behavior of attracting emperor ruined the state and that her cousin Yang Guozong colluded with the enemy. To appease the army, Emperor Tang Xuanzong had no choice but to order Yang to commit suicide at the Mawei Slope.
In the following generation, a long poem, “Song of the Everlasting Sorrow”, was written by the poet Bai Juyi describing the Emperor’s love for her and perpetual grief at her loss. It became an instant classic, known to and memorized by Chinese schoolchildren far into posterity. The story of Yang Yuhuan and the poem also became highly popular in Japan and served as sources of inspiration for the classical novel “The Tale of Genji” which begins with the doomed love between an emperor and a consort, Kiritsubo, who is likened to Consort Yang.
In Remembrance
Today, there is a tomb of Yang Yuhuan in Xingping of Shaanxi, in front of which stands her white marble statue
The four beauties lived in four different dynasties. The four beauties were:
Xi Shi
Xi Shi's Story
King Goujian of Yue, king of Yue, was once imprisoned after a defeat in a war by King Fuchai of Wu, king of the State of Wu. King Fuchai was a sexaddict and could not resist beautiful women, so Goujian's minister, Wen Zhong, suggested training beautiful women and offering them to Fuchai as a tribute. Goujian's other minister, Fan Li, found Xi Shi and Zheng Dan and gifted them to Fuchai in 490 B.C.
Fuchai was bewitched by the beauty of Xi Shi and Zheng Dan. Because of it, he forgot all about his state affairs and on their instigation, killed his best advisor, the great general Wu Zixu. Fuchai even built Guanwa Palace (Palace of Beautiful Women) in an imperial park on the slope of Lingyan Hill, about 15 kilometers west of Suzhou. The strength of Wu dwindled, and in 473 B.C. Goujian launched his strike and put the Wu army to full rout. King Fuchai lamented that he should have listened to Wu Zixu, and then committed suicide.
Death
Each of the Four Beauties died under tragic or mysterious circumstances. The latter would apply to Xi Shi, however there is one disputed account of her fate, it was written that Goujian ordered Xi Shi to be drowned by being thrown into a lake, to avoid being tempted by her as Fuchai was.
In Remembrance
Xi Shi is remembered by the Xi Shi Temple, which lies at the foot of the Zhu Lou Hill in the southern part of the city, on the banks of the Huansha River.
The West Lake in Hangzhou is said to be the incarnation of Xi Shi, hence it is also called Xizi Lake, Xizi being another name for Xi Shi, meaning Lady Xi.
Wang Zhaojun
Wang Zhaojun's Story
She entered the harem of Emperor Yuan probably after 40 BC. During her time in the Lateral Courts, Wang Qiang was never visited by the emperor and remained as a palace lady-in-waiting. When choosing a new wife, the Emperor was first presented with portraits of all the possible women. Wang Zhaojun’s portrait was either never viewed by the Emperor, or was not in its true form, and therefore the Emperor overlooked her.In 33 BC, Huhanye visited Chang’an on a homage trip, as part of the tributary system between the Han and Xiongnu. He took the opportunity to ask to be allowed to become an imperial son-in-law. Instead of honouring the chanyu with a princess, Huhanye was presented with five women from the imperial harem, one of them who was Wang Zhaojun.
A story from the Hou Han Shu relates that Wang Zhaojun volunteered to join the shanyu. When summoned to court, her beauty astonished the emperor’s courtiers and made the emperor reconsider his decision to send her to the Xiongnu.
Wang Zhaojun became a favourite of the Huhanye shanyu, giving birth to two sons. Only one of them seems to have survived, Yituzhiyashi. They also had at least one daughter, Yun, who was created Princess Yimuo and who would later become a powerful figure in Xiongnu politics. When Huhanye died in 31 BC, Wang Zhaojun requested to return to China. Emperor Cheng, however, ordered that she follow Xiongnu levirate custom and become the wife of the next shanyu, the oldest brother(or her stepson, born by her husband’s first wife) of her husband. In her new marriage she had two daughters.
Wang was honoured as Ninghu Yanzhi.
Death
In legend, she commits suicide after her husband dies, seeing it as her only resort in order to avoid marrying his son. Historically, it is not known how or when she died.
In Remembrance
Wang Zhaojun was a symbol of the cohesion for the Chinese nation. Her deeds are respected by the later people. Her tomb is repeatedly renovated by the later generation in memory of her. And the story of Zhaojun going out of the frontier strongly attracted numerous artists of every dynasty, who created thousands of works based on her story in a variety of artistic forms, such as music, painting, poetry, drama and novels.
Diao Chan
Diao Chan was said to have been born in 161 or 169 AD, depending on the source. However, unlike the other three beauties, Diao Chan, as we know her from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, does not appear in any known historical writings, and is quite possibly a fictional character.
Legend has it that when Diao Chan paid offerings to the moon at midnight, Chang'e (the Chinese Moon Goddess) hurried to hide in clouds, for this beautiful lady made her feel inferior. The phrase “outshines the moon“ in the beauty-describing idiom “Beauty which outshines the moon and shames the flowers“ has Diao Chan as the very subject. This legend embodies in an exaggerated way Diao Chan’s beautiful appearance in the eyes of the Chinese people.
Diao Chan's Story
Diao Chan appears in the classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms in a plot involving the warrior Lü Bu and the warlord Dong Zhuo. Wang Yun married Diao Chan to Lü Bu and later Dong Zhuo. This created jealousy between the two who were father and son since Lü Bu had entered Dong Zhuo's service and eventually Lü Bu killed his adoptive father. According to historical records, Lü Bu did have relations with a maid of Dong Zhuo’s. However, there is no evidence that this person’s name was Diao Chan. In fact, it is extremely unlikely that it was Diao Chan, because “Diāo” was not, and is not, commonly used as a Chinese family name. “Diāochán” likely referred to the sable (diào) tails and jade decorations in the shape of cicadas (chán), which at the time adorned the hats of high-level officials.
Some people are of opinion that Diaochan, because of it's meaning, would not have been an uncommon name for a palace-born girl.
Death
There are different stories concerning Diao Chan's death. There is a folktale that Diao Chan was captured by Cao Cao after Xiapi. When Cao Cao was trying to keep Guan Yu in his service, he sent Diao Chan to seduce Guan Yu. Guan Yu suspected that he was being tricked as he knew how she had betrayed Lü Bu and Dong Zhuo so he killed her to prevent her from hurting anyone else. A second version of this story is that years after Xiapi, Liu Bei, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu all wanted to marry Diao Chan and the three argued bitterly over her. To end the strife between them Guan Yu cut her in half.
In one Yuan Dynasty play, Diao Chan is introduced to Guan Yu by his ‘brother’ Zhang Fei after the death of Lü Bu, but instead of accepting her as the spoils of war, Guan Yu decapitates her with his sword. This event does not appear either on the history records or the novel itself, but is propagated through mass media such as operas and storytelling. There is also another idea of what happened to Diao Chan. There is also a source that says she did meet Guan Yu, but he let her become a nun. After hearing this, Cao Cao wanted to take her as his own. When the news reached Diao Chan, however, she committed suicide.
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Records of the Three Kingdoms, Diao Chan is not mentioned after Lü Bu kills Dong Zhuo.
In Remembrance
According to scholar Meng Fanren's textual research, Diao Chan is a real person in history. She was living in Muzhi Village in Xinzhou, Shaanxi Province and her real name was Ren Hongchang. In the village still stands a stele written with “Diao Chan’s Hometown“ as well as her tomb and temple. They were built for commemoration of this respectable woman who sacrificed herself for the country.
Yang Guifei
Yang Guifei's Story
Yang Yuhuan was born in an old, well-known official family. She was naturally beautiful with a docile character. She was gifted in music, singing, dancing and playing lute. These talents, together with her education, made her stand out among the imperial concubines and win the emperor‘s favor. Yang Yuhuan was also known for being slightly overweight, which was a much sought-after quality at the time. Misinterpretation of quotes describing this in the West has often led to her being described as “obese”. The term “obese”, when used to describe Yang Yuhuan, must not be viewed in its modern context of someone who is extremely overweight. She was often compared and contrasted with Empress Zhao Feiyan, the beautiful wife of Emperor Cheng of Han, because Consort Yang was known for her full build while Empress Zhao was known for her slender build. This led to the Four-character idiom yanshou huanfei, describing the range of the types of beauties. Emperor Xuanzong, a fan of music, ordered his musicians to play the music Song of Rainbow Skirt & Feathered Dress composed by him to express his cheerful feeling of seeing Imperial Concubine Yang. Latterly, Imperial Concubine Yang was banished twice from the palace, for her envy peeved Emperor Xuanzong. However, Xuanzong, who was so hard to forget her, called her back every time at the end.
Death
In 755 A.D. when the military insurgence “Anshi Insurgence (Anshizhiluan)“ was launched by the local forces of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Tang Xuanzong, together with Imperial Concubine Yang, fled from Chang’an. When they arrived at the Mawei Slope, the army refused to march, for the army thought that the reason of this rebellion by An Lushan was that Imperial Concubine Yang’s behavior of attracting emperor ruined the state and that her cousin Yang Guozong colluded with the enemy. To appease the army, Emperor Tang Xuanzong had no choice but to order Yang to commit suicide at the Mawei Slope.
In the following generation, a long poem, “Song of the Everlasting Sorrow”, was written by the poet Bai Juyi describing the Emperor’s love for her and perpetual grief at her loss. It became an instant classic, known to and memorized by Chinese schoolchildren far into posterity. The story of Yang Yuhuan and the poem also became highly popular in Japan and served as sources of inspiration for the classical novel “The Tale of Genji” which begins with the doomed love between an emperor and a consort, Kiritsubo, who is likened to Consort Yang.
In Remembrance
Today, there is a tomb of Yang Yuhuan in Xingping of Shaanxi, in front of which stands her white marble statue
Xishi
Xishi was a legendary beauty of the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 B.C.) in ancient China. She has been described as "equally charming in both heavy and light makeup"," as appealing when she frowns as when she smiles".
Of her figure it has been said that "were she plump, you would admire her plumpness, were she thin you would admire her for being slender".
She is celebrated as a woman of extraordinary natural beauty with a universal appeal. Although many have praised Xishi's looks, there is but little mention of her notable virtue - she had a great love for her country and her people.
Xishi was the daughter of a tea trader from Ningluo Mountain village in the Zhuji county in Zhejiang Province. This comprised a part of the ancient state of Yue
When the state of Yue was vanquished by the state of Wu, the King of Yue, Gou Jian was forced to serve the Prince of Wu for three years. On his release, King Gou Jian slept on brushwood and drank gall before each meal to remind himself of the humiliation his country had suffered. He commissioned men to search far and wide for a woman whom he could send as a tribute to Prince Fuchai of Wu. Xishi, whose beauty was much talked of even from early childhood, was selected for this task and sent to the capital.
King Gou Jian approved of the choice and had Xishi dressed in fine robes. He had her trained in royal court etiquette. Gou Jian ordered his minister Fan Li to take Xishi to the Prince of Wu as a tribute gift from Yue. During the journey, Xishi fell deeply in love with the wise minister. Fan Li also grew to admire this courageous lady who was willing to give her life for her country. Consequently, before they parted, they made a secret pledge of undying love.
They arrived at the capital of Wu and the prince welcomed Xishi with open arms. He was enchanted by her appearance and doted on her. Gradually he began to neglect his political duties, preferring to idle away his time with Xishi. He frequently took her out on carriage rides to the noisy and prosperous sections of the city. On these rides, he liked to boast to those around him that he had won the heart of the most beautiful woman in the world. He would add: "If you want to look at her, you'll have to present me with some gold coins!" In this way, he also managed to enrich his coffers.
Xishi, however, never lost sight of her mission. Her aim was to bewitch the Prince of Wu so that his subjects would grow restless and his friends would desert him. The political chaos that ensued would enable the King of Yue to invade the state of Wu, recompensing him for his former humiliation.
Heaven grants the wishes of men. The King of Yue finally annexed the state of Wu. Following the death of Prince Fuchai of Wu, Xishi disappeared from public life. She lived in relative obscurity with Fan Li who became a successful trader.
This story is unique in the history of feudal China as no one has ever found fault with Xishi, even though she had caused the downfall of the state of Wu.
Of her figure it has been said that "were she plump, you would admire her plumpness, were she thin you would admire her for being slender".
She is celebrated as a woman of extraordinary natural beauty with a universal appeal. Although many have praised Xishi's looks, there is but little mention of her notable virtue - she had a great love for her country and her people.
Xishi was the daughter of a tea trader from Ningluo Mountain village in the Zhuji county in Zhejiang Province. This comprised a part of the ancient state of Yue
When the state of Yue was vanquished by the state of Wu, the King of Yue, Gou Jian was forced to serve the Prince of Wu for three years. On his release, King Gou Jian slept on brushwood and drank gall before each meal to remind himself of the humiliation his country had suffered. He commissioned men to search far and wide for a woman whom he could send as a tribute to Prince Fuchai of Wu. Xishi, whose beauty was much talked of even from early childhood, was selected for this task and sent to the capital.
King Gou Jian approved of the choice and had Xishi dressed in fine robes. He had her trained in royal court etiquette. Gou Jian ordered his minister Fan Li to take Xishi to the Prince of Wu as a tribute gift from Yue. During the journey, Xishi fell deeply in love with the wise minister. Fan Li also grew to admire this courageous lady who was willing to give her life for her country. Consequently, before they parted, they made a secret pledge of undying love.
They arrived at the capital of Wu and the prince welcomed Xishi with open arms. He was enchanted by her appearance and doted on her. Gradually he began to neglect his political duties, preferring to idle away his time with Xishi. He frequently took her out on carriage rides to the noisy and prosperous sections of the city. On these rides, he liked to boast to those around him that he had won the heart of the most beautiful woman in the world. He would add: "If you want to look at her, you'll have to present me with some gold coins!" In this way, he also managed to enrich his coffers.
Xishi, however, never lost sight of her mission. Her aim was to bewitch the Prince of Wu so that his subjects would grow restless and his friends would desert him. The political chaos that ensued would enable the King of Yue to invade the state of Wu, recompensing him for his former humiliation.
Heaven grants the wishes of men. The King of Yue finally annexed the state of Wu. Following the death of Prince Fuchai of Wu, Xishi disappeared from public life. She lived in relative obscurity with Fan Li who became a successful trader.
This story is unique in the history of feudal China as no one has ever found fault with Xishi, even though she had caused the downfall of the state of Wu.
What Kind of Cloth Did Xi Shi Wash
by : http://people.chinese.cn
Xi Shi, named Shi Yiguang, was from Zhuluo (Zhuji, Zhejiang Province) of Kingdom of Yue during the last years of Spring and Autumn period. There were two villages where people with the surname Shi got together at the foot of the Zhuluo Mountain; Shi Yiguang lived in the west (pronounced Xi in Chinese) and thus got the name Xi Shi. Her father made a living by selling firewood and her mother washed clothes for others.
The Kingdom of Wu defeated the Kingdom of Yue in 492 BC. Gou Jian, King of Yue borne the humiliation for the sake of his people, endured hardship and decided to make revenge. Wen Zhong, an official of Yue proposed "nine strategems" for Gou Jian to defeat Wu, the fourth of which is a beauty trap. Fan Li seeked for the beauty everywhere and met Xi Shi at the foot of Zhuluo Mountain. Xi Shi was sent to Wu as a present and she helped Yue secretly to make Gou Jian accomplish the task of defeating Wu and resuming Yue. The story that Xi Shi sacrificed herself for the recovery of her homeland has been prevailing for over 2000 years.
Zhuluo Mountain is 1 km away from Zhuji county and lies along the riverside of Huanjiang (also called Huanshaxi). There is a big square stone, known as "Huanshashi". It is said that Xi Shi washed clothes here and Fan Li also met her by chance here. One day, Wang Xizhi, who lived in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, visited Zhuluo Mountain. He saw the sunset, afterglow and the square stone, which recalled his mixed memories. He was moved by the story of Xi Shi who was entrusted with a mission at a critical moment to sacrifice for the homeland, and then he wrote the everlasting words "Huansha" on the precipice over the big square stone "Huanshashi".
The legend goes that the stone "Huanshashi" had indissoluble bond with Xi Shi. It's said that when Xi Shi went to wash clothes, the stone would sink or float automatically with the depth of water so that she can wash easily to save labor. The clothes she washed were clean and white, soft and bright with fragrance. Then what kind of cloth did Xi Shi wash?
Someone said it was cotton, someone said it was silk, someone held it was "sand" being washed off instead of "cloth" being washed, and others thought it was ramie.
Cotton is imported product. It was introduced into China through Central Asia after Zhang Qian of Western Han Dynasty fulfilled the mission to seek an alliance with peoples in west China. So it was impossible for cotton to appear during the period of spring and autumn. The word "浣" (pronounced Huan in Chinese) means "wash". Silk is bright and white itself so there is no need to wash. Ancient classic books explained the meaning of "Huansha". It was obvious that to wash ramie was most reasonable.
Zhuluo Mountain of Zhuji is among Jinhua mountain system. Ramie is renascent herb growing in the area and is also the raw materials of cloth washed by Xi Shi. The stem of ramie is soft and bright, whose bark could be used to weave cloth or net. The local people of Zhuji plant ramie and wash it to weave cloth. The unique process has been passed from one generation to the next: to peel stem, make it rotten, bleach and dry and bleach and wash again until the ramie becomes yarn white as silk. It was said "the finest ramie cloth made in Zhuji was passed down and woven by Xi Shi." Also at the time when the kingdom of Wu defeated the Kingdom of Yue, the yarn made from ramie was the main tribute that Yue offered to Wu.
A thousand years have passed and so does the beauty Xi Shi. Here is the verse written by the great poet Li Bai, "The beauty Xi Shi of Kingdom of Yue came from Zhuluo Mountain. She was so beautiful that no one could rival her and even the lotus flower would be ashamed compared with her…"
Xi Shi, named Shi Yiguang, was from Zhuluo (Zhuji, Zhejiang Province) of Kingdom of Yue during the last years of Spring and Autumn period. There were two villages where people with the surname Shi got together at the foot of the Zhuluo Mountain; Shi Yiguang lived in the west (pronounced Xi in Chinese) and thus got the name Xi Shi. Her father made a living by selling firewood and her mother washed clothes for others.
The Kingdom of Wu defeated the Kingdom of Yue in 492 BC. Gou Jian, King of Yue borne the humiliation for the sake of his people, endured hardship and decided to make revenge. Wen Zhong, an official of Yue proposed "nine strategems" for Gou Jian to defeat Wu, the fourth of which is a beauty trap. Fan Li seeked for the beauty everywhere and met Xi Shi at the foot of Zhuluo Mountain. Xi Shi was sent to Wu as a present and she helped Yue secretly to make Gou Jian accomplish the task of defeating Wu and resuming Yue. The story that Xi Shi sacrificed herself for the recovery of her homeland has been prevailing for over 2000 years.
Zhuluo Mountain is 1 km away from Zhuji county and lies along the riverside of Huanjiang (also called Huanshaxi). There is a big square stone, known as "Huanshashi". It is said that Xi Shi washed clothes here and Fan Li also met her by chance here. One day, Wang Xizhi, who lived in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, visited Zhuluo Mountain. He saw the sunset, afterglow and the square stone, which recalled his mixed memories. He was moved by the story of Xi Shi who was entrusted with a mission at a critical moment to sacrifice for the homeland, and then he wrote the everlasting words "Huansha" on the precipice over the big square stone "Huanshashi".
The legend goes that the stone "Huanshashi" had indissoluble bond with Xi Shi. It's said that when Xi Shi went to wash clothes, the stone would sink or float automatically with the depth of water so that she can wash easily to save labor. The clothes she washed were clean and white, soft and bright with fragrance. Then what kind of cloth did Xi Shi wash?
Someone said it was cotton, someone said it was silk, someone held it was "sand" being washed off instead of "cloth" being washed, and others thought it was ramie.
Cotton is imported product. It was introduced into China through Central Asia after Zhang Qian of Western Han Dynasty fulfilled the mission to seek an alliance with peoples in west China. So it was impossible for cotton to appear during the period of spring and autumn. The word "浣" (pronounced Huan in Chinese) means "wash". Silk is bright and white itself so there is no need to wash. Ancient classic books explained the meaning of "Huansha". It was obvious that to wash ramie was most reasonable.
Zhuluo Mountain of Zhuji is among Jinhua mountain system. Ramie is renascent herb growing in the area and is also the raw materials of cloth washed by Xi Shi. The stem of ramie is soft and bright, whose bark could be used to weave cloth or net. The local people of Zhuji plant ramie and wash it to weave cloth. The unique process has been passed from one generation to the next: to peel stem, make it rotten, bleach and dry and bleach and wash again until the ramie becomes yarn white as silk. It was said "the finest ramie cloth made in Zhuji was passed down and woven by Xi Shi." Also at the time when the kingdom of Wu defeated the Kingdom of Yue, the yarn made from ramie was the main tribute that Yue offered to Wu.
A thousand years have passed and so does the beauty Xi Shi. Here is the verse written by the great poet Li Bai, "The beauty Xi Shi of Kingdom of Yue came from Zhuluo Mountain. She was so beautiful that no one could rival her and even the lotus flower would be ashamed compared with her…"
Xishi : the daughter of a tea trader in Zhuji
by : http://www.chinaculture.org
Xishi is known as one of the Four Great Beauties of China. Celebrated as a woman of extraordinary natural beauty with a universal appeal, Xishi was the daughter of a tea trader in Zhuji County in the state of Yue (current Zhejiang Province) around 500BC during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC). At that time, China was divided into several kingdoms fighting for power.
When the State of Yue was vanquished by the State of Wu, the King of Yue, Gou Jian was forced to serve Prince Fuchai of Wu for three years. On his release, King Gou Jian slept on brushwood and drank gall before each meal to remind himself of the humiliation his country had suffered. He plotted the downfall of his conqueror as soon as he was released. He commissioned men to search far and wide for a woman whom he could send as a tribute to Prince Fuchai of Wu. Xishi, whose beauty was much talked of even from early childhood, was selected for this task and sent to the capital.
King Gou Jian approved of the choice and had Xishi trained in royal court etiquette. Gou Jian ordered his minister Fan Li to take Xishi to the Prince of Wu as a tribute gift from Yue. During the journey, Xishi fell deeply in love with the wise minister. Fan Li also grew to admire this courageous lady who was willing to give her life for her country. Consequently, before they parted, they made a secret pledge of undying love.
They arrived at the capital of Wu and Prince Fuchai was enchanted by Xishi's appearance and doted on her. Gradually he began to neglect his political duties, preferring to idle away his time with Xishi. He frequently took her out on carriage rides to the noisy and prosperous sections of the city. On these rides, he liked to boast to those around him that he had won the heart of the most beautiful woman in the world.
Xishi, however, never lost sight of her mission. Her aim was to bewitch Prince Fuchai so that his subjects would grow restless and his friends would desert him. Xishi managed to alienate Prince Fuchai and his most-trusted general Wu Ziyi, resulting in the suicide of Wu Ziyi at the coercion of Prince Fuchai. The political chaos that ensued would enable the King of Yue to invade the state of Wu, recompensing him for his former humiliation.
The King of Yue finally annexed the State of Wu. Following the suicide of Prince Fuchai of Wu, Xishi disappeared from public life.
Some say Xishi was drowned into the Yangtze River by the irate Wu people after the death of Prince Fuchai and the defeat of Wu State; others say Xishi lived in relative obscurity with Fan Li who became a successful trader.
This story is unique in the history of feudal China as no one has ever found fault with Xishi, even though she had caused the downfall of the State of Wu.
Xishi is known as one of the Four Great Beauties of China. Celebrated as a woman of extraordinary natural beauty with a universal appeal, Xishi was the daughter of a tea trader in Zhuji County in the state of Yue (current Zhejiang Province) around 500BC during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC). At that time, China was divided into several kingdoms fighting for power.
When the State of Yue was vanquished by the State of Wu, the King of Yue, Gou Jian was forced to serve Prince Fuchai of Wu for three years. On his release, King Gou Jian slept on brushwood and drank gall before each meal to remind himself of the humiliation his country had suffered. He plotted the downfall of his conqueror as soon as he was released. He commissioned men to search far and wide for a woman whom he could send as a tribute to Prince Fuchai of Wu. Xishi, whose beauty was much talked of even from early childhood, was selected for this task and sent to the capital.
King Gou Jian approved of the choice and had Xishi trained in royal court etiquette. Gou Jian ordered his minister Fan Li to take Xishi to the Prince of Wu as a tribute gift from Yue. During the journey, Xishi fell deeply in love with the wise minister. Fan Li also grew to admire this courageous lady who was willing to give her life for her country. Consequently, before they parted, they made a secret pledge of undying love.
They arrived at the capital of Wu and Prince Fuchai was enchanted by Xishi's appearance and doted on her. Gradually he began to neglect his political duties, preferring to idle away his time with Xishi. He frequently took her out on carriage rides to the noisy and prosperous sections of the city. On these rides, he liked to boast to those around him that he had won the heart of the most beautiful woman in the world.
Xishi, however, never lost sight of her mission. Her aim was to bewitch Prince Fuchai so that his subjects would grow restless and his friends would desert him. Xishi managed to alienate Prince Fuchai and his most-trusted general Wu Ziyi, resulting in the suicide of Wu Ziyi at the coercion of Prince Fuchai. The political chaos that ensued would enable the King of Yue to invade the state of Wu, recompensing him for his former humiliation.
The King of Yue finally annexed the State of Wu. Following the suicide of Prince Fuchai of Wu, Xishi disappeared from public life.
Some say Xishi was drowned into the Yangtze River by the irate Wu people after the death of Prince Fuchai and the defeat of Wu State; others say Xishi lived in relative obscurity with Fan Li who became a successful trader.
This story is unique in the history of feudal China as no one has ever found fault with Xishi, even though she had caused the downfall of the State of Wu.
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