From Nefertiti to Helen of Troy, history is filled with legendary women celebrated for their beauty, and China shares this rich tradition.
Over the millennia of Chinese history, a group of women dubbed the “Four Beauties of China” caught the attention of ruling kings and emperors, and their stories have since become popular legends.
Their histories have intertwined so deeply with their myths that their stories have undeniably drifted from reality, resembling fables more than factual accounts.
However, that does not diminish their importance in modern imagination, so let’s meet the Four Beauties of ancient China.
Xi Shi (around 7th-6th BC)
Legend says Xi Shi’s beauty was so profound that fish forgot how to swim upon seeing her reflection in a lake.
Xi, who grew up during the Spring and Autumn period (770-481 BC) in a small village in the state of Yue, washed gauze for a living. She lived during a tumultuous period in Chinese history, and Xi played a crucial role in the kingdom’s downfall.
King Fuchai, who ruled the state of Wu from 495-473 BC, had just conquered the state of Yue, and rival leaders believed they needed to distract him if they had any hope of defending themselves from his conquest.
They chose Xi to “soften” King Fuchai and trained her in singing, dancing, and imperial etiquette. After being introduced to King Fuchai, she quickly became his favourite consort, and the king became entirely preoccupied with her, ignoring his state duties.
King Fuchai dismissed a skilled and trusted adviser and diverted resources to build the Guanwa Palace, or “Palace of Beautiful Women”. These decisions significantly weakened the state of Wu, and with time, the state of Yue seized the opportunity to attack King Fuchai and reclaim its independence.
Legend holds that Xi was torn between her loyalty to her homeland and her genuine love for King Fuchai, ultimately leading her to take her own life.
Wang Zhaojun (around 50 BC)
Wang Zhaojun grew up in a noble family during the Western Han dynasty (206 BC-9). She was trained in the classics from a very young age and developed a talent for playing the pipa, a quintessentially Chinese musical instrument.
Wang later became an imperial concubine but never met the emperor, Yuan of Han (r.48-33 BC), who visited the women in the harem based on paintings.
Many consorts were bribing painters to make them look more beautiful and earn the emperor’s attention, but Wang declined to bribe the official painter, who subsequently portrayed her in an unflattering manner, leading the emperor to overlook her.
During this time, the emperor was struggling to maintain peace with nomadic tribes to the north. One of the nomad chieftains, Huhanye, proposed a marriage alliance with a daughter of the emperor as a means to secure peace.
Emperor Yuan was not keen to marry off any of his daughters to Huhanye, so he concocted a plan to disguise “the plainest” woman from the harem as the daughter. That woman happened to be Wang, whom the emperor had never met to this point.
Wang’s beauty captivated the emperor at the marriage ceremony, leaving him regretting his decision but bound to fulfil the agreement.
In legend, as Wang was leaving the court for her new life as queen in the north, she turned her head one last time to gaze upon the emperor and the palace. This imagery has been depicted in countless poems, paintings and legends in Chinese art.
Wang would spend her life as the wife of Huhanye, and, when he died, marry his successor as per tradition. Her story is of someone who sacrificed her desires to bring peace to the realm.
Diaochan (2nd century)
Diaochan’s true story is clouded in mystery, and she was likely of a lower class than what is typically depicted in legend. Her real name is unknown, and “Diaochan” is a pseudonym that refers to jade jewellery and clothing made out of sables, an animal that was popular at the time.
Historical records suggest that Diaochan was a courtesan, or an entertainer, for a warlord named Dong Zhou (140s-192). She was renowned for her beauty and also for being an excellent dancer.
Dong was famous for his brutality and was set on becoming Emperor during the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220). He leaned heavily on his handsome adopted warrior-son, Lü Bu.
As Dong’s ruthless terror was spreading throughout China, Lü had an affair with Diaochan and was constantly worried that his father would find out.
In 192, Lü betrayed Dong and assassinated him, following the urging of Wang Yun, the interior minister of a weak emperor concerned about Dong’s growing power.
Diaochan’s legend grew because she was a key character in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, considered one of the great Chinese classics.
In that story, Diaochan is Wang Yun’s daughter and is part of an elaborate marriage plot that pits Lü against Dong, resulting in the assassination that saved China from a tyrant.
Yang Guifei (719-756)
Yang Guifei’s tale is that of love and tragedy at the height of the Tang dynasty (618-907).
Yang was nicknamed “shy flower”, and poems, histories, and fables note her curviness as being particularly attractive.
She was the preferred consort of Emperor Xuanzong (r.712-756), and to declare his love for Yang, promoted her family members to positions of great influence. Yang pushed for the promotion of a young general, An Lushan, who would control an army of 200,000 people and eventually rebel against the emperor.
An captured the capital city of Chang’an, forcing the emperor to flee. As the imperial caravan grew increasingly frustrated, they blamed Yang for their plight, saying she distracted the emperor from his leadership duties.
The imperial guard vowed not to defend the Tang dynasty while Yang lived, leading to her execution and that of her cousin with the emperor’s reluctant approval.
Emperor Xuanzhong’s son would eventually reclaim the throne and restore stability to the Tang dynasty. When he permitted his father’s return, Emperor Xuanzhong commissioned a mural of Yang, and legend has it that he frequently visited the room to spend time with her.
