Yang Yuhuan (; 26 June, 719 – 15 July 756Volume 218 of ''

Zizhi Tongjian ''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynast ...

'' recorded that Yang was killed on the ''bingshen'' day of the 6th month of the 1st year of the Zhide era of Tang Suzong's reign. This date corresponds to 15 Jul 756 on the Gregorian calendar.), often known as Yang Guifei (, with ''Guifei'' being the highest rank for imperial consorts during her time), and known briefly by the Taoist nun name Taizhen () was the beloved consort of

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (; 8 September 685 – 3 May 762), personal name Li Longji, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756 CE. His reign of 44 years was the longest during the Tang dynasty. In the early ...

during his later years. She is known as one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. During the

An Lushan Rebellion The An Lushan Rebellion was an uprising against the Tang dynasty of China towards the mid-point of the dynasty (from 755 to 763), with an attempt to replace it with the Yan dynasty. The rebellion was originally led by An Lushan, a general office ...

, as Emperor Xuanzong and his cortege were fleeing from the capital

Chang'an Chang'an (; ) is the traditional name of Xi'an. The site had been settled since Neolithic times, during which the Yangshao culture was established in Banpo, in the city's suburbs. Furthermore, in the northern vicinity of modern Xi'an, Qin Shi ...

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively Romanization of Chi ...

, the emperor's guards demanded that he put Yang to death because they blamed the rebellion on her cousin

Yang Guozhong Yang Guozhong () (died July 15, 756Volume 218 of ''Zizhi Tongjian'' recorded that Yang was killed on the ''bingshen'' day of the 6th month of the 1st year of the Zhide era of Tang Suzong's reign. This date corresponds to 15 Jul 756 on the Gregori ...

and the rest of her family. The emperor capitulated and reluctantly ordered his attendant

Gao Lishi Gao Lishi () (684–762), formally the Duke of Qi (齊國公), was a Chinese eunuch and politician of the Tang dynasty and the Wu Zhou dynasty, becoming particularly powerful during Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's reign. He is believed to have been in c ...

to supervise her

forced suicide Forced suicide is a method of execution where the victim is coerced into committing suicide to avoid facing an alternative option they perceive as much worse, such as suffering torture, public humiliation, or having friends or family members impr ...

Background

Yang was born in 719 during the

Tang Dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

, early in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. Her great-great-grandfather Yang Wang () was a key official during the reign of

Emperor Yang of Sui Emperor Yang of Sui (隋煬帝, 569 – 11 April 618), personal name Yang Guang (), alternative name Ying (), Xianbei name Amo (), also known as Emperor Ming of Sui () during the brief reign of his grandson Yang Tong, was the second emperor of ...

, and, after the fall of the

Sui Dynasty The Sui dynasty (, ) was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 581 to 618. The Sui unified the Northern and Southern dynasties, thus ending the long period of division following the fall of the Western Jin dynasty, and layi ...

, served one of the contenders to succeed Sui,

Wang Shichong Wang Shichong (; 567– August 621), courtesy name Xingman (行滿), was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician during the Sui dynasty who deposed Sui's last emperor Yang Tong and briefly ruled as the emperor of a succeeding state ...

; Yang Wang was then killed when Wang Shichong was defeated by Tang forces in 621. Yang Wang was from Huayin (; in modern

Weinan Weinan () is a prefecture-level city in the east central Shaanxi province, China. The city lies on the lower section of the Wei River confluence into the Yellow River, about east of the provincial capital Xi'an, and borders the provinces of Shan ...

Shaanxi Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see #Name, § Name) is a landlocked Provinces of China, province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichu ...

), but his clan subsequently relocated to Yongle (; in modern

Yuncheng Yuncheng is the southernmost prefecture-level city in Shanxi province, People's Republic of China. It borders Linfen and Jincheng municipalities to the north and east, and Henan (Luoyang and Jiyuan to the east, Sanmenxia to the south) and Shaan ...

Shanxi Shanxi (; ; formerly romanised as Shansi) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the North China region. The capital and largest city of the province is Taiyuan, while its next most populated prefecture-lev ...

). Yang's father Yang Xuanyan () served as a census official at Shu Prefecture (; in modern

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

), and his family went there with him. He appeared to have had no sons, but had four daughters who were known to history—Yang Yuhuan and three older sisters. Yang Xuanyan died when Yang Yuhuan was still young, so the latter was raised by her uncle Yang Xuanjiao (), who was a low-ranking official at Henan Municipality (; modern

Luoyang Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River (Henan), Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the ...

Princess and Taoist nun

In 733, fourteen-year-old Yang Yuhuan married

Li Mao Li Qing (8th century–775), known as Li Mao (李瑁) from 725 and honored title Prince of Shou (壽王) was a prince of the Tang Dynasty. He was the 18th son of Emperor Xuanzong and his favorite concubine Consort Wu. Family *Father: Emperor ...

, the Prince of Shou and the son of Emperor Xuanzong and Consort Wu. She thus carried the title of Princess of Shou. After Consort Wu died in 737, Emperor Xuanzong was greatly saddened by the death of his then-favorite concubine. Some time after that, however, Princess Yang somehow came into Xuanzong's favor and the Emperor decided to take her as his consort. However, since Princess Yang was already the wife of his son, Emperor Xuanzong stealthily arranged her to become a Taoist nun, with the tonsured name Taizhen, in order to prevent criticism that would affect his plan of making her his concubine. Yang then stayed, for a brief moment, as a Taoist nun in the palace itself, before Emperor Xuanzong made her an imperial consort after bestowing a new wife on his son Li Mao. Yang became the favorite consort of the Emperor.

Imperial consort

In 745, after Emperor Xuanzong gave the daughter of the general Wei Zhaoxun () to Li Mao as his new wife and princess, he officially made Taizhen an imperial consort—with the newly restored rank of ''Guifei'', which was greater than the previously highest rank of ''Huifei'', carried by Consort Wu. He bestowed posthumous honors on her father Yang Xuanyan and granted her mother the title of Lady of Liang. He also gave high offices to her uncle Yang Xuangui () and cousins Yang Xian () and Yang Qi (). Since 745, all within the imperial court and the palace had treated her as like new empress (像皇后, Xiàng huánghòu), and bowed to her as if she was the most powerful woman in land (Tiānxià Mǔ, 天下母). Her three older sisters were conferred the ranks of Ladies of Han, Guo, and Qin, and it was said that whenever the noble women were summoned to imperial gatherings, even Emperor Xuanzong's highly honored sister Li Chiying (), the Princess Yuzhen, did not dare to take a seat more honorable than theirs. Emperor Xuanzong also gave his favorite daughter Princess Taihua (born of Consort Wu) to Yang Qi in marriage. The five Yang households—those of Yang Xian, Yang Qi, and the Ladies of Han, Guo, and Qin—were said to be exceedingly honored and rich, and all of the officials fought to flatter them. Around the same time, Consort Yang introduced her second cousin

Yang Zhao Yang may refer to: * Yang, in yin and yang, one half of the two symbolic polarities in Chinese philosophy * Korean yang, former unit of currency of Korea from 1892 to 1902 * YANG, a data modeling language for the NETCONF network configuration pr ...

(whose name was later changed to Yang Guozhong) to Emperor Xuanzong. Yang Zhao, who flattered the emperor, rose quickly in the ranks. Consort Yang became so favored that whenever she rode a horse, the eunuch

would attend her. 700 laborers were conscripted to sew fabrics for her. Officials and generals flattered her by offering her exquisite tributes. In 746, she angered Emperor Xuanzong by being jealous and rude to him, and he had her sent to her cousin Yang Xian's mansion. Later that day, however, his mood was such that he could not eat, and he battered his servants for minor offenses. Gao knew that he missed Consort Yang, and requested that the treasures in Consort Yang's palace be sent to her. Emperor Xuanzong agreed, and sent imperial meals to her as well. That night, Gao requested that Emperor Xuanzong welcome Consort Yang back to the palace, a request that Emperor Xuanzong easily agreed to. Thereafter, she was even more favored, and no other imperial consort drew his favor. In 747, when the military governor (''

jiedushi The ''jiedushi'' (), or jiedu, was a title for regional military governors in China which was established in the Tang dynasty and abolished in the Yuan dynasty. The post of ''jiedushi'' has been translated as "military commissioner", "legate", ...

'')

An Lushan An Lushan (; 20th day of the 1st month 19 February 703 – 29 January 757) was a general in the Tang dynasty and is primarily known for instigating the An Lushan Rebellion. An Lushan was of Sogdian and Göktürk origin,Yang, Zhijiu, "An Lushan ...

arrived at the capital

to meet Emperor Xuanzong, Emperor Xuanzong showed him much favor and allowed him into the palace. He had An honor Consort Yang as mother and Consort Yang's cousins and sisters as his brothers and sisters. In 750, Consort Yang again offended Emperor Xuanzong with her words, and he sent her back to her clan. The official Ji Wen () told Emperor Xuanzong that he had overreacted, and Emperor Xuanzong regretted his actions. He again sent imperial meals to her, and she wept to the eunuchs delivering the meal, stating: She cut off some of her hair and had the hair taken back to Emperor Xuanzong. Emperor Xuanzong had Gao escort her back to the palace, and thereafter had even greater love for her. In 751,

again visited Chang'an. On An's birthday on 20 February, 751, Emperor Xuanzong and Consort Yang rewarded him with clothing, treasures, and food. On 23 February, when An was summoned to the palace, Consort Yang, in order to please Emperor Xuanzong, had an extra-large infant wrapping made, and wrapped the obese An in it, causing much laughter among the ladies in waiting and eunuchs. When Emperor Xuanzong asked what was going on, Consort Yang's attendants joked that Consort Yang gave birth three days before and was washing her baby Lushan. Emperor Xuanzong was amused by the comic situation and rewarded both Consort Yang and An greatly. Thereafter, whenever An visited the capital, he was allowed free admittance to the palace, and there were rumors that he and Consort Yang had an affair, but Emperor Xuanzong discounted the rumors. Consort Yang's cousin, Yang Guozhen, had been serving—remotely—as commander of Jiannan Circuit (; headquartered in modern

). In 752, following

Nanzhao Nanzhao (, also spelled Nanchao, ) was a dynastic kingdom that flourished in what is now southern China and northern Southeast Asia during the 8th and 9th centuries. It was centered on present-day Yunnan in China. History Origins Nanzha ...

incursions against Jiannan Circuit,

chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

Li Linfu Li Linfu () (died January 3, 753), nickname Genu (), formally the Duke of Jin (), was a Chinese historian, musician, and politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor for 18 years (734–752), during the reign of Emperor Xuanzon ...

wanted to send Yang Guozhong to Jiannan to personally supervise defenses against the Nanzhao attacks. Consort Yang interceded on Yang Guozhong's behalf, and Yang Guozhong did not actually report to Jiannan. Li Linfu soon died, and Yang Guozhong became chancellor.

An Lushan's rebellion and Consort Yang's death

Yang Guozhong and An Lushan soon were in conflict, and Yang Guozhong repeatedly acted provocatively, such as arresting and executing staff members from An's mansion in Chang'an. In 755, An finally rebelled and marched his troops toward the capital. In order to try to placate the populace, which believed that Yang Guozhong's conflict with An Lushan had provoked the rebellion, Emperor Xuanzong considered passing the throne to his crown prince,

Li Heng Emperor Suzong of Tang (''yihai'' day, 711 – 16 May 762; r. 756 – 762), personal name Li Heng, né Li Sisheng (), known as Li Jun () from 725 to 736, known as Li Yu () from 736 to 738, known briefly as Li Shao () in 738, was an emperor of t ...

. Yang Guozhong, who was not on good terms with the prince, feared this development, and persuaded Consort Yang and her sisters, the Ladies of Han, Guo, and Qin, to speak against it. Emperor Xuanzong, for the time being, did not abdicate the throne. In 756, Yang Guozhong forced General

Geshu Han Geshu Han () (died December 1, 757), formally Prince Wumin of Xiping (), was a general of Tang China who was of Turgesh extraction. He became a powerful general late in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and in 756 became responsible for defend ...

to engage An Lushan, at least partly out of fear that the general himself might attempt to usurp the throne. Geshu Han was defeated and

Tong Pass Tongguan or Tong Pass, was a former mountain pass and fortress located south of the confluence of the Wei and Yellow Rivers, in today's Tongguan County, Shaanxi, China. It was an important chokepoint, protecting Xi'an and the surrounding Guanzho ...

, the last major imperial defense, fell to An's forces. With the situation becoming desperate, Yang Guozhong suggested fleeing to Chengdu, the capital of Jiannan Circuit. On 14 July, Emperor Xuanzong, along with Consort Yang, her family, and his immediate clan members, secretly left Chang'an, heading toward Chengdu. With him were Yang Guozhong, his fellow chancellor

Wei Jiansu Wei Jiansu (韋見素) (687–763), courtesy name Huiwei (會微), formally Duke Zhongzhen of Bin (豳忠貞公), was a Chinese politician who served as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and his son Emperor Suzong. As a you ...

, the official Wei Fangjin (), the general

Chen Xuanli Chen Xuanli (陳玄禮) was the General Commander of the Imperial "Longwu Army" (龙武军) during the Chinese Tang Dynasty. He was a loyal subject of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. Biography Chen Xuanli started as a low officer guard in ...

, and some eunuchs and ladies in waiting close to him. On 15 July, Emperor Xuanzong's cortege reached Mawei Courier Station (, in modern

Xianyang Xianyang () is a prefecture-level city in central Shaanxi province, situated on the Wei River a few kilometers upstream (west) from the provincial capital of Xi'an. Once the capital of the Qin dynasty, it is now integrated into the Xi'an metrop ...

). The imperial guards were hungry and angry at Yang Guozhong.

Tibetan Tibetan may mean: * of, from, or related to Tibet * Tibetan people, an ethnic group * Tibetan language: ** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard ** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dial ...

emissaries, who had followed the emperor, were also complaining to Yang Guozhong that they had not been fed. General Chen Xuanli believed that Yang Guozhong's actions had provoked this disaster and reported to Li Heng that he planned to accuse Yang Guozhong. In this tense situation, soldiers of the imperial guard declared that Yang Guozhong was planning treason in collaboration with the Tibetan emissaries. They killed Yang Guozhong, his son Yang Xuan (), Consort Yang's sisters, the ladies of Han and Qin, and Wei Fangjin. (Wei Jiansu was severely injured and nearly killed, but was spared at the last moment.) Yang Guozhong's wife Pei Rou () and his son Yang Xi (), along with Consort Yang's sister, the Lady of Guo, and her son Pei Hui () tried to flee, but were killed. The soldiers then surrounded Emperor Xuanzong's pavilion and refused to leave, even after the Emperor came out to comfort them and ordered them to disperse. Emperor Xuanzong then sent Gao Lishi to ask General Chen Xuanli for his advice. Chen's reply was to urge the Emperor to put Consort Yang to death. Initially the Emperor refused, but after Wei E (, Wei Jiansu's son) and Gao Lishi spoke in agreement with Chen, the Emperor eventually agreed. He had Gao take Consort Yang to a Buddhist shrine and allow her a

, considered a more dignified death than execution. When Consort Yang's body was shown to Chen and the other imperial guard generals, the soldiers dispersed and prepared to continue the journey. Consort Yang was buried at Mawei, without a coffin, but with masses of fragrance wrapped in purple blankets.''

Old Book of Tang The ''Old Book of Tang'', or simply the ''Book of Tang'', is the first classic historical work about the Tang dynasty, comprising 200 chapters, and is one of the Twenty-Four Histories. Originally compiled during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...

'', vol.51.''

New Book of Tang The ''New Book of Tang'', generally translated as the "New History of the Tang" or "New Tang History", is a work of official history covering the Tang dynasty in ten volumes and 225 chapters. The work was compiled by a team of scholars of the So ...

'', vol.76. In 757, Prince Li Heng, who had taken the throne as Emperor Suzong, recaptured Chang'an and welcomed ex-Emperor Xuanzong, then ''

Taishang Huang In Chinese history, a ''Taishang Huang'' or ''Taishang Huangdi'' is an honorific and institution of a retired emperor. The former emperor had, at least in name, abdicated in favor of someone else. Although no longer the reigning sovereign, ther ...

'' (retired emperor) back to the capital. Emperor Xuanzong went through Mawei on his way back to Chang'an. He wanted to locate Consort Yang's body and rebury her with honor. The official Li Kui spoke against it, pointing out that the imperial guard might again mutiny if he did so. However, Emperor Xuanzong secretly sent eunuchs to rebury her with a coffin. When they found the body, it had decomposed, but the fragrance bag buried with her was still fresh. The eunuchs returned with the fragrance bag, and upon its presentation to Emperor Xuanzong, he wept bitterly. When he returned to Chang'an, he had a painter create a picture of Consort Yang in a secondary palace, and often went there to view the portrait.

Personal characteristics

Yang was known for having a larger figure, in an era of Chinese history where such body types were preferred. Because of that, Yang is often compared and contrasted with

Empress Zhao Feiyan Zhao Feiyan (, ? – 1 BC),Peterson, Barbara Bennett & He Hong Fei & Han Tie & Wang Jiyu & Zhang Guangyu. (1999) ''Notable Women of China'' "M.E. Sharpe". pp. 87–90. . formally Empress Xiaocheng (孝成皇后), was an empress during the Han Dy ...

, who is known for being a slender person. This, in turn, led to the four-character idiom ''huanfei yanshou'' (), describing the physical range of the types of beauties between Zhao and Yang. Modern-day description of Yang's physical size differs. She has been variously described as "rotund", "well rounded", "full-bodied", "portly", and "obese". However, some consider the description of Yang as an obese woman to be either a misinterpretation of ancient Chinese texts, or a misapplication of modern standards on body size.

Lychee Lychee (US: ; UK: ; ''Litchi chinensis''; ) is a Monotypic taxon, monotypic taxon and the sole member in the genus ''Litchi'' in the Sapindus, soapberry family, ''Sapindaceae''. It is a tropical tree native to Southeast and Southwest China (t ...

was a favorite fruit for Yang, and the emperor had the fruit, which was only grown in

southern China South China () is a geographical and cultural region that covers the southernmost part of China. Its precise meaning varies with context. A notable feature of South China in comparison to the rest of China is that most of its citizens are not n ...

, delivered by the imperial courier's fast horses, whose riders would take shifts day and night in a

Pony Express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pik ...

-like manner, to the capital. Most historians believe the fruits were delivered from modern

Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...

, but some believe they came from modern

. A copy of the outline of her right hand still exists, having been carved on a large stone at the site of the Xi'an Palace. Yang was granted use of the

Huaqing Pool Huaqing Pool, or the Huaqing Hot Springs, are a complex of hot springs located in an area characterized by mild weather and scenic views at the northern foot of Mount Li, one of the three major peaks of the Qinling. The Huaqing Hot Springs are lo ...

which had been the exclusive private pool of previous Tang emperors.

Fashion influence

Yang is sometimes credited with the invention of the hezi, an ancient Chinese bodice.

Cultural depiction

Yang's story has been often retold. While some literature describes her as the author of much misfortune, other writings sympathize with her as a scapegoat. In the following generation, a long poem, " Chang hen ge" (" Song of Everlasting Sorrow"), was written by the poet

Bai Juyi Bai Juyi (also Bo Juyi or Po Chü-i; ; 772–846), courtesy name Letian (樂天), was a renowned Chinese poet and Tang dynasty government official. Many of his poems concern his career or observations made about everyday life, including as g ...

describing Emperor Xuanzong'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 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 Yang.

Noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Developed by Kan'ami and his son Zeami, it is the oldest major theatre art that is still regularly performed today. Although the terms Noh and ' ...

plays have been staged based on her story. A Japanese rumour states that Yang had been rescued, escaped to Japan and lived her remaining life there. In Japanese, she is known as ''Yōkihi''. In the novel ''

Dream of the Red Chamber ''Dream of the Red Chamber'' (''Honglou Meng'') or ''The Story of the Stone'' (''Shitou Ji'') is a novel composed by Cao Xueqin in the middle of the 18th century. One of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, it is known for ...

'', the two ladies beside the main character

Jia Baoyu Jia Baoyu (, and his surname is a homophone with "false" or "fictitious") is the principal character in the classic 18th century Chinese novel ''Dream of the Red Chamber''. Introduction The first chapter describes how one piece of stone was le ...

Lin Daiyu Lin Daiyu (also spelled Lin Tai-yu, zh, s=林黛玉, p=Lín Dàiyù, rendered Black Jade in Chi-chen Wang's translation) is one of the principal characters of Cao Xueqin's classic 18th-century Chinese novel ''Dream of the Red Chamber''. She is ...

and

Xue Baochai Xue Baochai (, and her surname is a homophone with "Snow", rendered Precious Virtue in Chi-chen Wang's translation) is one of the principal characters in the classic 18th century Chinese novel ''Dream of the Red Chamber''. Described as extremely be ...

had the images of

Xi Shi Xi Shi (Hsi Shih; , ) was, according to legends, one of the renowned Four Beauties of ancient China. She was said to have lived during the end of the Spring and Autumn period in Zhuji, the capital of the ancient State of Yue. In traditional st ...

and Yang Guifei. Both Lin and Xi Shi are sick and weak, Xue and Yang are plump and healthy. In chapter 30, Xue got angry because Jia said she is like Yang and she is chubby. The real reason is that Xue does not have a brother like

. Other works retelling her story include:

Literature

* '' Chang hen ge'' – '' Song of Everlasting Regret'' or '' Song of Everlasting Sorrow'' () by

* ''The Unofficial Biography of Yang Taizhen'' ( ''Yang Taizhen Waizhuan'') by Yue Shi () * ''The Biography – Song of the Everlasting Sorrow'' ( ''Changhen Kezhuan'') * '' Under Heaven'' (Fictionalized as Wen Jian) by

Guy Gavriel Kay Guy Gavriel Kay (born November 7, 1954) is a Canadian writer of fantasy fiction. The majority of his novels take place in fictional settings that resemble real places during real historical periods, such as Constantinople during the reign of Jus ...

* Yang Yuhuan's death is featured in the ''

wuxia ( ), which literally means "martial heroes", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fiction, its popularity has caused it to be adapted f ...

'' novel '' Datang Youxia Zhuan'' by

Liang Yusheng Chen Wentong (5 April 1924 – 22 January 2009), better known by his pen name Liang Yusheng, was a Chinese writer. Credited as the pioneer of the "New School" (新派) of the ''wuxia'' genre in the 20th century, Chen was one of the best known ...

Operas

* ''The Drunken Concubine'' ( ''Guifei Zuijiu'') * ''The Unofficial Biography of Taizhen'' ( ''Taizhen Waizhuan'') * ''The Slope of Mawei'' ( ''Mawei Po'') by Chen Hong () * ''The Great Concubine of Tang'' ( Da Tang Guifei), a contemporary Beijing opera with historical motif.

Stage plays

* '' The Hall of Longevity'' ( ''Changshen Dian'') by Hong Sheng ( 洪昇) of the

Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

* ''The Mirror to Grind Dust'' ( ''Mocheng Jian'') by an anonymous playwright of the

Ming Dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

* ''The Records of Shocking Grandeur'' ( ''Jinghong Ji'') by Wu Shimei () of the Ming Dynasty * ''The Records of Colourful Hair'' ( ''Caihao Ji'') by Tu Longlong () of the Ming Dynasty * ''Tang Minghuang on an Autumn Night with Wutong Tree and Rain'' ( ''Tang Minghuang Qiuye Wutong Yu'') by

Bai Pu Bai Renfu (, c. 1226−1306), also known as Bai Pu (), was a renowned Chinese playwright of the Yuan dynasty. He wrote 16 plays, three of which are extant: * ''Over the Wall'' (裴少俊牆頭馬上 ''Péi Shǎo Jùn Qiáng Tóu Mǎ Shàng'') * ...

() of the

Yuan Dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fifth ...

* ''Cathay: Three Tales of China'' by

Ping Chong Ping may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Ping, a domesticated Chinese duck in the illustrated book '' The Story about Ping'', first published in 1933 * Ping, a minor character in ''Seinfeld'', an NBC sitcom * Ping, a c ...

Film

* ''

Princess Yang Kwei-Fei is a 1955 Japanese historical film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. It was a co-production between Daiei Film and Shaw & Sons, Hong Kong (later Shaw Brothers). It is one of Mizoguchi's two colour films, the other being '' Tales of the Taira Clan'', ...

'' (), 1955 Japanese film starring

Machiko Kyō was a Japanese actress who was active primarily in the 1950s. Early life and education Kyō, an only child, was born in Osaka in 1924. Her father left when she was five years old, and she was raised by her mother and grandmother. She adopted ...

, directed by

Kenji Mizoguchi was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, who directed about one hundred films during his career between 1923 and 1956. His most acclaimed works include ''The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums'' (1939), ''The Life of Oharu'' (1952), ''Uget ...

. * ''

The Magnificent Concubine ''The Magnificent Concubine'' () is a 1962 Hong Kong drama film. This movie was filmed in color. It was directed by Li Han Hsiang and is a remake of the 1955 Kenji Mizoguchi film '' Yōkihi''. ''The Magnificent Concubine'' was entered into the ...

'' (''Yang Kwei Fei''), 1962 Hong Kong film directed by

Li Han-hsiang Richard Li Han-hsiang (; 7 March 1926 in Huludao, Jinxi, Liaoning – 17 December 1996 in Beijing) was a Chinese film director. Li directed more than 70 films in his career beginning in the 1950s and lasting till the 1990s. His ''The Enchanting ...

, starring

Li Li-hua Li Li-hua (; 17 July 1924 – 19 March 2017) was a Chinese actress, better known as an actress from the Shaw Brothers Studio. In 1957, Li married Hong Kong actor and director Yan Jun (嚴俊) (December 17, 1917 – August 18, 1980).Zhang (1995) ...

. * ''Yang Guifei'' (), 1992 Chinese film directed by Chen Jialin. * ''Offspring of Concubine Yang'' (), 1996 Chinese film directed by Xiao Feng, with Hou Junjie in the title role. * ''

Lady of the Dynasty ''Lady of the Dynasty'' is a Chinese epic romance war film directed by Cheng Shiqing (writer of ''Codename Cougar'') and featuring Fan Bingbing, Leon Lai and Wu Chun. The film also had a director group including Zhang Yimou and Tian Zhuangzhuang. ...

'', 2015 Chinese film starring

Fan Bingbing Fan Bingbing (, born 16 September 1981) is a Chinese actress. From 2013 to 2017, she was included as the highest-paid celebrity in the ''Forbes'' China Celebrity 100 list after ranking in the top 10 every year since 2006. She appeared on ''Time'' ...

. * ''

Legend of the Demon Cat ''Legend of the Demon Cat'' () is a 2017 Xianxia fantasy mystery film directed by Chen Kaige, based on the novel ''Śramaṇa Kūkai'' (Japanese: 沙門空海　唐の国にて鬼と宴す) written by Japanese writer Yoneyama Mineo, known under the ...

'', 2017 Chinese film directed by

Chen Kaige Chen Kaige (; born 12 August 1952) is a Chinese film director and a leading figure of the fifth generation of Chinese cinema.Berry, Michael (2002). "Chen Kaige: Historical Revolution and Cinematic Rebellion" in Speaking in Images: Interviews wit ...

, with

Sandrine Pinna Sandrine Pinna (; born 10 April 1987) is a Taiwanese actress who started her career as a child actress and appeared in many advertisements. Early life Sandrine Pinna was born on 10 April 1987 to a Taiwanese mother and a French father. Her fath ...

as Yang Guifei in a supporting role.

Television

* ''Lady Yang'' (), a 1976 Hong Kong series produced by

TVB Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) is a television broadcasting company based in Hong Kong SAR. The Company operates five free-to-air terrestrial television channels in Hong Kong, with TVB Jade as its main Cantonese language service, and TVB ...

, starring Lina Yan as Yang Yuhuan. * ''Yang Gui Fei'' (), a 1985 Taiwanese series aired on

CTS Cts or CTS may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * Chinese Television System, a Taiwanese broadcast television station, including: ** CTS Main Channel () ** CTS Education and Culture () ** CTS Recreation () ** CTS News and Info () ...

. * '' Tang Ming Huang'' (), a 1990 Chinese series starring Liu Wei and Lin Fangbing as Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Yuhuan respectively. * ''

The Legend of Lady Yang ''The Legend of Lady Yang'' is a Hong Kong television series based on the romance between Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty and his consort Yang Yuhuan. The series was produced by TVB and it stars Anne Heung, Kwong Wa, Melissa Ng, Florence Kw ...

'' (), a 2000 Hong Kong series produced by TVB, starring

Anne Heung Anne Heung Hoi-lam (born 2 October 1974) is a Hong Kong-born Canadian actress and model, formerly under contract to the television station TVB. She left TVB in 2008 for new business ventures but returned to media work in 2015. Life and career ...

and

Kwong Wa Kwong Wa (born Chan Muk-wah on 19 November 1961) is a Hong Kong actor and singer. He is known for his portrayals of Chinese historical characters such as Lao Ai (''A Step into the Past''), Xiang Yu ('' The Conqueror's Story''), Tang Sanzang (''Jo ...

as Yang Yuhuan and Emperor Xuanzong respectively. * ''

Da Tang Fu Rong Yuan ''Da Tang Fu Rong Yuan'' is a Chinese television series based on a novel by Nangong Bo (南宫博) about the romance between Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty and his consort Yang Yuhuan. The series was directed by Zhou Xiaowen and starred Fan ...

'' (), a 2007 Chinese series starring

and

Winston Chao Winston Chao Wen-hsuan (born 9 June 1960) is a Taiwanese actor. He came to international attention for his performance in the 1993 film ''The Wedding Banquet'' and ''Kabali''. He is also known for his roles in ''Red Rose White Rose'' and ''Eat D ...

as Yang Yuhuan and Emperor Xuanzong respectively. * ''

The Legend of Yang Guifei ''The Legend of Yang Guifei'', also known as ''The Secret History of Concubine Yang'', is a Chinese television series loosely based on the romance between Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty and his consort Yang Yuhuan. The series was directed by ...

'', a 2010 Chinese series starring Yin Tao and Anthony Wong as Yang Yuhuan and Emperor Xuanzong respectively. * ''

The Longest Day in Chang'an ''The Longest Day in Chang'an'' () is a 2019 Chinese historical suspense drama directed by Cao Dun and written by Paw Studio. The series stars Lei Jiayin and Jackson Yee. It is based on the novel of the same name by Ma Boyong. ''The Longest Day ...

'', a 2019 Chinese series with

Xu Lu Xu Lu (, born 28 December 1994), also known as Lulu Xu, is a Chinese actress and singer. She first became recognized in China for her role in the drama ''Empresses in the Palace'' (2012) and internationally with the drama '' One and a Half Summ ...

as Yang Yuhuan

Video games

* Yang Guifei appears in the mobile game

Fate/Grand Order is a free-to-play Japanese mobile game, developed by Lasengle (formerly Delightworks) using Unity, and published by Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The game is based on Type-Moon's ''Fate/stay night'' franchise, and ...

as a foreigner-class servant - her beauty and the unrest it causes are attributed to her serving an Outer God.

Gallery

File:Pao-Shan Tomb Wall-Painting of Liao Dynasty (寳山遼墓壁畫：頌經圗).jpg, Imperial Consort Yang is teaching a parrot to chant sutras,

Liao dynasty The Liao dynasty (; Khitan: ''Mos Jælud''; ), also known as the Khitan Empire (Khitan: ''Mos diau-d kitai huldʒi gur''), officially the Great Liao (), was an imperial dynasty of China that existed between 916 and 1125, ruled by the Yelü ...

(907–1125). File:Ch'ien Hsüan 002.jpg, Detail showing Yang Guifei mounting a horse, from 1250 to 1300. File:Hosoda Eishi - Yang Gui Fei.jpg, Painting of Hosoda Eishi titled "The Chinese beauty Yang Guifei". Edo period, about AD 1800–20. File:Kano Eitoku 007.jpg, The Chinese emperor Minghuang and his concubine Yang Guifei, with attendants on a terrace. By Kanō Eitoku (1543–1590). File:Lintong Xian China Huaqing-Pool-02.jpg, Statue of Yang Guifei at

. File:Yang Gui-fei by Takaku Aigai.jpg, Yang Guifei. By Takaku Aigai, 1821. File:Yang Guifei got drunk at a feast..JPG, Yang Guifei had a few drinks while waiting for the emperor, from the opera. File:Yang Guifei (Yôkihi) Viewing Cherry Blossoms from Verandah.jpg, Yang Guifei (Yôkihi) Viewing Cherry Blossoms from Verandah. Edo period, circa 1823. File:Emperor Minghuang and Yang Guifei, Shaanxi province, China - Museu do Oriente - Lisbon, Portugal - DSC06789.JPG, Minghuang and Yang Guifei, from Shaanxi File:Yang guifei tomb.jpg, alt=Yang guifei tomb, Tomb of Yang Guifei File:Yang Guifei in a Flower Garden, woodblock print.jpg, Yang Guifei in a Flower Garden, woodblock print with colors

Notes and references

* ''

''
vol. 51
* ''

''
vol. 76
* ''

'', vols.

215 Year 215 ( CCXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Laetus and Sulla (or, less frequently, year 968 ''Ab urbe condita''). ...

216 __NOTOC__ Year 216 (Roman numerals, CCXVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Sabinus and Anullinus (or, less frequently, ...

217 Year 217 (Roman numerals, CCXVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Praesens and Extricatus (or, less frequently, yea ...

218 Year 218 (Roman numerals, CCXVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Severus and Adventus (or, less frequently, year ...

External links

The Yang Kwei-fei story
Yang Kwei-fei and ''The Song of Eternal Sorrow'' in The Tale of Genji {{DEFAULTSORT:Yang Yuhuan, Consort 719 births 756 deaths Tang dynasty imperial consorts Tang dynasty Taoists Emperor Xuanzong of Tang 8th-century Chinese women 8th-century Chinese people Forced suicides of Chinese people Suicides by hanging in China Chinese concubines Suicides in the Tang dynasty