1. Yang Yuhuan, often known as Yang Guifei, and known briefly by the Taoist nun name Taizhen, was the beloved consort of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang during his later years.
28 Facts About Yang Guifei
1. 2.
Yang Guifei is known as one of the Four Beauties of ancient China.
3.
Yang Guifei was born in 719 during the Tang dynasty, early in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong.
4.
Yang Guifei's great-great-grandfather Yang Wang was a key official during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, and, after the fall of the Sui dynasty, served one of the contenders to succeed Sui, Wang Shichong; Yang Wang was then killed when Wang Shichong was defeated by Tang forces in 621.
5.
Yang Guifei Wang was from Huayin, but his clan subsequently relocated to Yongle.
6.
Yang Guifei thus carried the title of Princess of Shou.
7.
Some time after that Princess Yang Guifei somehow came into Xuanzong's favor and the Emperor decided to take her as his consort.
8.
However, since Princess Yang Guifei 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.
9.
Yang Guifei 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.
10.
Yang Guifei bestowed posthumous honors on her father Yang Xuanyan and granted her mother the title of Lady of Liang.
11.
Yang Guifei gave high offices to her uncle Yang Xuangui and cousins Yang Xian and Yang Qi.
12.
Around the same time, Consort Yang Guifei introduced her second cousin Yang Guifei Zhao to Emperor Xuanzong.
13.
Consort Yang Guifei became so favored that whenever she rode a horse, the eunuch Gao Lishi would attend her.
14.
Gao knew that he missed Consort Yang Guifei, and requested that the treasures in Consort Yang Guifei's palace be sent to her.
15.
Yang Guifei had An honor Consort Yang as his mother and Consort Yang's cousins and sisters as his brothers and sisters.
16.
In 750, Consort Yang Guifei again offended Emperor Xuanzong with her words, and he sent her back to her clan.
17.
Yang Guifei again sent imperial meals to her, and she wept to the eunuchs delivering the meal, stating:.
18.
Yang Guifei cut off some of her hair and had the hair taken back to Emperor Xuanzong.
19.
When Emperor Xuanzong asked what was going on, Consort Yang Guifei's attendants joked that Consort Yang Guifei gave birth three days before and was washing her baby Lushan.
20.
Thereafter, whenever An visited the capital, he was allowed free admittance to the palace, and there were rumors that he and Consort Yang Guifei had an affair, but Emperor Xuanzong discounted the rumors.
21.
In 756, Yang Guifei Guozhong forced General Geshu Han to engage An Lushan, at least partly out of fear that the general himself might attempt to usurp the throne.
22.
Yang Guifei had Gao take Consort Yang to a Buddhist shrine and allow her a forced suicide, considered a more dignified death than execution.
23.
When Consort Yang Guifei's body was shown to Chen and the other imperial guard generals, the soldiers dispersed and prepared to continue the journey.
24.
Consort Yang Guifei was buried at Mawei, without a coffin, but with masses of fragrance wrapped in purple blankets.
25.
Yang Guifei wanted to locate Consort Yang's body and rebury her with honor.
26.
Yang Guifei was known for having a larger figure in an era of Chinese history where such body types were preferred.
27.
Yang Guifei was granted use of the Huaqing Pool which had been the exclusive private pool of previous Tang emperors.
28.
Yang Guifei is sometimes credited with the invention of the hezi, an ancient Chinese bodice.