Archive for category Chinese Beauties
Chen Yuanyuan
Posted by sharon in Chinese Beauties on October 6th, 2009
Chen Yuanyuan (1624–1681) was one of the most famous beauties in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty. Originally, she was a famous courtesan. Then she was purchased by Tian Wan, the 60-year-old father of one of the emperor’s concubines. However, Wu Sangui, a famous general of the Ming imperial court, fell in love with her and married her later.
At that time, Wu was fighting with the Qing armies at Shanhai Fortress to prevent them from going inside China. However, Beijing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, was fell to a rebel army led by Li Zicheng and Chen was brought to the palace as a gift to Li. Legend said that in order to rescue Chen, Wu opened the gate of Shanhai Fortress and led the Qing armies to the capital. At that time, Wu was regarded as the traitor due to his betrayal of the Ming Dynasty, while Chen was always compared to Helen of Troy.
In her late years Chen became a Taoist nun and spent the rest of her life in Yunnan province.
Dragon Lady-Empress Dowager Cixi
Posted by sharon in Chinese Beauties on June 27th, 2009
Empress Dowager Cixi, also known as the West Dowager Empress in China, is one of the most powerful women in Chinese history. Actually, she was the de facto ruler of Qing Dynasty for nearly half a century, from 1861 to her death in 1908.
Empress Dowager Cixi – Bio
In 1835, Cixi, surnamed Yehe Nala, was born in an ordinary official family.
In 1851, she was selected as one of the Xianfeng Emperor’s concubines and later was promoted to “Gui Ren”, the concubine of the fifth rank.
In 1856, after her son, as the only male heir of the Xianfeng Emperor, reached his first birthday, she obtained an elevation to “Noble Imperial Consort Yi”, the rank second only to the Empress.
In 1861, Emperor Xianfeng died and Cixi’s son became the new Emperor as Emperor Tongzhi. Cixi was honored as Holy Mother Empress Dowager and began her “rule behind the curtain”.
In 1862, she was crowned Empress Dowager Cixi by Emperor Tongzhi.
In 1874, Emperor Tongzhi died. Cixi’s nephew was selected to be the heir – Emperor Guangxu. She continued her ruling behind the curtain.
In 1889, Cixi retired to a summer home Peking and left the government up to the Emperor.
In 1898, Cixi returned to the throne and reinstated her power over the Emperor to stop the new Emperor’s reform.
On November 15th of 1908, Empress Dowager Cixi died.
In the Qing Dynasty and even Chinese history, Cixi is among one of the most influential people. She had great political ability and quite good at strategies.
However, she was considered as the main cause of the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the villain who should be responsible for the fall of China to foreign powers.
If you want to know more about her, I suggest you to watch a film named The Burning Of Imperial Palace.
King Lanling: Masked Warrior
Posted by sharon in Chinese Beauties on April 19th, 2009
King Lanling, whose name was Gaosu, was the king of Lanling Prefecture in Beiqi Dynasty. Legend had it that he was good at fighting and scored one victory after another. However, he was so handsome that he couldn’t scare his enemies and often scorned by them, so he asked his men to make him a horror mask to wear specially while fighting.
He was invincible on battlefield and respected by the whole nation. However, his success ultimately led to his death. He was poisoned before he reached his thirties because the Emperor was afraid that Gaosu would usurp his throne.
He disappeared forever but a precious legacy left for later generations, which is “Battlefield Melody”.
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