Posts Tagged xishi
Aping a Beauty
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Chinese Folktale on October 25, 2009
Xi Shi, one of the Four Beauties in ancient China, was a legendary beauty of the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC). She was so beautiful that all the other girls dreamt to be as beautiful as she was.
However, she would often put her hands on her bosom and had a frown on her face as she often suffered from pains in her chest. An ugly girl who lived nearby saw her and thought that she looked very beautiful that way. Therefore, when she went out, she also put her hands on her bosom and had a frown on her face.
However, no one wanted to see her and they all believed that she was even ugly with that pose. As she lived in the east of the village, what she did was called Dong Shi (Miss East) aping the frown of Xishi.
Four Beauties in Ancient China
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Chinese Beauties on March 25, 2009
The Four Beauties of China are 4 Chinese women who renowned for their beauty in legendary ancient China.
According to legend, they are the most beautiful women of ancient China. They gained their reputation from the influence they exercised over kings and emperors and consequently, the way their actions impacted Chinese history.
The Four Beauties of China, in chronological orders:
Xishi was a legendary beauty of the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC) in ancient China, said to be so beautiful that whenever she washed her clothes by the river, the fish would be so dazzled that they forgot to swim and gradually sunk away from the surface.
Wang Zhaojun (before 33 BC – after 31 BC), said to be so entrancingly beautiful that the wild goose in the sky dived down in order to have a glimpse of her beauty. Read the rest of this entry »
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