Cultural Mysteries of the Four Great Beauties

Author: Wang Zhiming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: The common saying goes, "Thank God for creating women, otherwise life would be truly dull." Jia Baoyu once said, "Women are made of water, while men are made of mud. When I see a woman, I feel refreshed; when I see a man, I feel overwhelmed by filth." Indeed, women are an indispensable part of human life; and beautiful women are the most dazzling flowers in this scenic landscape. Throughout the long history of China, people have the four most beautiful women as Xi Shi, Wang Zhaojun, Diaochan, and Yang Guifei. They are described with the allusions "sinking fish," "falling swans," "closing the moon," and "embarrassing flowers" to portray their stunning beauty, which is said to have amazed animals (fish, swans), plants (flowers), and even the moon in the sky, causing them to avert their gaze in awe. These four great beauties have added charm and interest to the long-standing Chinese and Eastern cultures, becoming an endlessly fascinating topic for people to ponder for thousands of years. However, ancient China was indeed a male-dominated society, and the four great beauties left little space in historical records. Meanwhile, fragmented folk legends have led to diverse and conflicting stories about them. To showcase the elegance of these Eastern beauties and restore their true historical context, this book, "The Cultural Enigma of the Four Great Beauties," was created. This book conducts an in-depth study of Xi Shi, Wang Zhaojun, Diaochan, and Yang Guifei, the four great beauties, adding charm and interest to the enduring Chinese and Eastern cultures, and becoming an endlessly fascinating topic for people to ponder for thousands of years.