Tang Dynasty Prosperity: Empress Yang of the Tang Dynasty

Author: Mu Weisheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-11-01
Features: Yang Guifei (Yuhuan) is a historic figure recorded in history books and a household name, as well as a character in drama, novels, and films. She lived a short life (38 years old), experienced dramatic ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and was full of legendary color—both enviable and pitiable. This book narrates Yang Yuhuan's life journey from the daughter of an ordinary official, who, thanks to her natural beauty and talent for singing and dancing, was selected as a royal daughter-in-law at the age of 17. Five years later, she was ordered to leave the secular world and enter a Buddhist monastery. Soon after, she was taken into the imperial palace by the Tang Emperor Minghuang and enfeoffed as the, enjoying all the luxuries and riches of the world, but ultimately being strangled with white silk and failing to die a good death. The book also analyzes the social background and complex reasons behind Yang Guifei's "beauty but ill-fated" fate. Based on historical facts, the book seeks truth without fictionalization, blending evaluation into the narrative. With a light and engaging tone, rich in illustrations, it caters to both experts and general readers, maintaining academic rigor for scholars while being enjoyable for the public.