Four Beauties

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Four Beauties
Chinese 四大美女
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese 四大美人

The Four Beauties or Four Great Beauties are four ancient Chinese women, renowned for their beauty. The scarcity of historical records concerning them meant that much of what is known of them today has been greatly embellished by legend. They gained their reputation from the influence they exercised over kings and emperors and consequently, the way their actions impacted Chinese history. Three of the Four Beauties brought kingdoms to their knees and their lives ended in tragedy.

Four beauties

A Japanese painting by Edo-based artist Hosoda Eishi titled The Chinese beauty Yang Guifei, early 19th century

Beauties

The Four Great Beauties lived in four different dynasties, each hundreds of years apart. In chronological order, they are:

  • Xi Shi (c. 7th to 6th century BC, Spring and Autumn Period), said to be so entrancingly beautiful that fish would forget how to swim and sink away from the surface when she walks by.[1]
  • Wang Zhaojun (c. 1st century BC, Western Han Dynasty), said to be so beautiful that her appearance would entice birds in flight to fall from the sky.[2]
  • Diaochan (c. 3rd century, Late Eastern Han/Three Kingdoms period), said to be so luminously lovely that the moon itself would shy away in embarrassment when compared to her face.[3]
  • Yang Guifei (719–756, Tang Dynasty), said to have a face that puts all flowers to shame.[4]

Quote

A quote describes the four beauties.[5] The exact origin of this quote is debated.

Chinese Pinyin Jyutping English
西施沉魚
昭君落雁
貂嬋閉月
貴妃羞花		 xī shī chén yú
zhāo jūn luò yàn
diāo chán bì yuè
guì fēi xiū huā		 sai1 si1 cam4 jyu4
ciu1 gwan1 lok6 ngaan6
diu1 sim4 bai3 jyut6
gwai3 fei1 sau1 faa1		 Xi Shi sinks fish
Wang Zhaojun entice birds falling
Diaochan eclipses the moon
Yang Guifei shames flowers

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Four Great Beauties.
  1. ↑ Big5.ce.cn. "Big5.ce.cn." 西施浣紗——沉魚. Retrieved on 2010-02-20.
  2. ↑ Big5.ce.cn. "Big5.ce.cn." 昭君出塞——落雁. Retrieved on 2010-02-20.
  3. ↑ Big5.ce.cn. "Big5.ce.cn." 貂蟬拜月——閉月. Retrieved on 2010-02-20.
  4. ↑ Big5.ce.cn. "Big5.ce.cn." 貴妃醉酒——羞花. Retrieved on 2010-02-20.
  5. ↑ Xinhuanet.com. "Xinhuanet.com." 纪连海叹说四大美人 . Retrieved on 2010-02-20.
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