Notes on Yang Gui Fei

YANG GUI FEI 杨贵妃
a.k.a. Yang Yu Huan 杨玉环
719-756BC

Descriptions:

1. possessing a hundred charms, jade-like body, frail and lovely
2. made the powdered ladies of the palaces seem dull and colorless
   
3. hair like a cloud, face like a flower, moth-like eybrows
4. loved lychees
   

Background:

1. daughter of Yang Xuan Yan, census official in Si Chuan who died early in Yu Huan's life; she was raised in the household of uncle Yang Xuan Gui
2. sent to work as a lady-in-waiting at the Emperor's palace
   

Related Characters:

1. 18th Prince Li Mao 寿王李瑁
   
2. Emperor Tang Xuan Zong 唐玄宗 (a.k.a. Li Long Ji 李隆基/Tang Ming Huang 唐明皇)
3. Older Brother Yang Guo Zhong 杨国忠
   
4. Turkish General An Lu Shan 安禄山
   

Story:

1. At age 16, Gui Fei was married to the Emperor's 18th son, Shou Wang Li Mao. After Xuan Zong met her, he sent Gui Fei to a nunnery for two years, then made her his concubine afterward.
   
2. The emperor spent all of his time with her. Xuan Zong neglected his court.
3. Yang Gui Fei's older brother Yang Guo Zhong was a corrupt official. Turkish General An Lu Shan saw this corruption throughout the court and tried to bring it to the Emperor's attention, but the Emperor did not believe Lu Shan. Gui Fei actually gave much favor to the Turkish general, since he was the only general who could bring lychees to her quickly enough that they were still fresh.
   
4. Guo Zhong provoked Lu Shan into retaliating against the Tang dynasty.
   
5. They fled as far as Ma Wei Yi in Shaanxi Province, where the soldiers refused to march and demanded that Yang Gui Fei and her brother die.
6. Xuan Zong had to watch the execution of Yang Gui Fei, whom the common people hated, believing that she damaged the country. He wept with sorrow. Eventually he abdicated the throne.