Favourite consort of the Tang emperor Xuanzong and one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. She was put to death during the 安史之乱, and 白居易's poem 《长恨歌》 tells their story.
During the An Lushan Rebellion, Yang Guifei was ordered to take her own life at Mawei Slope.
Tips
history
She was first married to one of Xuanzong's own sons; to avoid scandal the emperor had her become a Daoist nun before taking her as his consort in 745. Her second cousin 杨国忠 rose to chancellor through her favour.
culture
She is the 羞花 'shaming the flowers' of the idiom 闭月羞花: the story goes that when she touched a flower in the palace garden, its petals curled up and its leaves drooped, as if ashamed beside her. The 闭月 'hiding the moon' half belongs to 貂蝉.
