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Yang first caught the eye of Emperor Xuanzong when he was nearly sixty; she was at that time married to one of his sons. Yang left the Court and became a [[Daoism|Daoist]] for a time, and her husband remarried. Some time later, she then re-entered Court, as a consort to Emperor Xuanzong, who called her "Precious Consort" (''Guifei''), the name by which she is now known. Her true name is lost to history.

Yang first caught the eye of Emperor Xuanzong when he was nearly sixty; she was at that time married to one of his sons. Yang left the Court and became a [[Daoism|Daoist]] for a time, and her husband remarried. Some time later, she then re-entered Court, as a consort to Emperor Xuanzong, who called her "Precious Consort" (''Guifei''), the name by which she is now known. Her true name is lost to history.

Yang and the Emperor were quite close, but a part-[[Sogdian]], part-Turkic general by the name of An Lushan attracted her eye as well; Yang formally adopted An in [[751]]. An Lushan later led [[An Lushan Rebellion|a rebellion]] which has become one of the most prominent events in early Chinese history; in [[755]] or [[756]], Xuanzong and Yang Guifei were forced to flee the capital of [[Chang'an]], making their way to the former state of Shu, a scene depicted in countless paintings and other works of art & literature since. The two were killed shortly afterwards; An Lushan's rebellion went on for several years but was eventually suppressed, and power restored to the Tang Court.

Yang and the Emperor were quite close, but a part-[[Sogdian]], part-Turkic general by the name of An Lushan attracted her eye as well; Yang formally adopted An in [[751]]. An Lushan later led [[An Lushan Rebellion|a rebellion]] which has become one of the most prominent events in early Chinese history; in [[755]] or [[756]], Xuanzong and Yang Guifei were forced to flee the capital of [[Chang'an]], making their way to the former state of Shu ([[Sichuan province]]), a scene depicted in countless paintings and other works of art & literature since. The two were killed shortly afterwards; An Lushan's rebellion went on for several years but was eventually suppressed, and power restored to the Tang Court.

The most famous work relating the story, or legend, of Yang Guifei is [[Bai Juyi]]'s poem "[[The Tale of Everlasting Sorrow]]," which was written mere decades after the events themselves took place. Yang Guifei appears as well in countless Japanese paintings and ''[[ukiyo-e]]'' woodblock prints, and in [[kabuki]] plays, chief among them the eponymous ''[[Yokihi|Yôkihi]]''.

The most famous work relating the story, or legend, of Yang Guifei is [[Bai Juyi]]'s poem "[[The Tale of Everlasting Sorrow]]," which was written mere decades after the events themselves took place. Yang Guifei appears as well in countless Japanese paintings and ''[[ukiyo-e]]'' woodblock prints, and in [[kabuki]] plays, chief among them the eponymous ''[[Yokihi|Yôkihi]]''.

==References==

==References==

*Valerie Hansen, ''The Open Empire'', New York: W.W. Norton & Company (2000), 222.

*Valerie Hansen, ''The Open Empire'', New York: W.W. Norton & Company (2000), 222-224.

[[Category:Women]]

[[Category:Women]]

[[Category:Nara Period]]

[[Category:Nara Period]]