In the Tang Dynasty, Yang Yuhuan (Yang Guifei) was celebrated as one of China’s most beautiful women. At a time when slender figures were prized, her full, voluptuous form radiated elegance and vitality. Yet behind her legendary beauty lay an unusual secret: at night, she carried a personal habit that might have repelled others—yet for Emperor Xuanzong, it became an irresistible bond.
Beauty Beyond Compare
Born in 719 CE in present-day Shanxi Province, Yang Yuhuan’s beauty broke conventions. Unlike the delicate and fragile look admired by Tang women, she embodied a healthy and prosperous elegance, her skin described as “smooth as jade” and her presence compared to swaying willows in spring.
A famous tale recalls her gently touching a peony in the imperial garden. The flower closed its petals in shame, giving rise to her title “Shaming the Flowers.” Yet behind this divine beauty was a struggle few spoke of—a natural body scent.
The Hidden “Flaw”
According to Yang Taizhen Waizhuan and other records, Yang Yuhuan’s fuller figure and the Tang climate caused her to sweat more in summer, producing a faint body odor. Modern medicine might classify it as mild bromhidrosis, but in the strict etiquette of the imperial court, it was seen as an “impurity.”
Determined to maintain perfection, she employed a three-step fragrance ritual:
- Perfumed ointments: Rare imports like ambergris, agarwood, and musk were blended into balms applied to her skin.
- Floral baths: Fresh roses, jasmine, and peonies were pressed into juices and mixed with warm water for her daily cleansing.
- Scented garments: Her clothes, bedding, and cushions were infused with sachets, releasing fragrance that lingered for days.
Her effort to mask the scent only deepened Xuanzong’s fascination. For him, it was not a flaw but part of her essence—the unique “Fragrance of the Consort.”
The Emperor’s Obsession
Emperor Xuanzong, once the brilliant ruler of the “Golden Age of Kaiyuan,” grew increasingly dependent on Yang Yuhuan in later years. Records in Zizhi Tongjian and Old Book of Tang note that he often suffered from insomnia. Yet whenever Yang Yuhuan was beside him, he slept peacefully, lulled not by her songs but by her natural scent mixed with perfumes and sweat.
To others, it was overpowering; to him, it was comfort and intimacy. He famously said: “Other women wear the same perfumes, but they smell ordinary. Only Guifei’s fragrance has life, emotion, and truth.”
Her unpolished authenticity endeared her to him. She laughed loudly when eating lychees, collapsed mid-dance when tired, snored unashamedly at night, and openly allowed her maids to wipe her sweat. What others saw as flaws, Xuanzong cherished as signs of her true nature.
Extravagant Devotion
His devotion was legendary:
- He ordered relay riders to deliver fresh lychees from the south, just so she could taste their sweetness.
- He composed the “Song of the Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Coat” for her dance.
- He expanded the Huaqing Hot Springs, building luxurious baths lined with jewels, just to make her bathing comfortable.
When a jealous consort criticized Yang Yuhuan’s strong fragrance as harmful, Xuanzong banished her to the cold palace. He defended Yang not for her beauty, but for her authenticity.
Tragedy at Mawei
In 755, the An Lushan Rebellion shook the empire. As Xuanzong fled west with his court and Yang Yuhuan, mutiny erupted at Mawei Post. Soldiers blamed her family for the chaos and demanded her execution.
Xuanzong hesitated, pleading for her innocence, but the army refused. With no choice, he ordered her death. In a quiet temple, Yang Yuhuan took her last breath at just 38 years old.
According to Minghuang Zalu, Xuanzong wandered in despair afterward, murmuring, “Where is her fragrance? Why can’t I smell it anymore?” He preserved her clothes, sachets, and bedding, forbidding anyone from using the Huaqing Pool again.
For the rest of his life, he longed for the scent that was hers alone. When asked why he loved her above all, he replied simply: “Her true nature.”
Conclusion
Yang Yuhuan’s story is not merely about beauty, but about the power of authenticity. Her “imperfections” became her deepest charm, binding the heart of an emperor. In a world of masks and etiquette, it was her unfiltered humanity—her laughter, her sweat, her scent—that made her unforgettable.
References
- Old Book of Tang: Biography of Yang Guifei
- New Book of Tang: Annals of Xuanzong
- Zizhi Tongjian Vol. 217
- Yang Taizhen Waizhuan (Zheng Chuhui, Tang)
- Minghuang Zalu (Zheng Qi, Tang)
- Bai Juyi, Song of Everlasting Sorrow
