Tang Dynasty Archives - Page 5 of 5 - History of Royal Women

The Dugu Sisters – Three Sisters, Three Empresses, Three Successive Chinese Dynasties

Thursday, 13 June 2019, 7:00 Lauralee Swann 0

In the sixth century, there lived a general named Dugu Xin. He came from a non-Chinese clan that was said to have a vast network of connections and influences throughout the various kingdoms of China.[1] Dugu Xin was a military general who had served both the Northern Wei and Western Wei dynasties.[2] He eventually became Duke of [read more]

Imperial Consort Yang Guifei – The tragic love story that inspired The Tale of Genji

Friday, 1 December 2017, 7:00 Lauralee Swann 1

Yang Guifei was known as one of the four most beautiful women in Ancient China. She is famous for being the subject of the famous poem of the Tang Dynasty, “Song of Everlasting Sorrow.” Her love story with Emperor Xuanzong also served as the basis for The Tale of Genji. She was once the wife of [read more]

Imperial Consort Shangguan Wan’er – China’s female Prime Minister

Tuesday, 14 November 2017, 7:00 Lauralee Swann 1

Shangguan Wan’er was one of Tang dynasty’s greatest poets and was known to be “the first female premier in China.”[1] She also played a “larger role in male literary culture, both as writer and arbiter than any other woman in Chinese history”.[2] Shangguan Wan’er is one of the very few women in Chinese history who rose to [read more]