Brief Introduction About The Four Beauties in Chinese history

The Four Beauties are four ancient Chinese women, renowned for their beauty. Though actual historical figures, their stories have been greatly embellished by legend. According to legend, they are the most beautiful women of ancient China, and among the most significant as well. They have remained famous because of their effect on the emperors and kings with whom they were involved. Some brought kingdoms or dynasties to their knees. Most ended their lives in tragedy or mystery.

• In chronological order, introduce firstly is Xi Shi:

Xi Shi was said to have lived during the end of Spring and Autumn Period in Zhuji(诸暨),the capital of the ancient State of Yue.She was said to be "so beautiful as to make swimming fish sink".There also goes a saying ”Beauty lies in the lover's eyes”In chiese,we can say Xi Shi lies in the lover’s eyes.
King Goujian of Yue was once imprisoned after a defeat in a war by King Fuchai of Wu.The state of Yue later became a tribulatory to Wu.Secretly planning his revenge,Goujian's minister Wen Zhong suggested training beautiful women and offering them to Fuchai as a tribute.His other minister,Fan Li,found Xi Shi and Zheng Dan,and gifted them to Fuchai.
Bewitched by the beauty of Xi Shi,Fuchai forgot all about his state affairs, on their instigation,and killed his best advisor,the great general Wu Zixu.In 473 BC Goujian launched his strike and put the Wu army to full rout.King Fuchai lamented that he should have listened to Wu Zixu,and then committed suicide.
There is another well-known figure of unknown origin,probably fictional and parodical,named Dong Shi (东施).The "Dong" in her name means "east" contrasting to Xi Shi's "Xi",which means "west".Apart from her name,she is said to be the exact opposite of Xi Shi in being extremely ugly and,in modern depictions,fat.This in turn has created the saying "Dong Shi imitates a frown",meaning to attempt imitating another work only to show up one's own weaknesses.

• The second is Wang Zhaojun:

Wang Zhaojun was said to be "so beautiful as to make flying geese fall". Wang Zhaojun is perhaps the best known of China's "political brides". she entered the imperial harem during the reign of Emperor Yuan of Western Han (48-33 BC). The emperor chose companions from his vast harem of maidens by looking at their portraits. As a result of this practice, it had become the custom for palace ladies to offer large bribes to court artists to ensure that they painted a flattering likeness. Wang Zhaojun, however, was confident in her natural beauty and refused to pay money to court painter. As a result, she seemed to be the ugliest of all the palace ladies from her portrait, and thus never received the emperor's favour.
When the Xiongnu chieftain came to ChangAn, he told Emperor Yuan: "I wish to
take a Han beauty as my empress”. To cement relations with this barbarous nation, Emperor Yuan agreed to the request. However,the emperor was unwilling to pick out a real beauty,and ordered to select an ordinary woman in the harem for the chieftain. When the unflattering portrait of Wang Zhaojun was sent to the emperor, he merely glanced at it and nodded his approval.
Her life became the story of "Zhaojun Departs the Frontier" (昭君出塞). Peace was maintained for over 60 years between China and the Xiongnu. However, China eventually lost touch with her and her descendants.
Since the 3rd century the story of Zhaojun had been elaborated upon and she had been touted as a tragic heroine. The Communist government of the People's Republic of China uses her as a symbol of the integration of Han Chinese and ethnic minorities of China. Zhaojun Tomb still exists today in Inner Mongolia.

• The third is Diao Chan:

Diao Chan (c. third century, Three Kingdoms period), said to have "a face that would make the full moon hide behind the clouds".Diao Chan is a singer of Wang Yun in the Eastern Han Dynasty,and she has beautiful appearance.When Eastern Han Dynasty manipulated by the traitor Dong Zhuo, she pray to God for helping her master Wang Yun. Wang Yun secretly promised Diao Chan to Lv Bu,but then to Dong Zhuo.Lv Bu was very young and handsome at that time,and Dong Zhuo was an old hand at trickery and deception person. In order to win over Lv Bu, Dong Zhuo recognized Lv Bu as a son.However,they are all lecherous. Since then, Diao Chan began to drive a wedge between Lv Bu and Dong Zhuo.
Lv Bu was very angry since Dong Zhuo married Diao Chao. One day, Lv Bu entered into Dong Zhuo’s house secretly and invited Diao Chan to meet. Diao Chan cry to Lv Bu for what Dong Zhuo did. When Dong Zhuo returned home and caught Lv Bu,he was very angry and grabbed spear to kill Lv Bu.Fortunately, Lv Bu escaped from death.Since then,there was suspicion and even downright hatred between them.After that,Wang Yun sucessfully persuaded Lv Bu to kill Dong Zhuo.
It should be noted that no historical accounts mention a person named Diao Chan. Moreover, "Diao" is not a common Chinese last name.

• The last one is Yang Yuhuan:

Yang Yuhuan is one of the most beautiful ladies of ancient China, but she got the most unfortunate compare to those three.Yang Gui Fei was named Yang Yuhuan, she was a daughter of a nobleman in the little village.When her was 16 years old, her father sent her into the palace to be a wife of the emperor’s son.
After she got into the palace, her beautiful appearance was well-known. After the Emperor Tang Xuanzong heard, he went to his son’s palace to see this girl; once Xuangzong saw Yang Yuhuan, he suddenly fell in love with her and accommodated her into his palace. In that time Xuanzong was 56 years old and Yang was 22 years old.Yang was not only beautiful but also very clever,and she learned fast and talented in music and dancing.She was said to have"a face that would make all flowers feel shameful".
Eventually,the emperor began to neglect state affairs. She adopted An Lushan as her son and helped her brother win power at court. The power struggle eventually over controlled by the central government. Therefore,the emperor fled the capital before the rebels occupied.The loyal soldiers were angry and blamed Yang Yuhuan and her brother for the rebellion.Finally,the emperor was forced to order their execution to kill her.