‘So beautiful fish forget to swim’: ‘Four Beauties’ of ancient China changed nation’s history
- 1 woman saved China from a tyrant while another helped spur a rebellion
From Nefertiti to Helen of Troy, history is filled with legendary women celebrated for their beauty, and China shares this rich tradition.
Over the millennia of Chinese history, a group of women dubbed the “Four Beauties of China” caught the attention of ruling kings and emperors, and their stories have since become popular legends.
Their histories have intertwined so deeply with their myths that their stories have undeniably drifted from reality, resembling fables more than factual accounts.
However, that does not diminish their importance in modern imagination, so let’s meet the Four Beauties of ancient China.
Xi Shi (around 7th-6th BC)
Legend says Xi Shi’s beauty was so profound that fish forgot how to swim upon seeing her reflection in a lake.