Beautiful women are called in China flowers, or jade jewels, or still better, the destroyers of the empire, or the destroyers of cities. The latter nicknames originated in a poem of the celebrated Li-Yan-Nein, of the dynasty of Han, thus conceived:

The poem fell under the eyes of the Emperor, who immediately asked if such a woman really did exist, or was only the creation of the poet’s imagination. On receiving an affirmative answer, he expressed his desire to know this beauty, and it was upon her that he afterwards bestowed his exclusive favour. An Emperor is no less a man.

One of the favourites of Emperor Han-Wou-Ti, named Li-Kiang—pretty girl—conquered the heart of her sovereign at the age of fourteen. Her beauty was perfect, and her body was of extreme delicacy. She clothed herself alone in the lightest tissues, for fear that coarser stuff might injure her very delicate skin. Her master built for her a crystal palace, so that, as he said, no dust should come to stain the whiteness of her darling person. Her breath was so sweet, that when she sang all the flowers in the garden danced.

Emperor Ouei-Weng-Ti, having heard it said that a young girl named Sie-Ling-Yung, was reputed to be of incomparable beauty, wrote to the prefect, bidding him to send her to the capital. On bidding good-bye to her parents, Sie-Ling-Yung wept red tears, which were tears of blood.

Her reception at the capital was an extremely brilliant one. The Court sent out ten carriages to meet her, and sandal leaves were burned all along the way she was to pass through. A lofty tower was erected for the occasion, and was illuminated, as were all the houses in the city.

It was a memorable night, and is still mentioned in our histories. His Majesty went out in person to meet the beautiful woman, driving in a carriage of carved jade. At regular intervals bronze milestones, two metres high, had been erected. At last this marvellous woman was received in the arms of the sovereign, who gave her the name of Ye-Lae, which means “She who came in the night.”

She was an incomparable artist at embroidery. She could embroider in the dark masterpieces which could not be imitated in daylight by any other woman. On account of this she was also called “The Genius of the Needle.”

The celebrated poet Soung-U says, in a poem about his neighbour:

It is a matter of great regret in China that the poet did not even mention the name of this beauty, who, according to his account, must have been as desirable a person as she was desired by him.

When the famous Fi-Yen—The Flying Swallow—was presented to Emperor Yang-Ti, he was transported with joy. Not only was she beautiful, but her body was so light, that the king used often to take her up on one hand to play with her. In a moment of effusion the Emperor said that he had only one ambition in life, and that was to live and die by the side of her whom he loved, and that, unlike his ancestors, he should not commit the folly of seeking for the land of clouds, by which he meant Paradise.

There have been so many celebrated beauties in China, that it is quite impossible to mention all their names here. Let us be satisfied by saying, that some, when they wash their hands in the streams, scent the water; that others found their beauty improved by a little wound on their faces; that some shamed the flowers themselves; and that one of them compelled the moon to hide her face. All those who deserved the name of beautiful woman, owed all their charms to Nature; those that tried to imitate them, only rendered themselves ridiculous. History relates apropos of this, that the beautiful Si-Si used to have the habit of laying her hand to her heart, which gave her an additional charm. Another woman, who lived in her village—thinking that it was this gesture alone that caused her neighbour to be so much admired—imitated it, and got laughed at for her trouble; for, as it was pointed out to her, she had overlooked the fact that what is natural is beautiful, whilst what is forced is often absurd.

Men used to be magnificently gallant towards these beautiful women. Some housed them in golden palaces, others sheltered every step that they took with tents of gauze, so as to protect them against the sun and the wind. Others had screens of pearls carried before their lady-loves, more beautiful than the pearls which were intended for their adornment. It will be seen that our writers did not lack in metaphors for the celebration of charming women. They were in the right. The flowers of rhetoric are never better employed than when applied to those women which the gallantry of our language has baptized with the name of flowers.