Gao Lishi (684–762), formally the Duke of Qi (齊國公), was a Chinese eunuch and politician of the Tang dynasty and the Wu Zhou dynasty, becoming particularly powerful during Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's reign. He is believed to have been in charge of many decisions that were supposed to be the emperor's responsibility during Emperor Xuanzong's later years, and was believed to have been richer than many of the nobility of the era. Despite this, however, he was often viewed as a positive example of eunuch participation in politics for his personal loyalty to Emperor Xuanzong, which withstood despite its putting himself in personal danger later, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong's son Emperor Suzong as it drew jealousy from fellow eunuch Li Fuguo. Further, during the years of his highest power, he was also said to make no improper influences on governance, and therefore drew no anger from the intelligentsia. Late in Emperor Suzong's reign, he was exiled upon Li Fuguo's urging. After a pardon in 762, he was returning from exile, when he heard of Emperors Xuanzong's and Suzong's deaths. Mourning Emperor Xuanzong bitterly, he grew ill and died.
Yang Yuhuan, often known as Yang Guifei, and known briefly by the Taoist nun name Taizhen (太真) was the beloved consort of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang during his later years. She is known as one of the Four Beauties of ancient China.
Yang Guozhong, né Yang Zhao (楊釗), was a Chinese politician who served as leading chancellor from 752 to 756, late in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Yang was a gambler and wastrel but rose rapidly to political power after his distant cousin, Yang Yuhuan, became Emperor Xuanzong's favorite consort in 744. His skills as a financial administrator helped him become leading chancellor in 752, but while he enjoyed Emperor Xuanzong's trust, he proved disastrously incompetent and incurred the wrath of many, including the general An Lushan, another imperial favorite. Yang was blamed for precipitating An's cataclysmic rebellion in 755. In the following year, he forced the Tang army of Geshu Han, then holding favorable defensive positions in Tong Pass, to confront the rebel army, leading to a rout of Tang forces and the fall of the imperial capital, Chang'an. Yang attempted to flee to his base in Chengdu with Emperor Xuanzong, but when the imperial party stopped at Mawei Station in modern Shaanxi, Yang and his family, including Yang Yuhuan, were massacred by imperial guard soldiers who blamed them for the chaos.
An Lushan was a general in the Tang dynasty and is primarily known for instigating the An Lushan Rebellion.
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, personal name Li Longji, was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, reigning from 712 to 756 CE. His reign of 44 years was the longest during the Tang dynasty. Through two palace coups, he seized the throne and inherited an empire still in its golden age. He was initially assisted by capable chancellors like Yao Chong, Song Jing and Zhang Yue who were already serving as government officials before Xuanzong ascended the throne. However, under Emperor Xuanzong, the empire reached its turning point and went into sharp decline and near collapse, due to numerous political missteps throughout his long reign, such as over-trusting Li Linfu, Yang Guozhong and An Lushan, with Tang's golden age ending in the An Lushan Rebellion.
Emperor Wuzong of Tang, né Li Chan, later changed to Li Yan just before his death, was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, reigning from 840 to 846. Emperor Wuzong is mainly known in modern times for the religious persecution that occurred during his reign. However, he was also known for his successful reactions against incursions by remnants of the Uyghur Khanate and the rebellion by Liu Zhen, as well as his deep trust and support for chancellor Li Deyu.
War and Beauty is a Hong Kong television period drama serial that originally aired on TVB Jade from 23 August to 2 October 2004, consisting of 30 episodes. It stars TVB Best Actress winners Sheren Tang (2009/2010), Maggie Cheung (2003), Charmaine Sheh (2006/2014), and Gigi Lai. It also stars TVB Best Actor winners Bowie Lam and Moses Chan (2007). It received widespread praise among critics and audiences for its acting and plot. It continues to remain one of the most popular TVB dramas and is often referenced as the first drama series that sparked the popularity for palace scheming dramas in Hong Kong such as Beyond the Realm of Conscience and Mainland Chinese dramas including Empresses in the Palace, Story of Yanxi Palace and Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace. In 2022, the drama was selected as one of ten classic TVB dramas being honoured for a new joint Youku and TVB programme. In 2022, Tang, Cheung, and Sheh reprised their roles for the Zhejiang Television, Youku, and TVB-produced variety show Memories Beyond Horizon.
Emperor Suzong of Tang, personal name Li Heng, né Li Sisheng (李嗣升), known as Li Jun (李浚) from 725 to 736, known as Li Yu (李璵) from 736 to 738, known briefly as Li Shao (李紹) in 738, was an emperor of the Chinese Tang dynasty and the son of Emperor Xuanzong. Suzong ascended the throne after his father fled to Sichuan during the An Lushan Rebellion in 756; Li Heng himself had fled in the opposite direction, to Lingwu, where he was declared emperor by the army. Much of Emperor Suzong's reign was spent in quelling the aforementioned rebellion, which was ultimately put down in 763 during the reign of his son Emperor Daizong.
Li Linfu, nickname Genu, formally the Duke of Jin, was a Chinese historian, musician, and politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor for 18 years (734–752), during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong—one of the longest terms of service for a chancellor in Tang history, and the longest during Xuanzong's reign.
Kwong Wa is a Hong Kong actor and singer. He is known for his portrayals of Chinese historical characters such as Lao Ai, Xiang Yu, Tang Sanzang, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Yongzheng Emperor, and Qianlong Emperor.
Anne Heung Hoi-lam is a Hong Kong-born Canadian actress and model, formerly under contract to the television station TVB. She left TVB in 2008 for new business ventures but returned to media work in 2015.
Li Ying (李瑛), né Li Siqian (李嗣謙), known from 725 to 736 as Li Hong (李鴻), was a crown prince of the Chinese Tang Dynasty during the reign of his father Emperor Xuanzong. He was later removed and forced to commit suicide due to the machinations of Emperor Xuanzong's favorite and influential concubine Consort Wu and her powerful and corrupt ally, the chancellor Li Linfu.
The Prince's Shadow is a Hong Kong television series first broadcast on TVB in March 2005. It stars Adam Cheng, Sheren Tang, Tavia Yeung, Joyce Tang & Marco Ngai.
Beyond the Realm of Conscience is a 2009 Hong Kong television series. Produced by Mui Siu-ching, the serial is one of two TVB productions to celebrate along with the channel's 42nd anniversary, the other being Born Rich. The drama aired five days a week on the TVB network with 45-minute episodes starting 19 October 2009. It stars Charmaine Sheh, Tavia Yeung, Moses Chan and Kevin Cheng as the main leads.
Can't Buy Me Love is a 2010 Hong Kong television series. It is a grand production by TVB and starred Charmaine Sheh and Moses Chan as the lead casts while Linda Chung, Raymond Wong, Kenneth Ma and Fala Chen as the main cast for this series.
Huaqing Pool, or the Huaqing Hot Springs, are a complex of hot springs located in an area characterized by mild weather and scenic views at the northern foot of Mount Li, one of the three major peaks of the Qinling. The Huaqing Hot Springs are located approximately 25 kilometers (16 mi) east of Xi'an, in the province of Shaanxi, China.
The Palace of Eternal Life, also translated as The Palace of Eternal Youth, is a play written by Hong Sheng in the Qing dynasty. He absorbed certain material from the long narrative poem The Song of Everlasting Sorrow written by Bai Juyi and the zaju Rain on the Paulownia Tree (梧桐雨) written by Bai Renfu. The Palace of Eternal Life is acclaimed as one of the China's "Four Great Classical Dramas", along with The Peony Pavilion, The Peach Blossom Fan and Romance of the Western Chamber. The performance is focused on the everlasting love story of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and his favorite consort Yang Guifei.
Beauty at War, also known as War and Beauty 2, is a Hong Kong television period drama serial produced by Jonathan Chik for TVB. It premiered on TVB Jade in Hong Kong on April 22, 2013. Created by Chik and scriptwriter Chow Yuk-ming, it is a sequel to War and Beauty, which took place in a parallel universe. It stars Sheren Tang, Ada Choi, Christine Ng, Moses Chan, Kenny Wong, Eddie Kwan, Raymond Cho & Rachel Kan. The events of the first installment are depicted as being the result of rumor-mongering, and are frequently referenced.
Consort Mei, born Jiang Caipin, is a fictional imperial consort of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Her name is not found in any official history book and only in "Biography of Consort Mei" (梅妃傳), preserved in a Yuan dynasty anthology and attributed to the Tang dynasty writer Cao Ye (曹鄴). In 1927, Lu Xun determined that the work was a Song dynasty forgery and should be considered no more than fiction. Later researchers have pointed out that her purported hometown, in the present-day coastal city of Putian, was actually under water during Emperor Xuanzong's time.
The Empress of China is a 2014 Chinese television series based on events in the 7th and 8th-century Tang dynasty, starring producer Fan Bingbing as the titular character Wu Zetian—the only female emperor in Chinese history.
