Yang Guifei is one of the four beauties in ancient China. Different from the other three, Yang Guifei may be the only famous fat beauty in Chinese history. This is somewhat special and exceptional to us today. But today I am not going to talk about her beauty, but I am going to talk about a heavier topic, that is: How did Concubine Yang die?
The Yang Guifei painted by Tang Bohu is so beautiful. (This article was originally written by the headline author Bo Dong)
In 1963, on a Japanese TV show, a young girl suddenly appeared. She took out her family's family tree, and then said to the audience in front of the TV in a serious manner: "I will tell you a secret. In fact, I am a descendant of the famous beauty Yang Guifei of the Tang Dynasty in China." Later, this matter also caused extensive discussions in our country and Japan.
How did China’s Yang Guifei become the ancestor of Japanese girls? How much credibility is there? Is the family tree in her hand real or fake?
In the official history of our country, Concubine Yang Guifei was forced by angry soldiers on her way to the west after the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion and Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty was forced to hang her to death in a place called Maweipo. History books also record that after Concubine Yang was hanged, her body was displayed in the lobby of the post station for the soldiers who followed Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty to move westward. Moreover, after the soldiers saw it one by one, they reorganized their troops and marched westward.
Schematic diagram of the Anshi Rebellion. (This article was originally written by Bo Dong, the author of the headline)
Since the authentic history books have recorded it in such detail, how should we explain the fact that Concubine Yang became the ancestor of a Japanese girl?
In his book "The Secret History of Concubine Yang's Resurrection", the famous Japanese scholar Watanabe Ryusetsu described in detail how Concubine Yang became the ancestor of Japanese girls. He introduced that after the Maweipo Incident, Concubine Yang was not really hanged to death, she was just in a state of suspended animation.
After the soldiers of the Tang army left, Concubine Yang came back to life. After that, she got help from the dancer Xie Aman and the musician Ma Xianqi, and finally escaped to Japan with the help of the envoy to the Tang Dynasty. Before Yang Guifei traveled east to Japan, she specially picked up the concubine Xu of Yang Guozhong eldest son Yang Xuan and their son.
The changes in Maweipo. (This article was originally written by Bo Dong, the author of the headline)
After this group of people came to Japan, they settled there. After the Anshi Rebellion, Xie Aman and Ma Xianqi found an opportunity to tell Tang Xuanzong the news. As a result, Tang Xuanzong later sent people to Japan to find Concubine Yang. However, the disheartened Concubine Yang did not return to the Tang Dynasty. Instead, she presented a hosta to the envoys and asked them to bring it back to the Tang Dynasty and present it to Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. In the end, Concubine Yang also died of old age in Japan.
As for why Yang Guifei did not return to the Tang Dynasty, there is a more powerful and convincing story here.
According to Japanese unofficial records, Concubine Yang’s life in Japan was not peaceful. On the contrary, she lived a more enjoyable life. It is said that by virtue of her status as the most beautiful woman in the Tang Dynasty, Concubine Yang quickly set off a storm in the Japanese Imperial Palace, and finally became the Empress of Japan by accident, which is the Princess Takano recorded in " New Tang Book ".
It is recorded in the New Tang Dynasty that Concubine Yang is really dead. (This article was originally written by Bo Dong, the author of the headline)
Of course, there is another saying that Yang Guifei was not so glorious later, but lived in seclusion among the people, and also reproduced offspring with the local people. As a result, there are still many people in Japan who claim to be descendants of Yang Guifei. For example, the Japanese girl we mentioned earlier is probably such a situation. Moreover, in Kutsu Village, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, there are many people with the surname "Yang Gui".
Not only is the legend widely circulated in Japan that Concubine Yang is not dead, many people in our country also support this statement.
In the late 1920s, Mr. Yu Pingbo, a famous Chinese literary and historical expert and red scholar , pointed out in his article: Concubine Yang did not die. Someone else died in Maweipo. Concubine Yang was temporarily transferred.After Yang Guifei narrowly escaped death, she lived in the Female Taoist Monastery (The Female Taoist Monastery in the Tang Dynasty was another name for a brothel) and became a somewhat dirty and fallen woman of that era. He also pointed out that the reason why Bai Juyi said in "Song of Everlasting Regret" that Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty had "an endless hatred" for Yang Yuhuan was mainly because Yang Guifei's subsequent career was too humiliating for him.
The eternally famous poem "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" by the poet Bai Juyi. (This article was originally written by Bo Dong, the author of the headline)
To sum up, the death of Concubine Yang has become an eternal mystery. So do we believe in the official history? Or do you believe in legends?
Let’s first look at the official history. Whether it is " Old Book of Tang ", "New Book of Tang", or the later " Zizhi Tongjian ", Concubine Yang is certain to die. The recorders of official history also recorded some supporting materials of Concubine Yang's death in detail, as if to prove that she was dead, even some things about her mother-in-law and mother had to be recorded.
However, with such a record, I am a little confused. official history is a national history book with great authority. When recording historical events, it often likes to simplify the complex and select the rough and eliminate the essence. Most of them will not record some miscellaneous things in a mess. The level of detailed records of Concubine Yang's death in the official history is somewhat concealed. For example, as we mentioned earlier, the scene where the concubine's body was lying around and the soldiers watched one by one seems to be someone deliberately covering up something.
Zizhi Tongjian also adopted the statement that Yang Guifei was dead and enriched the details, but there were also hundreds of years between them. (This article was originally written by Bo Dong, the author of the headline)
Do you think it is possible that Tang Xuanzong did not let Concubine Yang die, but found an opportunity to let her escape? This is actually very simple. The soldiers of that era were not very knowledgeable. It should not be too difficult for an emperor to protect his beloved woman.
As for whether the escaped Concubine Yang became a "female Taoist priest" or became the ancestor of the Japanese, I am more willing to believe the latter. After all, she was also a noble concubine in the Tang Dynasty. If she really wanted to be a so-called "female Taoist priest" in the Tang Dynasty, I'm afraid not many people would dare to take action. Another reason is that at that time, we were in the midst of the An-Shi Rebellion. Instead of staying at home, it would be safer for Concubine Yang to cross the ocean to Japan. Moreover, Japan was very close to the Tang Dynasty at the time, and I believe they would also treat this noble woman from heaven well.
The Tang Dynasty is the ancestor of Japan. (This article was originally written by Bo Dong, the author of the headline)
Secondly, let’s take a look at the credibility of records related to Concubine Yang in Japan. To be honest, both the Li Tang royal family represented by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and the Yang Guozhong family of Yang Guifei's natal family were very good friends with Japan at that time. In that war-torn period, it was not difficult for Japan to help the Tang Dynasty protect several women. Some people also think that it is difficult to cross to Japan eastward. It is unlikely that Concubine Yang will go to Japan. The reason is that the sea is very rough and it is impossible for a weak woman to go there. However, these people ignore one problem. The envoy to the Tang Dynasty who was able to come to the Tang Dynasty was a top sea navigation expert. What big problem could there be if they brought a few people there?
In fact, there is far more than one legend about Concubine Yang in Japan. In addition to the Japanese girl above, the famous Japanese female movie star Momoe Yamaguchi also publicly declared in a TV program in 2002 that she was a descendant of Concubine Yang in the Tang Dynasty of China, and she also showed her own family tree. According to Yamaguchi Momoe herself, she made a special trip to China in 1989 to trace her roots and ancestors, and found out that her and Yang Guifei’s common ancestor was named Yang Mingzhou.
Not only that, there is also a tomb of Concubine Yang in Yamaguchi County, Japan. Yamaguchi County is also called the "Hometown of Concubine Yang", and Momoe Yamaguchi was born in Yamaguchi County. The famous writer Zhou Zuoren during the Republic of China made a special trip to visit the "Tomb of Concubine Yang" in Yamakou County.
Things in history are always like this, true and false, false and true, if you believe all the official history, you will undoubtedly fall into the lies of official history one after another. Therefore, sometimes unofficial history may not be completely false.
Specific to the historical fog surrounding the mystery of Concubine Yang's death, the official history may not be entirely credible, and it is not impossible that she traveled across the ocean to Japan. However, the legend of becoming the empress in Japan is a bit exaggerated, and being an ordinary ordinary person hiding on an island in the east of the East China Sea seems to be more convincing.
So, what do you think? Is Concubine Yang alive or dead? And whether you really went to Japan, do you have your own views and opinions? Let's discuss it together. #I am studying on the island#
(Book cards have been added here, please go to the Toutiao client to view)
