This weeks’ episode is called Jade Beauty

Chinese historians tell us that during China’s long history there were two women whose beauty surpassed that of all the others combined. Their names were Mei Fei and Yang Kuei-fei. Both lived during the T’ang Dynasty. Both were mistresses of the Emperor Ming Huang.

The Emperor met Mei Fei first and made her his concubine, sure that no lovelier woman existed. But then he saw Yang Kuei-fei, the betrothed of his son, the heir apparent he displaced Mei Fei, and made Yang Kuei-fei his own.

Installed as his concubine, she became known as the Jade Beauty, for it is said that she her skin was “as white and smooth as jade,” her features “as finely carved as jade,”