Lady of the Dynasty

film by Zhang [2015]

Also known as: “Wang chao de nu ren: Yang Guifei ”

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 11, 2026

Quick Summary

"Lady of the Dynasty" is a 2015 film directed by Zhang Yimou that tells the tragic love story between concubine Yang Guifei and Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty. Yang Guifei was a renowned beauty whose influence over the emperor is said to have led to his neglect of state duties, weakening the Tang dynasty and contributing to the An Lushan rebellion. The film explores their passionate but ultimately doomed romance, culminating in Yang Guifei's execution by imperial soldiers who blamed her family for the dynasty's troubles. The story of Yang Guifei has been a popular subject in Chinese literature and drama for centuries.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Zhang Yimou
…nu ren: Yang Guifei (2015; Lady of the Dynasty), about the tragic love affair between concubine Yang Guifei and Emperor Xuanzong, and then helmed the English-language thriller The Great Wall (2016). Ying (2018; Shadow) is an action drama inspired by China’s Three Kingdoms. Zhang’s subsequent movies included Yi miao zhong
Read More
…nu ren: Yang Guifei (2015; Lady of the Dynasty), about the tragic love affair between concubine Yang Guifei and Emperor Xuanzong, and then helmed the English-language thriller The Great Wall (2016). Ying (2018; Shadow) is an action drama inspired by China’s Three Kingdoms. Zhang’s subsequent movies included Yi miao zhong
Read More