Something that is commonly referenced in Chinese folklore are The Four Beauties. The Four Great Beauties are four women in ancient China's history  who were renowned for their beauty. The scarcity of historical records concerning them meant that much of what is known of them today has been greatly embellished by legend. They gained their reputation from the influence they exercised over kings and emperors and consequently, the way their actions impacted Chinese history is still unknown. Three of the Four Beauties are said to have brought kingdoms to their knees, and the lives of all four ended in tragically by way of poisoning or under mysterious circumstances.

The Four Great Beauties lived in four different dynasties, each hundreds of years apart. In chronological order, they are:

1. Xi Shi,, was said to be so entrancingly beautiful that fish would forget how to swim and sink away from the surface when she walked by.

2. Wang Zhaojun, was said to be so beautiful that her appearance would entice birds in flight to fall from the sky.

3. Diaochan, was said to be so luminously lovely that the moon itself would shy away in embarrassment when compared to her face.

4. Yang Guifei, was said to have a face that puts all flowers to shame.

The story still lies among the great legends of China.