Emperor Ming of Tang, also known as Li Longji, was the seventh emperor of the Tang Dynasty. During his reign, he implemented a series of political, economic, and cultural reforms, and was an emperor with vision and ambition. However, his excessive indulgence in pleasure and favoritism toward Yang Guifei led him to neglect his duties.
Yang Guifei, whose birth name was Yang Yuhuan, was a palace lady-in-waiting to Emperor Xuanzong. Her beauty made her the object of the emperor's affection. She was exceptionally talented, skilled in singing and dancing, and deeply beloved and favored by the emperor. Emperor Xuanzong doted on Yang Guifei so much that he even stripped the other consorts of their titles, making her the only empress. He later bestowed on her the title of Guifei, demonstrating that no one in the palace could match her standing.
