The Living Waters of Beauty

The peerlessly beautiful and gifted Xiao Shuimei (Xiao Meiniang) was pursued by six emperors over the course of her life...

From childhood, she was given a prophecy about “living water.” With resilience and wisdom, she became the Princess of Jin and helped Yang Guang win the succession and govern the country, but their ideals gradually diverged. After the fall of the Sui dynasty, amid the chaos of war, she was pursued in turn by Yuwen Huaji, Dou Jiande, and the Turkic khagan. Yet wearing Daoist robes, she served as the strategist behind the scenes, relying on her mature wisdom, deep and still as flowing water, to make her way in the world. In the end, she entered the Tang court and used her clear-sighted wisdom to guide Emperor Taizong, who honored her as an “unofficial imperial tutor.” In her later years, she let go of all love and hatred with a peaceful heart. Like the waters of the Grand Canal, she brought blessings to generations to come. She was finally laid to rest at Leitang, fulfilling her vow that “living water would flow on forever” and completing her life's journey from spirited brilliance to serene clarity.