The female prime minister was once a slave, had words carved on her face because she loved Wu Zetian's male concubine.

Shangguan Wan'er was a famous woman during the Tang Dynasty. She was considered by many to be the most talented woman in feudal China.

From slave to female prime minister

According to historical records, Thuong Quan Uyen Nhi came from a noble family, a descendant of the great minister Thuong Quan Kiet during the Han Dynasty.

In 664, Shangguan Wan'er's grandfather, Shangguan Yi, helped Emperor Gaozong of Tang write an edict deposing Wu Zetian. Later, when Wu Zetian regained power, she ordered Shangguan Wan'er's grandfather and father to be killed. Shangguan Wan'er and her biological mother were forced to enter the palace to work as servants.

Portrait of Shangguan Wan'er through paintings.

Although she was a palace maid, Thuong Quan Uyen Nhi was very intelligent since childhood, could write poetry and prose, and grew up to be more and more beautiful and charming.

At the age of 14, Shangguan Wan'er's beauty and talent reached Wu Zetian's ears and she was summoned to write a piece of literature on the spot. It was thanks to this opportunity that Shangguan Wan'er had the chance to escape her status as a palace maid and take on the task of writing imperial edicts for Wu Zetian.

With her outstanding efforts, Shangguan Wan'er gradually gained Wu Zetian's trust. She was trusted, became the empress's confidant, and became the court's female prime minister for many years.

In addition to being loved by Wu Zetian, she was also fortunate to befriend Wu Zetian's children, Li Dan (later became Emperor Ruizong of Tang), Princess Taiping ,...

Publicly affectionate with Wu Zetian's lover

While being favored by Wu Zetian, Shangguan Wan'er accidentally committed a crime against the empress. According to one theory, Wan'er fell in love with Zhang Changzong, the man favored by Wu Zetian.

Wu Zetian found out about Wan'er's secret relationship with a man named Zhang. Having offended the empress, Wan'er should have been executed. However, out of pity for the prime minister's talent, Wu Zetian ordered a pardon and only punished her with carving words on her face.

This seemed to ruin Shangguan Wan'er's charming beauty. However, she painted flowers to cover the carving. Those flowers made her even more attractive. Many women at that time learned from Shangguan Wan'er and used flowers to make up their faces.

In 705, Wu Zetian was forced to abdicate, and the throne was restored to Emperor Zhongzong of Tang Li Xian. Shangguan Wan'er was brought into the palace by Emperor Zhongzong of Tang and given the title Zhaorong. She became the Emperor's concubine and continued her work of drafting edicts as before.

In 710, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang Li Xian suddenly passed away and the imperial power fell into the hands of Empress Wei. At that time, Shangguan Wan'er and Princess Taiping drafted a secret edict together, establishing Li Zhongmu as the Crown Prince to inherit the throne, and Empress Wei as the Empress Dowager regent. However, Empress Wei always longed to become the second Wu Zetian, so she tried every way to change the edict.

King Li Longji of Linzhi and Princess Taiping joined forces to destroy Empress Wei and her faction, shattering her dream of becoming king. Shangguan Wan'er was captured along with Empress Wei and executed. She ended her life at the age of 46 because she was convicted of tyranny and abuse of power.

Inspiration for works of art

Shangguan Wan'er is a famous historical figure, leaving special traces in Chinese history. She is a typical model of talented, beautiful and powerful women in Chinese royal history.

The story of Thuong Quan Uyen Nhi still has many mysteries that have not been discovered . This has become a source of inspiration for authors to retell in movies or famous history books.

The 1995 film Wu Zetian (the version starring Liu Xiaoqing) became a classic with the role of Shangguan Wan'er played by the beautiful Ru Ping. The actress perfectly portrayed the image of a beautiful and intelligent female prime minister.

In the film, Nhu Binh performed many scenes such as composing poetry, playing the zither, and painting. Many viewers commented that she was no different from a classical beauty stepping out of a painting. This role is also considered the "most classic Thuong Quan Uyen Nhi" on the Chinese screen.

Actress Nhu Binh played the role of Thuong Quan Uyen Nhi in the film Vo Tac Thien, released in 1995.

In 1998, the TV series of the same name was released about the life of Thuong Quan Uyen Nhi. The main role was given to Nguyen Dan Ninh. With a beautiful face, dignified appearance, suitable for the image of a female official, this actress received countless compliments from the public.

This is also the reason why the character Thuong Quan Uyen Nhi portrayed by her is considered one of the most successful versions on Chinese screens ever.

In 1998, China made a TV series about the life of Thuong Quan Uyen Nhi.

In addition, many famous Chinese beauties have also played the role of Thuong Quan Uyen Nhi.

Appearing in The Secret History of Wu Zetian (2011), Chung Hân Đồng transformed into Thượng Quan Uyên Nhi on screen. Although her appearance did not create any highlights, with her beautiful appearance, the pearl of Hong Kong still left an impression in the hearts of the audience.

Chung Hân Đồng transforms into Thượng Quan Uyên Nhi on screen.

The famous actress Li Bingbing also made an impression when she tried her hand at this role in Detective Dee: The Legend of the Condor Heroes in 2011. Shangguan Wan'er, played by Li Bingbing, was not only powerful but also a talented martial artist.

In the movie Duong Cung Yen (2013), Tran Tu Le tried her hand at this special role and scored points with her beautiful, attractive appearance.

Ngoc Thanh

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