High Tang Period Lady: 盛唐贵妇

December 02, 2025

High Tang Period Lady: 盛唐贵妇

High Tang period lady.

Full figured, Rubenesque, with soft luscious lines, the women of high Tang period 盛唐, pegged to the reign of the Xuanzong Emperor Li Longji (712- 756) represented a distinctive phase of aesthetics regarding beauty. During the 50+ year long reign of emperor Xuanzong- the golden age of Tang dynasty saw great prosperity and flourishing of art and culture in China (the Kaiyuan era) However the disastrous An Lushan Rebellion caused a realm- wide war and ended this high watermark.

Resurgent Tang dynasty in 740 under Xuanzong (Li Longji)- During his long reign the Tang restabilized and reached new economical and developmental heights. Though having lost much of its northern territories to the 2nd Gokturk Khaganate, Tang eventually allied with the Uighurs which with Tang aid jointly usurped the Gokturks. Eventually the empire was plunged into calamity under the ambitious ethnic Sogdian and Turkic Tang general An Lushan.

Perhaps the most significant Tang Emperor of all, Xuanzong Emperor Li Longji's long reign alone marked the period known as "High Tang" 盛唐- the apex and golden age of the dynasty.

Reenactor: 西南吞吞

Full figured High Tang period lady dressed in intricately tie-dyed (zhá rǎn/扎染) shawl. Popular motifs included repeating floral medallion prints called tuán huā 团花 "flower block/ flower medalion". During the Tang the vibrant and highly resistant tie-dyed dresses and shawls were sign of status because they were very labor intensive and costly to make.