Guifei

Guifei (贵妃) is a title in imperial China granted to a high-ranking consort of the emperor. The characters mean "noble" or "precious" and "concubine," and the term is commonly translated as Noble Consort or Precious Consort. The title signified a favored wife and stood among the top ranks in the palace harem, typically below the empress, though the precise rank and privileges varied by dynasty.

As a rank, Guifei carried significant status and influence within the court. Holders often received their own palatial residence, a personal retinue, and involvement in ceremonial occasions. The number of women accorded the Guifei title, and the exact privileges attached, differed across dynasties; in some periods it denoted a single, distinguished consort, while in others it could be shared among several women.

One of the best-known bearers of the title is Yang Yuhuan (c. 719–756), commonly known as Yang Guifei. She was a favored concubine of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and remains a central figure in Chinese poetry, drama, and later literature, often symbolizing beauty and tragedy.

In popular and scholarly writings, Guifei is frequently used to evoke the imperial harem and the politics of court life. While the term originally referred to a historical rank, it appears in modern films, novels, and games as a cultural archetype.