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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

One of the best-known bearers of the title is Yang Yuhuan (c. 719–756), commonly known as Yang

In popular and scholarly writings, Guifei is frequently used to evoke the imperial harem and the politics

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.
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.
of
court
life.
While
the
term
originally
referred
to
a
historical
rank,
it
appears
in
modern
films,
novels,
and
games
as
a
cultural
archetype.