Emperors Eccentricities Amusing Anecdotes from Chi
The Strange Case of Emperor Taizong's Favorite Wine
In the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong was known for his exceptional taste in wine. He had a favorite brew that he believed held medicinal properties and could cure even the most stubborn ailments. However, this special wine was only available to him, and it became such a coveted item that people would go to great lengths to get their hands on it. One day, a group of courtiers decided they wanted to try this magical elixir for themselves but were denied access by the emperor himself.
The Curious Incident of Empress Wu Zetian's Book Collection
Empress Wu Zetian is one of the few women who ever ruled China in her own right as an empress regnant during the Tang Dynasty. She had an extensive collection of books covering various subjects including poetry, history, philosophy, and more. This love for learning led her to make some interesting decisions when it came to governance – she often sought advice from scholars instead of relying solely on her advisors.
The Bizarre Story Behind Emperor Qianlong's 'Great Prose-Verse'
Emperor Qianlong is famous for his literary talents and wrote numerous poems throughout his reign as well as prose pieces called "fu". One particular piece titled "The Great Prose-Verse" stands out due to its sheer size - over 100 chapters long! It details stories about mythical creatures like dragons and phoenixes while also exploring themes related to natural phenomena like rainbows.
The Quirky Obsession with Eunuchs During Ming Rule
During the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), eunuchs played significant roles at court often becoming powerful officials or even acting as governors in certain provinces due primarily because they were seen as trustworthy since their castration made them less likely candidates for rebellion or coup d'états against their rulers.
How A Forbidden City Architect Designed His Own Tomb
Yuanmingyuan Park was designed by architect So Yongjiu under orders from Qing dynasty ruler Yongzheng who built this magnificent garden complex with artificial lakes & buildings inspired by European Renaissance architecture; however after completing these projects he commissioned So Yongjiu design his tomb which turned out much smaller than expected leading many historians speculating about possible reasons behind such change in plans between master builder & monarch
