What is the ‘Shi’ of Xi Shi, one of the four beauties in ancient China?

"Shi" is Xi Shi's surname. Xi Shi's real name was Shi Yiguang, and later generations called him Xi Shi.

Xi Shi, a beautiful woman from the Yue State during the Spring and Autumn Period, is generally called Xi Shi, and later generations respectfully call her "Xizi". She was born in Zhuluo Village, Juwu, Yue State (today's Zhuluo Village, Zhuji City, Zhejiang Province) at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period. Born into poverty, she followed her mother by the Huansha River since she was a child, so she was also called the "Huansha Girl". She is naturally beautiful and outstandingly charming, and is the embodiment and synonym of beauty.

Xi Shi, Wang Zhaojun, Diao Chan, and Yang Yuhuan are known as the "Four Beauties in Ancient China", among which Xi Shi ranks first. The four beauties enjoy the reputation of "the appearance of a sunken fish and a wild goose, and the appearance of a flower that is ashamed of the moon". Among them, "Shenyu" tells the classic legend of "Xishi Wansha".

Extended information:

Related allusions

1. The appearance of a sinking fish

Xishi is naturally beautiful, graceful and charming, and she is a fish when she is wearing yarn. Seeing its beauty, they forgot to swim and gradually sank to the bottom of the water, so they praised it for its beauty of "sinking fish".

In fact, "Sinking fish and falling geese" is an idiom, which is usually believed to come from "Zhuangzi: Equality of Things": "Mao Qiang and Li Ji, people are beautiful, fish see deep, and birds fly high , the elk sees the suddenness, which of the four knows the true color of the world. "The original meaning is that animals cannot feel the beauty of humans.

2. Xi Tzu and Pearls

Pearls have been used by humans for thousands of years. Legend has it that she is the incarnation of Xi Tzu. Xishi was originally the apple of Chang'e's eye in the Moon Palace. She was ordered by the Jade Emperor to come down to earth to save the people of Wu and Yue from the suffering of successive wars. The pearl is her incarnation.

3. A fly in the ointment

Xi Shi’s big feet. Although Xi Shi, known as the "Sinking Fish", is beautiful, her feet are larger than ordinary people because she was born into the working class. So she tried every means to cover up this shortcoming. Because she likes to dance, she often wears long skirts, and because of her I specially made a pair of wooden clogs and tied a string of bells around my waist.

As a result, because the shoes were a little higher, not only were the feet not visible, but they also swayed from side to side when walking, and the long skirt was fluttering, which highlighted Pingting's figure and graceful appearance.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Xi Shi