Lady Hou

A palace woman during the reign of Emperor Yang (605-617) of the Sui dynasty (581-618) who was notorious for his sexual indulgences. She hanged herself because she was unable to obtain the emperor's attention or favour. In her poems, some of which served as her suicide notes, Lady Hou laments the fact that due to the actions of evil intermediaries, she's unable to gain the emperor's favour.

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