Wang Zhaojun (49 BCE–18 CE)

Born 49 BCE, died 18 CE.

Wang Qiang (c. 51–15 BCE), courtesy name Wang Zhaojun, was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. Born in Baoping Village, Zigui County (modern-day Hubei Province) in the Western Han dynasty, she was sent by Emperor Yuan to marry Chanyu Huhanye of the Xiongnu Empire in order to establish friendly relations with the Han dynasty through marriage. In the most prevalent version of the "Four Beauties" legend, it is said that Wang Zhaojun left her hometown on horseback on a bright autumn morning and began a journey northward. Along the way, the horse neighed, making Zhaojun extremely sad and unable to control her emotions. As she sat on the saddle, she began to play sorrowful melodies on a pipa (a Chinese lute). A flock of geese flying southward heard the music, and saw the beautiful young woman riding the horse; they immediately forgot to flap their wings, and fell to the ground. From then on, Zhaojun acquired the nickname "fells geese" or "drops birds".

Text from the Wikipedia article Wang_Zhaojun, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Everything else in 49 BCE

HistoryLayer draws the world as it was in any year from 123,000 BCE to 2026. Move the slider and the borders redraw for that year; the map carries 23,890 events, 12,790 people, 837 wars and 13,183 cities, each one readable in place. Signing in is optional and lets you keep what you find.

HistoryLayer
1914CE
World Wars
123,000 BCE2026 CE
54 stops — one per surviving map on file, evenly spaced drag the pin · ←→ steps one stop the same 54 stops by true elapsed time ↑
Map & filters
Show on the map
Filter
Colour by
Polity Empire