Which Tang emperor had a famous romance with Yang Yuhuan?

Which Tang emperor had a famous romance with Yang Yuhuan? The answer is Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, also known as Li Longji.

Xuanzong ruled from 712 to 756 and presided over much of the Tang dynasty’s prosperous Kaiyuan era. Yang Yuhuan, later known as Yang Guifei, first became the wife of Xuanzong’s son, Li Mao, the Prince of Shou. Around 745, she entered Xuanzong’s household and was eventually granted the influential title of guifei, or honored imperial consort.

Their relationship became one of the most famous love stories in Chinese history and literature. It was also associated with court politics: Yang Guifei’s relatives gained power, while Xuanzong increasingly withdrew from day-to-day government. The An Lushan Rebellion in 755 shattered the dynasty’s stability. As the imperial court fled the capital, officials blamed Yang Guifei and demanded her death.

She is often called an empress in popular retellings, but she was never formally empress. The story blends historical records with later poetry, opera, novels, and legend.