Lǐ Yánnián zài Hànwǔdì miànqián chàng le yì shǒu gē, kuā běifāng yǒu yí wèi juésè jiārén.
Li Yannian sang a song before Emperor Wu, praising a peerless beauty in the north.
Tips
history
The beauty was his own sister. The emperor took her into the palace, where she became his favourite, Lady Li, 李夫人, and the song's lines 一顾倾人城，再顾倾人国 gave the idiom 倾国倾城.
culture
He was in charge of the music of the 乐府, the Music Bureau of Emperor Wu's court, and set new hymns for the court's sacrifices.
