Zhao Feiyan

Zhao Feiyan (Chinese: 趙飛燕,  ? – September or October 1 BC), formally Empress Xiaocheng (孝成皇后), was an empress during the Han dynasty. Her husband was Emperor Cheng. She was known in the Chinese popular mindset more for her beauty than for the palace intrigue that she and her sister, the Consort Zhao Hede engaged in, but unlike most of the famous beauties in Chinese history (such as the Four Beauties), she was often vilified by her own sisters. She was often compared and contrasted with Yang Guifei, the concubine of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, because she was known for her slender build while Yang was known for her full build. This led to the Chinese idiom huanfei yanshou (環肥燕瘦, literally "plump Huan, slender Fei"), which describes the range of the types of beauties. Later, the idiom was also used as a figurative expression on literary styles that can be either verbose or sparse, but were equally effective.