Who was Yang Guifei, the beautiful Chinese princess blamed for toppling the Tang dynasty?

From Helen of Troy in Greek mythology to historical figures such as Anne Boleyn and Marie Antoinette, influential women were often viewed through a misogynistic lens in premodern and early modern societies.
This was especially true for women whose power was tied to their relationships with male rulers, or who were scapegoated during times of political crisis.
Things were no different in imperial China, where society was shaped by strict customs and hierarchies.

At the centre of this skewed...