The Cult of Beauty in Early Medieval China

The Wei-Jin period (220-420 CE) witnessed an unprecedented cultural obsession with physical appearance and personal demeanor that would shape Chinese elite culture for centuries. This phenomenon found its most vivid expression in the “Rongzhi” (Appearance and Demeanor) chapter of the influential anecdotal collection Shishuo Xinyu (A New Account of Tales of the World), which opens with the paradoxical description of Cao Cao – a man of short stature yet extraordinary charisma. But the true stars of this aesthetic showcase were the legendary beauties of the age, none more fascinating than He Yan, the first and most influential of these charismatic figures.

He Yan’s physical perfection became the stuff of legend. The Shishuo Xinyu records how Emperor Ming of Wei, suspecting He Yan’s renowned pale complexion resulted from powder application, devised a clever test during midsummer. He invited He Yan to consume hot noodle soup, knowing the meal would induce profuse sweating. When He Yan wiped his face with his crimson sleeve after eating, his skin remained “radiantly white” – proof of his natural beauty unenhanced by cosmetics. This anecdote encapsulates the elite’s fascination with physical perfection during this transformative period.

The Dangerous Allure of Five Minerals Powder

He Yan’s influence extended far beyond aesthetics into the realm of pharmacology and social behavior through his promotion of wushi san (Five Minerals Powder). Originally a treatment for typhoid fever composed of minerals like stalactite, amethyst, and sulfur, He Yan discovered and popularized its stimulant and aphrodisiac properties. His famous declaration that “Taking Five Minerals Powder not only cures illness but also brightens the spirit” launched a dangerous fashion among Wei-Jin literati that would have lasting consequences.

The powder’s use created distinctive social behaviors that became markers of elite status:
– Dietary restrictions requiring cold food (hence its alternative name “cold food powder”) but hot wine
– Skin sensitivity leading to unwashed bodies, loose clothing, and the “elegant” practice of catching lice during conversations
– The need for “dissipating the powder” through vigorous walking, often resulting in public collapse
– Altered mental states that provided convenient excuses for inappropriate remarks
– Ultimately, severe toxicity leading to physical deterioration and early death

He Yan himself reportedly suffered terribly from prolonged use, becoming “a ghostly shadow” with “his soul no longer inhabiting his body, his blood no longer coloring his face, his essence floating like smoke, his appearance like withered wood.” Yet his personal tragedy did little to stem the practice’s popularity among status-conscious elites.

Founding a Philosophical Revolution

Beyond his physical and pharmacological influence, He Yan played a pivotal role in intellectual history as a founder of Xuanxue (Dark Learning or Neo-Taoism). This philosophical movement addressed fundamental questions about the nature of sagehood while revolutionizing classical scholarship. Breaking from the rigid “classical learning” traditions that demanded slavish adherence to received interpretations, He Yan and his brilliant protege Wang Bi developed a fresh approach that privileged direct engagement with texts like the Zhouyi, Laozi, and Zhuangzi (later known as the “Three Mysteries”).

Their scholarly innovations included:
– Concise commentaries that bypassed traditional exegesis
– Salon-style “pure conversation” (qingtan) as the preferred mode of intellectual exchange
– Synthesis of Confucian and Daoist thought
– New methods of character appraisal linked to official recruitment

The charismatic He Yan, combining striking physical beauty with intellectual brilliance, became the ideal embodiment of this new cultural paradigm. As later admirers like Eastern Jin statesman Wang Dao would nostalgically recall, He Yan’s philosophical discussions represented the authentic “Zhengshi tone” (named for the Zhengshi era, 240-249 CE, when this intellectual movement flourished).

Contested Legacy: Cultural Liberator or Moral Corruptor?

He Yan’s multifaceted influence generated sharply polarized assessments across Chinese history. Admirers praised him for:
– Breaking the stranglehold of orthodox Confucianism
– Creating China’s “Silver Age” of philosophy after the pre-Qin “Golden Age”
– Elevating aesthetic and intellectual sophistication
– Expanding philosophical discourse beyond political utilitarianism

Detractors, however, blamed him for:
– Introducing dangerous pharmacological practices
– Promoting empty philosophical speculation
– Encouraging moral laxity among elites
– Contributing to the spiritual decline preceding centuries of division

The most severe critics viewed He Yan as a “beautiful but poisonous snake” whose cultural influence outweighed even the political chaos of the Three Kingdoms period in damaging China’s moral foundations.

Political Fortunes and Historical Rehabilitation

Official histories like the Sanguozhi present He Yan as a political opportunist who rose through connections to the Cao family before meeting a deservedly violent end. As the grandson of Han dynasty regent He Jin and stepson of Cao Cao (who married He Yan’s mother and treated him like a son), He Yan occupied a privileged but precarious position in Wei dynasty politics.

The standard narrative claims:
– He offended Emperor Wen (Cao Pi) through arrogant behavior
– Emperor Ming dismissed him for “frivolity”
– He regained power under Cao Shuang’s regency through flattery
– His corrupt personnel appointments favored personal connections
– He met a humiliating end when ordered to investigate his own patron

However, modern scholars have identified inconsistencies suggesting He Yan’s historical reputation suffered from posthumous character assassination by the victorious Sima faction. Evidence includes:
– His absence from contemporary lists of “frivolous” officials
– Significant literary commissions from Emperor Ming
– Responsibility for compiling Emperor Ming’s posthumous honors
– Appointments of officials who later served the Sima clan

A more nuanced portrait emerges of a complex figure who:
– Maintained genuine intellectual accomplishments
– Navigated treacherous political waters with mixed success
– Embodied the tensions between cultural and political elites
– Became a convenient scapegoat for later historical narratives

The Enduring Fascination with He Yan

He Yan’s legacy persists as one of Chinese history’s most compelling case studies in:
– The interplay of physical beauty and cultural power
– Intellectual innovation during political instability
– The social construction of historical reputation
– The medicalization of elite status markers
– The risks of cultural celebrity in authoritarian systems

His life encapsulates the paradoxes of the Wei-Jin period – an era of remarkable cultural creativity amid political disintegration, where aesthetic refinement coexisted with physical decay, and philosophical liberation accompanied moral uncertainty. As both trendsetter and cautionary tale, He Yan remains an indispensable figure for understanding how personal charisma can shape, for better and worse, an entire civilization’s developmental trajectory.