In eighth century China, the Emperor is grieving over the death of his wife. The Yang family wants to provide the Emperor with a consort so that they may consolidate their influence over the court. General An Lushan finds a distant relative working in their kitchen whom they groom to present to the Emperor. The Emperor falls in love with her and she becomes the Princess Yang Kwei-fei. The Yangs are then appointed important ministers, though An Lushan is not given the court position he covets. The ministers misuse their power so much that there is a popular revolt against the Yangs, fueled by An Lushan.
Machiko Kyō
Princess Yang Kwei-fei
Masayuki Mori
Emperor Xuan Zong
So Yamamura
An Lushan
Eitarō Shindō
Kao Li-hsi
Eitarō Ozawa
Yang Kuo-chung
Haruko Sugimura
Princess Yen-chun
Yōko Minamida
Hung-tao
Bontarō Miake
Chen-Hsuan-li
