Have a deep talk with the "Chubby Concubine"
A special bond with Concubine Yang
In the cyber-hit The Longest Day in Chang'an Complex, there is this beautiful, elegant and dignified "Chubby Concubine".
The girl Wang Yu, who plays the "Chubby Concubine", grew up listening to the stories of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and Concubine Yang. She has a great love for traditional culture, especially calligraphy. At that time, Wang Yu did not expect that she would develop such a special bond with Concubine Yang.
People in the Tang Dynasty took chubbiness as beauty. Even though there are not many records of Concubine Yang's real appearance in history, she is still associated as "slightly fat". "I was not this fat in the past, but I took some hormonal medicine because I was sick and slowly became what I am now."
In the winter of 2019, Wang Yu met her turning point when she first put on a gorgeous Han costume when having sightseeing on the Xi'an City Wall. Seeing Wang Yu's costume, her friends related her to the well-known historic figure Concubine Yang. Since then, Wang Yu began to cosplay Concubine Yang, and it was this special encounter with Concubine Yang that made Wang Yu gradually fall in love with the role.
Act out the "soul" of Tang people
In order to reflect the elegance and beauty of Concubine Yang, Wang Yu searched online about the hairstyle, makeup, and clothing tutorials of the Tang Dynasty, figuring out the right way to display them step by step by herself. For the exquisite floral ornament on the forehead, Wang Yu usually outlines a stroke to trace it out by herself. She spends three or four hours a day on the outfit to showcase the Tang makeup. "I do not want to use the tattoo stickers (to replace the handmade floral ornament), which is just fake. It is very handy, but there is no 'soul' inside."
"I want to present the delicacy of the Tang Dynasty through my own efforts." In front of the audience, Wang Yu mainly demonstrates the making of Tang Guozi (Tang-style dessert). As a classic snack once popular in the Tang Dynasty and later introduced to Japan, Tang Guozi is exquisitely small. It is finely carved and can be placed in the palm of your hand, as if it were a work of art. Wang Yu can skillfully pinch a colorful dough into various shapes such as the lotus leaf and peach blossom, which are lifelike and delightful.
For the overnight popularity on the Internet, 28-year-old Wang Yu maintained rare sobriety, "I never thought that I went virus or got popular. It is the charm of the culture itself that captures people's attention and love."
Wang Yu's popularity is far beyond her chubby look. Through her comprehensive efforts, people feel the grace and elegance of the Tang Dynasty, and understand that pleasing yourself is the core of self-confidence, which highlights the fascinating charm and power of the Tang Dynasty.
