Emperor Wu of Liang

The tradition of red makeup can be traced back to the earliest days of civilization, where cheeks were painted with cinnabar and other substances in a rather rough manner, which later gradually became more delicate. In the Qin Dynasty, palace ladies wore red makeup and green eyebrows, a beautiful style for the ladies of the court. In "The Song of Ming Jun" by Emperor Wu of Liang during the Southern Dynasties, it is written: "Who can bear to look into the mirror, holding it to reflect the red makeup." This refers to Wang Zhaojun wearing red makeup. Since then, red makeup has almost become synonymous with young women in poetry. In a poem by Prince Xianwen of the Liang Dynasty praising a beauty's makeup, it says: "Shy and reluctant to come out, she still says her makeup is incomplete. Green eyebrows broaden, rouge spreads across her face." In "Watching Lanterns" by Zhang Xiao Yuan of the Tang Dynasty, he wrote: "In ten thousand households, the light of candles shines; every door opens to reveal red makeup." Young ladies would not forget to apply red makeup even when watching lanterns on the Lantern Festival. In "Parting Thoughts" by Yuan Zhen, it…