In 8th-century China, the Emperor grieves the death of his wife. The Yang family wants to provide the Emperor with a consort so that they may consolidate their court influence. General An Lushan finds a distant relative working in their kitchen, whom they groom to present to the Emperor. The Emperor falls in love 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.

Machiko Kyō
as Princess Yang Kwei-fei

Masayuki Mori
as Emperor Xuan Zong

So Yamamura
as An Lushan

Eitarō Shindō
as Kao Li-hsi

Eitarō Ozawa
as Yang Kuo-chung

Haruko Sugimura
as Princess Yen-chun

Yōko Minamida
as Hung-tao

Bontarō Miake
as Chen-Hsuan-li

Tatsuya Ishiguro
as Li Lin-fu

Kinzō Shin
as Servant