The Great Zhou Dynasty was in a period of peace and prosperity. Emperor Li Yu, at the tender age of twenty-five, was in the prime of his life. He was naturally amorous, yet also diligent in state affairs. After finishing his duties at court, he enjoyed hosting banquets in the palace to watch the dancers gracefully perform. Their movements, like willow catkins fluttering in the air, were light and alluring, giving him a unique pleasure from his high throne. In this patriarchal era, the emperor viewed women as playthings, and the dancers were merely embellishments of the palace, used only for his amusement.