Diao Chan was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. She was said to have been born in 161 or 169 AD, depending on the source. However, unlike the other three beauties, she does not appear in any known historical writings, and is quite possibly a fictional character.
Diao Chan appears in the classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms in a plot involving the warrior Lü Bu and the warlord Dong Zhuo. According to historical records, Lü Bu did have relations with a maid of Dong Zhuo's. However, there is no evidence that this person's name was Diao Chan. In fact, it is extremely unlikely that it was Diao Chan, because "Diāo" was not, and is not, commonly used as a Chinese family name. "Diāochán" likely referred to the sable (diào) tails and jade decorations in the shape of cicadas (chán), which at the time adorned the hats of high-level officials.
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