)[2] was a courtesan(Chinese: 歌妓 / 歌伎; pinyin: Jiǎojì) from Bianjing (now Kaifeng), the capital of the Song Empire.
[3] At the time,courtesan refers to women who engaged in the performing arts for a living, and their scope of work included: singing, dancing, reciting poetry and painting during the Northern Song dynasty (960 - 1127).
Her representative songs include "Shaonian You(少年游)", "Lanling King(兰陵王)", "Da ming(大酩)" and "Six Ugly(六丑)", all of which were written by Zhou Bangyan.
[12] In 1126 Huizong took responsibility for overwhelming losses during the Jin–Song Wars and abdicated in favour of his eldest son Zhao Huan (Emperor Qinzong).
[13] Realising she was in a precarious position, Li Shishi donated all the gifts from Huizong to the army who were putting up a valiant defence, and requested the Emperor's permission to become a Daoist nun.
[12] Li is reported to have fled south,[12] although other accounts give that she committed suicide by swallowing a gold hairpin after she was offered to a Jin commander.
[14][5] The general theory is that Li Shishi finally escaped to the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas and sang for local scholar-officials to make a living.
Song dynasty poet Chao Chongzhi described Li Shishi's dancing and singing talents as follows: Watch her dance to "Nichang Yuyi Qu", "Nichang Yuyi Qu" (霓裳羽衣曲; literally: "Song of Colourful Plumage") was a musical piece presented by Yang Jingzhong (楊敬忠), jiedushi of Hexi (河西), during the Tianbao era (713-741) of the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty.
It is an ancient Chinese musical piece based on a poem by Tang dynasty poet Wang Wei (699-759).