He Yan, son-in-law of the warlord Cao Cao during the Three Kingdoms period, was a brilliant scholar deeply versed in the *I Ching* and *Laozi*. His mansion was constantly filled with esteemed guests, as renowned intellectuals from across the land flocked to visit him, drawn by his reputation.
He Yan was not only exceptionally learned but also strikingly handsome. He was so devoted to grooming that he constantly applied powder and rouge to maintain his fair, delicate skin, making him the most celebrated handsome man of his time.
After Cao Cao's death, his son Cao Pi usurped the Han throne and established the Kingdom of Wei. Cao Pi had long heard that his brother-in-law He Yan was obsessed with powdering his face, but he doubted the man's famed beauty, suspecting it was merely cosmetic. So the emperor devised a plan with his attendants to test He Yan firsthand. One hot summer day, Cao Pi summoned He Yan to the palace and offered him a bowl of hot soup. As He Yan drank, sweat beaded on his forehead, and he instinctively wiped his face with his sleeve. Cao Pi watched closely, expecting the powder to smear or streak, but to his astonishment, He Yan's skin emerged even fairer and more radiant than before. The emperor laughed and admitted, "It seems your beauty is indeed natural, not painted on."
One scorching midday in June, Cao Pi invited He Yan to a casual feast in the imperial garden pavilion. The emperor deliberately kept refilling He Yan's cup and made small talk, all while his eyes kept darting across He Yan's fair, powdered face.
He Yan, uncertain of Cao Pi's intentions, grew increasingly anxious. Compounded by the heat, sweat kept beading on his forehead. Seeing this, Cao Pi was secretly pleased. After a moment, he ordered an attendant to bring two bowls of spicy hot chicken noodle soup, saying, "I enjoy spicy food—have a bowl too!"
He Yan dared not admit he disliked spicy food, so he forced himself to eat the noodles. The weather was hot, the noodles were spicy and steaming, and with his nerves on edge, by the time he finished the bowl, He Yan was drenched in sweat, wiping his face constantly as he ate. When the bowl was empty, he had already wiped all the powder and makeup clean off his face.
Cao Pi saw that He Yan had wiped off his makeup, yet his face was even whiter than when powdered, and finally conceded with admiration, "Brother-in-law, you truly are a man of unmatched beauty, as your reputation suggests. From now on, I have no more doubts."
He Yan finally understood why Cao Pi had summoned him to the feast, and the weight lifted from his heart.
Later, the idiom "Powdered He Lang" came to be used to praise handsome men or young men skilled at grooming.
Source: *Yulin*
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "傅粉何郎" came to describe how to praise handsome men or young men skilled at grooming.