When Myolie Wu entered mainland entertainment, viewers thought they knew her screen image. Then photos from Shang Gongzhu (尚公主) appeared online. She plays an elder princess in a Tang Dynasty (唐朝) court setting, and the first glimpse made fans blink. Is that really her? The surprise comes from more than a new role. Her hair, crown, and makeup follow a rare historical direction.
Instead of the smooth, copy-paste ancient costumes common in many dramas, she wears a Tianbao (天宝) drape and a lotus crown. The result feels calm, rich, and unmistakably courtly. For an actress known for warm, grounded roles, this sharp turn has fresh energy. It also gives women with round faces and wide jaws a useful style lesson.
Tang Beauty Codes
The Tianbao drape is not loose hair. It looks open, but the hair is gathered. A center part keeps the face symmetrical, with side strands falling softly to frame the cheeks. At the back, the hair is tied into a low shape that reads like a drape. On top, a neat bun supports the crown. This balance matters. The style keeps the relaxed softness of falling hair while adding the dignity of palace hair. A lotus crown sits above, lifting the whole silhouette. Nothing looks messy. The eye reads elegance first, then authority. That mix suits a royal woman who must appear gracious and powerful at once.
The design draws from Dunhuang (敦煌) murals, especially Lady Governor Worshiping the Buddha (都督夫人礼佛图). Details echo court women from the late Kaiyuan (开元) and Tianbao years. The lotus crown also has a story. Tang rulers honored Daoism, and palace women adopted Daoist symbols. What began as a religious accessory became a fashionable headpiece among noblewomen. Later Tang and Five Dynasties art still shows it. This is why the look feels researched, not random. The production team clearly studied shapes, layers, and proportion. For viewers tired of flat costume design, such care is easy to notice. It also explains why the photos spread quickly.
Myolie Wu has long fit ancient roles. Her face is round, with a soft jaw and slight baby fat. She does not have a tiny V-shaped face, yet her bone lines are clear and her features are open. That structure has aged well. In Beauty’s Rival in Palace (美人心计), she played Lü Yu (吕鱼), a gentle, poised woman from a respected household. The softness of her face matched the part. In Blossoms in Adversity (惜花芷), she showed a sharper edge. Her later ancient-style makeup often uses lifted brows, which hint at a proud, independent temper. The effect can recall Wang Xifeng (王熙凤) in Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦): bold, bright, and impossible to ignore.
Her new Tang look avoids a common trap. Many costume dramas repeat the same clean, narrow brow and plain hair. This one uses history as a guide, but it does not become a museum copy. The crown, the draped back hair, and the soft side strands work together. They frame her face instead of fighting it. The styling also lets her age read as depth rather than as a problem. At forty-plus, she carries more weight in her gaze. Shang Gongzhu role seems to use that. Fans may ask whether she looks different. The better question is why the change feels so right.
Face-Shape Tricks
For round faces with a wider jaw, base makeup should stay light. Heavy foundation is the enemy. It flattens the face and makes the lower half look larger. Choose a thin, brightening formula and spread a small amount evenly. Small marks do not need full cover. Let skin texture show. A clean base keeps the face fresh and can quietly refine the shape. The goal is not a mask. It is a soft, clear surface that supports the rest of the makeup. When the base is too thick, even good contour will look muddy. When it is light, the face feels open and graceful.
Contour is the key step. Pick a small amount of shadow powder and a loose brush. Sweep it along both sides of the cheeks and below the temples. Blend down along the jawline. The hand must be light. Hard lines make the face look dirty and severe. Soft shading narrows the visual width and reduces the heavy feel of a wide jaw. It also adds depth without changing the face’s natural character. Work in thin layers, then check in daylight. A gentle shadow can make the face look smaller and more balanced. This step rewards patience far more than speed.
Brows deserve care. Flat, straight brows often widen the face and make it look harsh. Curved shapes work better, such as crescent brows or willow-leaf brows. Follow Myolie Wu’s lifted thin brow: fade the inner edge, raise the arch slightly, and taper the tail to a clean point. Match the brow color to the hair. Black hair suits deep brown; lighter hair suits soft brown. A curved brow softens the jaw and brings a calm, elegant tone. It can also make the eyes look more expressive. For ancient-style makeup, the brow often controls the mood more than any other detail.
Eye makeup can shift attention upward. Use earth tones first. Blend across the lid and deepen the outer corner for a natural sense of depth. Then add a very fine inner eyeliner. It stretches the eye shape and brightens the gaze. Lively eyes become the focus, so the viewer reads features before face width. The overall effect is polished but not stiff. With a light base, soft contour, curved brows, and defined eyes, a round face can wear Tang-style beauty with confidence. Shang Gongzhu has not aired yet, but the photos already promise something memorable. Which role of hers do you still love most?
