A tale is told of a T'ang emperor who had lychees transported at great cost from a remote area to win the smile of a favorite courtesan.
荔枝在歷史上最膾炙人口的傳說，是唐明皇為取悅楊貴妃，不遠千里傳送荔枝的故事。「一騎紅塵妃子笑，無人知是荔枝來」，多少說明瞭當年關山迢遙、驛道漫漫，千里傳送荔枝的辛苦，荔枝亦從此有了「妃子笑」的雅稱。