Lai Shangrong
赖尚荣
“Born Out of Bondage”
His Story
赖大’s son, and the one Lai born free: released from bond-service the moment he was born, raised with tutors and horses, and by twenty a county magistrate. His grandmother tells the story in Chapter 45 as a lecture — every hour of that life came from the masters, and he is to remember it. The family’s garden banquet in Chapter 47 celebrates the appointment, with the Jias as guests. When the Jias fall, he does not help them.
In Xiang Li's Hands
Official’s blue-grey robe, black gauze cap, a red belt set with jade slipped round to his hip. He holds a small yellow lump — gold, or amber — close to his eye and studies it, head down, the other hand hanging open. A grey wash sweeps behind him like a wall. She paints the appraisal, not the office.
The Calligraphy
赖尚荣 — the full three characters, a name built for registers and appointment lists rather than for a servants’ roll.
Connections
- Lai Da 赖大 — his father, chief steward of the Rong mansion.
- Nannie Lai 赖嬷嬷 — his grandmother, who lectures him on what he owes.
- Lai Er 赖二 — his uncle, steward of the Ning mansion.
Others of the same kind · steward / manager Lai Da 赖大 · Lai Er 赖二 · Lai Sheng 赖升 · Lai Mama 赖嬷嬷 · Lin Zhixiao 林之孝 · Zhou Rui 周瑞 · Dai Liang 戴良 · Yu Lu 俞禄 · Wang Xin 王信 · Laiwang 来旺 · Jin Cai 金彩 · Jin Wenxiang 金文翔 · Jiao Da 焦大 · Li Shi'er 李十儿 and 8 more
Named on these pages Lai Da jia de 赖大家的 · Lai Da 赖大 · Lai Er 赖二 · Lai Mama 赖嬷嬷
Dream of the Red Chamber
Xiang Li painted all 413 characters of the novel between 1975 and 1985, the first person to complete the entire cast. See the whole collection · Chinese Empresses
