Liu jia de
柳家的
“The Kitchen Accused”
Her Story
Cook of the Garden’s own kitchen and mother of Liu Wu’er. She works the space where the maids’ favours and the mistresses’ orders meet, and it is what undoes her: goods passing between kitchen and quarters — rose essence, powdered poria — turn into a charge of theft against her daughter and then against her. She is put out of her post and Qin Xian’s wife installed in it. In Chapter 61 Ping’er hears the case out and gives her the kitchen back.
In Xiang Li's Hands
Kneeling, blue robe, teal cloud-scroll skirt, a woven basket of fruit at her hip, jars and crocks stacked behind her. Top left, a New Year print: a plump child clutching a fish, the charm for abundance, hung over a woman about to be accused of taking food.
The Calligraphy
The inscription is 柳嫂, “Sister Liu,” the kitchen’s own form of address rather than the roster’s 柳家的.
Connections
- Liu Wu’er 柳五儿 — her daughter, accused over the powdered poria.
- Qin Xian’s wife 秦显家的 — given her post for a day and turned out again.
- Ping’er 平儿 — who judged the case and restored her.
Others of the same kind · servant's wife / senior serving-woman Zhou Rui jia de 周瑞家的 · Lin Zhixiao jia de 林之孝家的 · Lai Da jia de 赖大家的 · Wang Shanbao jia de 王善保家的 · Wu Xindeng xifu 吴新登媳妇 · Wang'er xifu 旺儿媳妇 · Zhang Cai jia de 张材家的 · Zheng Hua jia de 郑华家的 · Wu Xing jia de 吴兴家的 · Laixi jia de 来喜家的 · Qin Xian jia de 秦显家的 · Bao Er jia de 鲍二家的 · Shan Daniang 单大娘 · Jin Wenxiang xifu 金文翔媳妇 and 10 more
Named on these pages Liu Wu'er 柳五儿 · Lianhua'r 莲花儿 · Qin Xian jia de 秦显家的
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
