Shan Daniang
单大娘
“On the Gate”
Her Story
Wife of the manager Shan Daliang, and one of the women on duty at the Jujin Gate with Mrs Wu. That is her whole part: a post, a partner and a place in the household’s staffing. The Jia establishment runs on dozens of such women, who control who and what passes through a door, and the novel names them only when something has to be carried past.
In Xiang Li's Hands
Bent in a deep bow, both hands out, offering a red card that glows against the paper. Black coat, blue-and-rust medallion robe, a red flower in her hair, a wide grin deeply lined. Pale gold arabesque behind. She paints the gate’s work: something received and passed on.
The Calligraphy
单大娘 stands in the top right — a surname and 大娘, an age-title, rather than a husband’s given name and 家的.
Connections
- Shan Daliang 单大良 — her husband, a manager of the Rongguo house.
- Mrs Wu 吴大娘 — the manager’s wife on duty at the Jujin Gate with 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 · Liu jia de 柳家的 · Jin Wenxiang xifu 金文翔媳妇 and 10 more
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
