Tonggui
同贵
“The Second Name”
Her Story
One of Aunt Xue’s two maids, and half of a matched pair: 同喜 and 同贵, Joy and Honour, names minted together the way a set of bowls is. The novel uses them as the furniture of the Xue household — they carry word, answer the door, and stand where a servant is required. Neither is given a scene of her own, a remembered line, or an end. What the book records of Tonggui is that she was there, and that she was the second name.
In Xiang Li's Hands
She stands three-quarters turned in a taupe robe scrolled all over with gold peonies, a green underskirt at the hem, two black buns and one loose fall of hair. A folded garment is draped across her raised arm. Nothing behind her. The clothes get the attention the story never gave her.
The Calligraphy
Inscribed 同贵 — the two-character serving name alone, no surname and no familiar 儿, exactly the form in which a mistress would call across a room.
Connections
- Aunt Xue 薛姨妈 — her mistress, Lady Wang’s sister and Baochai’s mother.
- Tongxi 同喜 — the other half of the pair; the two names are almost never spoken apart.
- Xue Baochai 薛宝钗 — the daughter of the house she serves.
Others of the same kind · maid – Baochai (All-spice Court / 蘅蕪苑) Ying'er 莺儿 · Wenxing 文杏 · Dian'er 靛儿 · Zhen'er 臻儿 · Tongxi 同喜 · Xiaoluo 小螺 · Baochan 宝蟾 · Xiaoshe'r 小舍儿
Named on these pages Tongxi 同喜
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
