Dream of the Red Chamber

Wang Xifeng

“The admirable and despicable character”

Wang Xifeng is one of the principal characters in the classic 18th-century Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She came from one of the Four Great Families, the Wang (the other three are Jia, Shi, and Xue), and is known for her wit and intelligence, her vivacious manner, her great beauty, her multiple-faced personality and her fierce sense of fidelity. Her family had great faith in her and brought her up as a boy; in fact, the name “Xifeng” is considered masculine in her era.

About Wang Xifeng

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Wang Xifeng is one of the principal characters in the classic 18th-century Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She came from one of the Four Great Families, the Wang (the other three are Jia, Shi, and Xue), and is known for her wit and intelligence, her vivacious manner, her great beauty, her multiple-faced personality and her fierce sense of fidelity. Her family had great faith in her and brought her up as a boy; in fact, the name “Xifeng” is considered masculine in her era.

Xifeng is a niece of Lady Wang and is married to Jia Lian, the eldest grandchild of Grandmother Jia (hence, she is related to Baoyu by blood and by marriage). She is the manager of the Jia household, and she is very good at her job. She is also a very shrewd and manipulative woman, and she is not afraid to use her power to get what she wants.

Xifeng is a complex and fascinating character. She is both admirable and despicable, and she is a reminder that people are not always black and white. She is a well-developed character who has been praised by critics for her realism and her complexity.

Here are some of her notable characteristics:

  • Wisdom: Wang Xifeng is a very intelligent woman. She is able to see through people’s lies and deceptions, and she is always one step ahead of her enemies.
  • Charisma: Wang Xifeng is a very charismatic woman. She is able to charm people into doing her bidding, and she is always the center of attention.
  • Ambition: Wang Xifeng is a very ambitious woman. She is always striving for more, and she is never satisfied with what she has.
  • Ruthlessness: Wang Xifeng is a very ruthless woman. She is not afraid to use her power to get what she wants, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goals.

Wang Xifeng is a fascinating character who is both admirable and despicable. She is a reminder that people are not always black and white, and that there is often more to a person than meets the eye.

About this Portrait

Chinese watercolor, on rice paper. Dream of the Red Chamber
(The Twelve Beauty Collection from 2018)
Painted by Xiang Li

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