Her Story

One of two servants Daiyu brings north from Yangzhou in Chapter 3, and the younger by far — a very small girl kept on beside the old nurse. She matters once, in Chapter 97: when the household substitutes Baochai for Daiyu at the wedding, Xueyan is stationed beside the veiled bride so that Baoyu, seeing Daiyu’s own maid, will believe the bride is Daiyu. She is used, not consulted.

In Xiang Li's Hands

She faces us straight on, bangs cut level, an armful of red and yellow flowers held against her shoulder in both hands, willow trailing in grey ink to either side. Hers is the youngest face in this group. The wedding is nowhere in it.

The Calligraphy

雪雁 — the two-character name alone, snow and wild goose, the Yangzhou name she arrived with.

Connections

• Lin Daiyu 林黛玉 — her mistress, who brought her from Yangzhou.
• Xue Baochai 薛宝钗 — the bride she is placed beside in Chapter 97.
• Zijuan 紫鹃 — the senior maid of the Naiad’s House, above her.

Others of the same kind · maid – Daiyu (Naiad's House / 瀟湘館)Zijuan 紫鹃 · Chunxian 春纤

Named on these pagesZijuan 紫鹃 · Chunxian 春纤 · Wang Mama 王嬷嬷

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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