Qiuwen

Her Story

A maid of the second rank at Green Delights. Her one memorable turn is in Chapter 37: she tells the room how she carried flowers through to Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang, and how one gave her money and the other gave her two of her own dresses. Qingwen punctures it at once — those were the leavings, handed down after the good ones went elsewhere. That exchange is the whole of her: a girl who measures her standing in inches. She is still in Baoyu’s rooms after the purge that takes Qingwen away.

In Xiang Li's Hands

She stands with one hand raised to her chin, smiling to herself, pale green robe and a long teal sash swung out wide behind her as though she has turned round mid-sentence. Round-faced, ribboned, pleased with herself, on bare paper. It fits the girl of Chapter 37 exactly.

The Calligraphy

秋纹, top right — autumn ripples, a two-character literary name of the sort Baoyu’s household handed out, given without surname or rank.

Connections

• Jia Baoyu 贾宝玉 — her master at Green Delights.
• Qingwen 晴雯 — fellow maid, who mocked her over the dresses in Chapter 37.
• Xiren 袭人 — the senior maid of the room, ranked above her.
• Wang Furen 王夫人 — mistress of the house, whose notice she prized.

Others of the same kind · maid – Baoyu (Green Delights / 怡紅院) Qingwen 晴雯 · Xiren 袭人 · Sheyue 麝月 · Xiaohong 小红 · Bihen 碧痕 · Tanyun 檀云 · Qixian 绮霰 · Qianxue 茜雪 · Huixiang 蕙香 · Jiahui 佳蕙 · Zhui'er 坠儿 · Liang'er 良儿 · Chunyan 春燕 · Liu Wu'er 柳五儿 and 1 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