贾菱
贾菱 — 成对的另一半。草字辈的年轻族人，从不独自出场。
贾菱
“The Other Half of a Pair”
His Story
A young kinsman of the 草 generation who never appears alone. He is in the roll of clansmen gathered at Ningguo for Qin Keqing’s funeral in Chapter 13, and at the New Year ancestral sacrifice in Chapter 53 the text disposes of him and Jia Chang in four characters apiece: 贾菖、贾菱展拜毯，守焚池 — they spread the kneeling mats and mind the fire basin. That is the whole part. The novel needs someone to do the work at the edge of the ceremony, and names him.
In Xiang Li's Hands
She turns him away from us. A plain blue-grey robe seen from behind, head in profile over the shoulder, above a mass of black ink pine-tops and brown rock carrying a faint carved inscription. A back view, for a man the book only ever sees from behind.
The Calligraphy
贾菱, upper left in clear paper well away from the figure, the personal name alone — the water-chestnut plant that marks his generation and nothing more.
Connections
- Jia Chang 贾菖 — his pair, with whom he shares his single line of duty.
- Jia Jing 贾敬 — officiant at the Chapter 53 rites they serve at.
Others of the same kind · Jia clan – collateral branches Jia Rui 贾瑞 · Jia Dairu 贾代儒 · Jia Qiong 贾琼 · Jia Chang 贾菖 · Jia Ping 贾萍 · Jia Jun 贾菌 · Jia Yun 贾芸 · Jia Qin 贾芹 · Jia Xing 贾荇 · Xiluan 喜鸾 · Sijie'r 四姐儿
Named on these pages Jia Chang 贾菖 · Jia Ping 贾萍
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
