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Jia Tanchun (, rendered Quest Spring in
Jia Tanchun (, rendered Quest Spring in Chi-chen Wang
Chi-chen Wang (; 1899–2001) was a Chinese-born American literary scholar and translator. He taught as a professor at Columbia University from 1929 until his retirement in 1965.
Life and career
Wang was born in Huantai County, Shandong provinc ...
's translation) is the younger half-sister of Jia Baoyu
Jia Baoyu () is the principal character in the classic 18th century Chinese novel '' Dream of the Red Chamber''.
Introduction
The first chapter describes how one piece of stone was left over from when the Wall of Heaven was repaired by the ...
and a major character in the 18th century Chinese
Chinese may refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China.
**'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...
novel ''Dream of the Red Chamber
''Dream of the Red Chamber'' or ''The Story of the Stone'' is an 18th-century Chinese novel authored by Cao Xueqin, considered to be one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It is known for its psychological scope and it ...
.'' She is the daughter of Jia Zheng
''Dream of the Red Chamber'' or ''The Story of the Stone'' is an 18th-century Chinese novel authored by Cao Xueqin, considered to be one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It is known for its psychological scope and its ...
and his concubine
Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...
, Concubine Zhao. Tanchun is a very clever and capable person, once temporarily managing all household and economical affairs of the Rongguo Mansion when Wang Xifeng
Wang Xifeng (, rendered Phoenix in Chi-chen Wang's translation) is one of the principal characters in the classic 18th-century Chinese language, Chinese novel ''Dream of the Red Chamber''. She came from one of the Four Great Families, the Wangs ...
had a miscarriage
Miscarriage, also known in medical terms as a spontaneous abortion, is an end to pregnancy resulting in the loss and expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the womb before it can fetal viability, survive independently. Miscarriage before 6 weeks ...
. Despite this achievement, however, the fact she is the daughter of a concubine is still such a burden that she often claims Lady Wang
Lady Wang (王夫人) is a character in the classic Chinese 18th century novel ''Dream of the Red Chamber''. She is the wife of Jia Zheng, and mother of Jia Zhu (dead at the start of the novel), Jia Yuanchun and Jia Baoyu. She is the elder sister ...
, Baoyu's mother, as her own. Tanchun is also the "founder" of the White Crabapple Poetry Club, a private poetry club for the residents of Prospect Garden.
Tanchun is the third of the quartet of "Springs". Her name translates roughly as "In quest for spring". As she is beautiful and has a "prickly" personality because of her forthright and outspoken nature, she earned the nickname of "Rose". Tanchun provides a sharp contrast to her elder cousin Jia Yingchun
JIA or Jia may refer to
JIA
* Japan Institute of Architects
* Juína Airport IATA code
* Jacksonville International Airport, a medium-to-large airport in the U.S. city of Jacksonville, Florida
* Jetstream International Airlines, now known as P ...
. While Tanchun is outspoken and capable, Yingchun is weak-willed and comparatively untalented.
In the Cheng-Gao version, she eventually marries the son of a frontier official and lives her married life in a foreign country. Although her husband's family loves her, she still misses her family in the capital and therefore is a now tragic figure. While this may not accord to Cao's original intents completely, Redologists agree she will eventually marry to a far-off place and cease to have any link with the Jia Clan.
References