Shi Xiangyun () is a major fictional character in the classic 18th century Chinese novel '' Dream of the Red Chamber'', one of the characters known as the Twelve Beauties. She is

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 ...

's younger

second cousin A cousin is a relative who is the child of a parent's sibling; this is more specifically referred to as a first cousin. A parent of a first cousin is an aunt or uncle. More generally, in the kinship system used in the English-speaking world, ...

by the Dowager, Grandmother Jia. Xiangyun is the favorite

grandniece In the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a niece or nephew is a child of an individual's sibling or sibling-in-law. A niece is female and a nephew is male, and they would call their parents' siblings aunt or uncle ...

of the Dowager, Baoyu's grandmother. Hongloumeng Tuyong Shi Xiangyun

Orphaned since infancy, she grew up under the watchful eyes of her wealthy maternal aunt and uncle who lives in Jinling. They use her unkindly to do embroidery and needlework for the family late into the night. Despite her misfortune, she is always cheerful and ready to play a small joke. Her open-heartedness make her pranks forgiven by most. She is also excellent in embroidery and is forthright without tact. She wears a golden

qilin The qilin ( ; ) is a legendary hooved chimerical creature that appears in Chinese mythology, and is said to appear with the imminent arrival or death of a sage or illustrious ruler. Qilin are a specific type of the mythological family of o ...

by her neck. Xiangyun is portrayed as a

tomboy A tomboy is a girl or young woman who generally expresses masculine traits. Such traits may include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and engaging in activities and behaviors traditionally associated with boys or men. Origins The w ...

-ish girl who does not cultivate the over-refined nature of most feudal ladies. She looks fine in men's clothes and loves to drink and eat meat. Apparently an androgynous beauty, her cousins always beg the Dowager to send for her so she can visit them, for Xiangyun is a big-hearted girl, and a wonderful visitor and company. Like almost every lady from the Jia Clan, Xiangyun is learned. She is almost as good a poet as Daiyu or Baochai, and she is a mainstay of the Crab Flower Club, which is set up by Tanchun and Daiyu. Daiyu initially feels a little

jealousy Jealousy generally refers to the thoughts or feelings of Emotional insecurity, insecurity, fear, and concern over a relative lack of possessions or safety. Jealousy can consist of one or more emotions such as anger, resentment, inadequacy, he ...

owing to Xiangyun's and Baoyu's good relationship but eventually warms to the cheerful girl. Xiangyun becomes one of Daiyu's closest companions. One of the more memorable scenes in the book (in Chapter 62) has Shi Xiangyun going tipsy and falling asleep amongst the flowers on a stone bench in the Prospect Garden, surrounded by butterflies, with her fan half-buried in scattered petals. This scene is depicted in many artworks featuring the novel's characters. In Gao E and Cheng Weiyuan's edition of the novel, Xiangyun marries but is soon widowed.

References

Dream of the Red Chamber characters Fictional characters from Jiangsu {{novel-char-stub

See also

References