Archive for category Chinese Beauties
the Twelve Beauties of Jinling – Qin Keqing
Posted by sharon in Chinese Beauties on August 10, 2010
Qin Keqing is one of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling (refers to the twelve excellent ladies) in the book of The Dream of Red Mansions. She is one of the most significant character and her real identity and early death are also amongst the most mysterious in the book.
Qin Keqing is the adopted daughter of Qin Bangye and wife of Jia Rong. However, she also has an affair with her father-in-law. She is described as one of the most beautiful and most lamentable women in this book.
She was more of a delusory figure than a real person in this book. In the chapter five, Jia Baoyu dreamed that he was led by fairy Jing Huan (Qin Keqing) to a fantasyland. The fairy gave him some books, which told the girls’ fate in the book of The Dream of Red Mansions. Therefore, this dream also had already revealed the dynasty of the whole family.
Regarding her identity, some hold that Qin Keqing is not an ordinary person due to the extraordinary ornaments she has. For example, she has a mirror which was once used by Emperor Wu Zetian (The first female Emperor in ancient China). Some believe that she was originally a princess.
Her death has also remained a mystery. Some believe that she was died of illness, but others hold that she was hanged. However, nobody knows the real answer.
In this book, there is a special meaning about her name of Qin Keqing. The name has the same pronunciation of the ancient Chinese phrase “qing ke qing, fei chang qing”, which suggests her love affairs are quite different from those of common people.
Fragrant Concubine – Xiangfei
Posted by sharon in Chinese Beauties on August 1, 2010
Fragrant Concubine (1734~1788), also called “Xiangfei” or “Rongfei” in Chinese history, is the only Uighur maiden among the forty Empresses of Emperor of Qianlong (1711~1799).
In 1759, Xiangfei’s family helped the Qing troops put down a rebellion between ethnic groups. They were called to the Palace to confer a title. In order to show their gratitude, Xiangfei’s family chose Xiangfei to serve the Emperor of Qianlong. She was soon fully favored by the Emperor. Later, she was conferred the highest-ranking imperial concubine by the emperor.
However, she was more of a legendary figure than a real person in the Chinese history. It was said that her body emitted fragrant aura since she was born. Even the butterflies would come around her due to the fragrance. However, why Xiangfei’s body emitted fragrant aura is still a mystery. Some hold that it was caused by the special tea Xiangfei often drank. Some others argue that the distinctive environment of her childhood was the answer.
The fragrant concubine’s burial ground is also a mystery. Which place is her last resting place, Xinjiang province, Taoranting (the weeds heap) of Beijing, or the Royal Garden Tomb of Qing Dynasty? No one knows.
Chen Yuanyuan
Posted by sharon in Chinese Beauties on October 6, 2009
Chen Yuanyuan (1624–1681) was one of the most famous beauties in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty. Originally, she was a famous courtesan. Then she was purchased by Tian Wan, the 60-year-old father of one of the emperor’s concubines. However, Wu Sangui, a famous general of the Ming imperial court, fell in love with her and married her later.
At that time, Wu was fighting with the Qing armies at Shanhai Fortress to prevent them from going inside China. However, Beijing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, was fell to a rebel army led by Li Zicheng and Chen was brought to the palace as a gift to Li. Legend said that in order to rescue Chen, Wu opened the gate of Shanhai Fortress and led the Qing armies to the capital. At that time, Wu was regarded as the traitor due to his betrayal of the Ming Dynasty, while Chen was always compared to Helen of Troy.
In her late years Chen became a Taoist nun and spent the rest of her life in Yunnan province.
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