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Jia
Yingchun
An
Ho, 1993, watercolor on silk mounted on rice paper using traditional
Chinese technique, 54" x 88"
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| Daughter
of one of Dream of the Red Chamber hero Baoyu's paternal
uncles, Yingchun (Welcome Spring) is the second of the quartet
of "Springs." She has little except her family name to distinguish
or recommend her. Born of a concubine, she represents a sharp
contrast to Jia Tanchun who is also the daughter of a concubine
Neither a poet nor a house manager, Yingchun's lack of distinction
has led others to nickname her Blockhead the Second. Indeed she
is so week in character that some servants freely take advantage
of her. And instead of taking care of her maids as a mistress
should do, she is so incapable of defending herself that her maids
have to come to her rescue during the search of Prospect Garden.
In the sequel, she dies young at the hands of an abusive husband.
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