Chinese Classical Masterpieces Library---Rough Sketches of Sea Flowers

Author: Han Bangqing / Jin Xin / Qi Hong (ed.)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: This novel primarily depicts the life in brothels of Shanghai during the late Qing Dynasty, involving the officialdom, business circles, and the interconnected social layers of the time. The authors, with seemingly restrained brushwork, portray the stark contrast between the rich and the poor, the noble and the humble in the society. In the 23rd chapter, a young girl named Aqiao, around 14 years old, accidentally breaks a glass cover while lighting a cigarette lamp and receives much scolding; in the 52nd chapter, courtesan Sun Xiulan and singing girls Qiguan and Yaoguan talk late at night, sharing their respective misfortunes. There are also the women in charge of managing the brothels who endure the vulgar humiliation of clients. Those courtesans, unfortunate enough to fall into brothels due to poverty, struggle to earn a living by selling their smiles, enduring shame and disgrace. In stark contrast to the lives of the courtesans and servants who suffer silently and endure hardship, are the dissolute lives of the clients who indulge in hedonism and live in a state of oblivion. They gamble wildly, spend money extravagantly, and live lives of debauchery. The entire life of Wang Liansheng, an acting official, revolves around lying on a smoking couch, smoking opium, while mistreating two courtesans. The Story of Shanghai Flowers provides a vivid portrayal of the various individuals who frequented brothels in Shanghai during the late Qing Dynasty. This has positive significance for us to understand the true nature of social life during that era.