Jinling Eight Beauties (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Liu Peilin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The book introduces the famous beauties in "The Eight Beauties of Jinling" who, in many cases, transcended the gentle and fragrant image of women. Though residing in brothels, they were deeply concerned about the world, maintained their chastity, acted bravely in the face of injustice, and were always willing to help others. Some even daringly punished the wicked. For example, Kou Baimen allied with the beggar gang but practiced benevolence and generosity; Bian Yujing outsmarted the Japanese and upheld national dignity and personal integrity; Gu Hongbo, filled with anger and indignation, acted with quick wit and decisively eliminated the vicious Yangling Salt Commissioner; Ma Xianglan sang sarcastically about the current censor in court, and so on. The heroic deeds of the Eight Beauties further ignited the "art of needlework" and established the new perspective that "lowly women can be noble." As Lu Xun once said, to some extent, courtesans were pioneers breaking free from the constraints of feudal etiquette and rushing toward the dawn of a new era. These eight Jinling beauties were involved in poetry, painting, and both qu and fu. Some were creations of their own, while others were adaptations or references to the works of others. However, their poetry, imagery, literary charm, and colors were unique, ranging from fresh and elegant to passionate and magnificent. The author intentionally included these tales in this collection to be enjoyed by both the refined and the popular, as well as by people of all eras.