Learning:
The Journey of a Lifetime
A Cloud Chamber of the Mind

2006 Literature Notebook

Wang Xi-feng ("Peppercorn" Feng) (Mrs. Lian): [3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14] Wife of Jia Lian, a beautiful young woman (about 18 - 19 years old), who is responsible for much of the management of the Rong-guo mansion.

Bao-yu. [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14] The Stone.

Shui Rong [14] Prince of Bei-jing; princely connection of the Jias who befriends Bao-yu.

Xi-feng immediately organizes the affairs of the Ning-guo mansion. She is both fair and ruthless. "She's well known for a sour-faced, hard-hearted bitch is this one, and once she's got her back up, she'll give no quarter, no matter who you are. So be careful!" [p. 271]

Xi-feng's organization and clarity are fantastic. She then continues, "Well, now you all know the rules. From now on whenever any trouble occurs I shall know exactly who is to be held responsible." [p. 273] The next day one servant is late. Xi-feng tells her, "I should have liked to let you off, but if I'm lenient with you the first time, it will be that much harder for me to deal with someone else the second time; so I am obliged to make an example of you." [p. 278] She then sentences her to 20 strokes of a bamboo cane in front of the other servants and is deducted a month's wages.

Bao-yu spends some time with Xi-feng and we say the friendly, human side of her personality.

The massive funeral for Qin-shi is then described in some detail. This is attended by the Prince of Bei-jing who asks to see Bao-yu.

The description of the funeral is fascinating as it gives one a sense of the life of the well-to-do families in China in the 15th century.