Dong Xiaowan | |
|---|---|
 Dong Xiaowan painted by Yu Zhiding after her death | |
| Native name | 董小宛 |
| Born | Dong Bai 董白 1624 |
| Died | December 1651 (aged 26–27) Qing China |
| Pen name | Qinglian 青蓮 Qinglian nüshi 青蓮女史 |
| Occupation | courtesan, poet,writer,chef |
| Language | Chinese |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Partner | Mao Bijiang |
| Relatives | Lady Bai (mother) |
Dong Xiaowan (1624–1651[1]), also known as Dong Bai, was a Chinese courtesan and poet, also known by her pen name Qinglian.[2]
Dong has been described as the famous courtesan of her time, known for her beauty and talent in singing, acting,[3] needlework and the tea ceremony.[2] She lived in Qinhuai District of Nanjing.[4] Similar to other courtesans of the late Ming Dynasty, Dong's moral qualities were emphasised among her admirers more than her talents.[5]
She is one of the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai (Chinese: 秦淮八艳) described by late Qing officials. The other famed courtesans of this group are Ma Xianglan, Bian Yujing (卞玉京), Li Xiangjun, Liu Rushi, Gu Mei, Kou Baimen (寇白門), and Chen Yuanyuan.[6]
- ^ "56591: Dong Bai". Harvard University. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ a b Chen (1998), p. 31.
- ^ Shen, Guangren Grant (1994). Theatre Performance During the Ming Dynasty (PDF) (Ph.D. thesis). University of Hawaii. p. 380. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ^ Gulik (1974), p. 291.
- ^ Zurndorfer (2011), p. 211.
- ^ Xie & Shi (2014), p. 181.