the Twelve Beauties of Jinling – Miaoyu

Miaoyu is one of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling (refers to the twelve excellent ladies) in the book of The Dream of Red Mansions. Miaoyu, who has no interests in politics and power, is a nun living in Long Cui nunnery of Grand View Garden. She is the only beauty who does not have any relations with the family of Jia.

She was originally a daughter of a rich official’s family. But she has to be a nun at an early age due to her illness and later shelters herself under the nunnery in Prospect Garden to dodge political affairs. She is smart, beautiful, knowledgeable but also high-hearted and unsocial.

On the birthday of Jia Baoyu, the hero of the book, Miaoyu sends a greeting card to him. There is no amorous affection between them. She only regards Jia Baoyu as a confidant as Jia knows her inner world. In the family of Jia, she only gets on well with few people.

Miaoyu fights against the fate all her life. She is not willing to be a nun at her early age. She also wants to pursue happiness as other girls do. However, she could not be understood by the people around her at that time.

By the end of the story, Miaoyu sacrifices herself to save Jia Baoyu and Shi Xiangyun. Finally, she has to submit to the old feudal forces. She is just like a jade in the sludge. And the tragedy of her is predestined at her period as she is such a lofty person that can not be accepted by the society at that time.