Gu Mei (; 1619–1664), better known by her

art name An art name (pseudonym or pen name), also known by its native names ''hào'' (in Mandarin), ''gō'' (in Japanese), ''ho'' (in Korean), and ''tên hiệu'' (in Vietnamese), is a professional name used by East Asian artists, poets and writers. The ...

Gu Hengbo (), also known as Xu Mei and Xu Zhizhu after her marriage, was a Chinese

courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress (lover), mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the Royal cour ...

, poet and painter. She received the title "Lady (furen)" from the early

Qing The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaki ...

court, and often addressed as "Lady Hengbo" in Qing writings. Gu was famous for her beauty and talent within painting and poetry and counted among the elite of courtesans alongside

Dong Xiaowan Dong Xiaowan (1624–1651), also known as Dong Bai, was a Chinese courtesan, poet and writer, also known by her pen name Qinglian. Dong has been described as the most famous courtesan of her time, known for her beauty and talent in singing, act ...

, Bian Yujing and

Liu Rushi Liu Rushi (; 1618–1664), also known as Yang Ai (杨爱), Liu Shi (柳是), Liu Yin (柳隐) and Yang Yin (杨隐),Yang Yinlian (杨影怜), Hedong Jun (河东君), was a Chinese ''yiji'' (courtesan), poet, calligrapher, and painter in the late ...

. She was admired for her paintings of orchids, and published a collection of poems which was given good critics, although few of her works have survived.

Life

Gu Mei was born near

Nanjing Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...

in 1619. At the beginning of the Chongzhen reign, Gu Mei became a courtesan in the

Qinhuai River The Qinhuai River () is a tributary of the Yangtze with a total length of 110 km. It flows through central Nanjing and is called "Nanjing's mother river". It is the "life blood" of the city. The Qinhuai River is divided into inner and outer river ...

district of Nanjing. In her Tower Meilou in Qinhuai district in Nanjing, she hosted a famous

literary salon A salon is a gathering of people held by an inspiring host. During the gathering they amuse one another and increase their knowledge through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "e ...

, which counted Chen Liang, Qian Lucan and

Mao Xiang Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PR ...

among its guests. Yu Huai described Meilou (literally ''house of bewitchment'') as lavish and extravagant. Gu Mei also acted in ''

kunqu Kunqu (), also known as Kunju (), K'un-ch'ü, Kun opera or Kunqu Opera, is one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera. Kunqu is one of the oldest traditional operas of the Han nationality, and is also a treasure of Chinese traditional cult ...

'' as a male ('' sheng'') impersonator. One of her roles was Zhou Yu () in ''Disciplining the Son'' (). The writer Yu Huai () recounted how after he had helped her when she ran afoul of the law, she offered to perform a stage drama for him on his birthday. She fell in love with one of her patrons, Liu Fang ( 劉芳), promised to marry him and to end her career as a courtesan. When she later changed her mind, Liu Fang committed suicide. One of her patrons, the career official

Gong Dingzi Gong Dingzi () (1615–1673) was a Chinese poet and politician. He was a famous author and Classical Chinese poet. He was also a government official serving under the Ming Chongzhen Emperor, the short-lived Dashun regime of peasant-rebel Li Ziche ...

, paid 1,000 ounces of silver for her services. In 1643, she left her profession to become a

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive. Concubi ...

to Gong Dingzi and settled with him in the capital. His openly demonstrated love for her attracted much attention during their time, as it offended the norms of Confucian ideals, and her influence over him became legendary. She is known to have saved the

Yan Ermei Yan may refer to: Chinese states * Yan (state) (11th century – 222 BC), a major state in northern China during the Zhou dynasty * Yan (Han dynasty kingdom), first appearing in 206 BC * Yan (Three Kingdoms kingdom), officially claimed indep ...

from execution, and to have been the benefactor of the artist

Zhu Yizun Zhu Yizun (; 1629–1709) was an author and poet during the Qing dynasty. In his early literary career, Zhu was recognized for his talent and helped by Gong Dingzi.Zhang, 82 Zhu became the founder of the Zhexi school of ''ci'' poetry (song lyrics ...

. In 1659 Gu Mei gave birth to a daughter. Anxious to have a son, Gong Dingzi built a private

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

temple where the couple could pray for a son. She was one of the

Eight Beauties of Qinhuai The Eight Beauties of Qinhuai (), also called the Eight Beauties of Jinling (), were eight famous courtesans during the Ming-Qing transition period who resided along the Qinhuai River in Nankin (now Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China). As well as po ...

described by late

officials. The other famed courtesans of this group are

Ma Xianglan Ma Shouzhen (; c. 1548–1604), also known by her courtesy name Ma Xianglan (, meaning "Orchid of the Xiang River") and pen name Yuejiao ("Lunar Beauty"), was a Chinese courtesan and artist born in Nanjing during the late Ming dynasty (1550–1 ...

, Bian Yujing,

Li Xiangjun Li Xiangjun (; 1624–1654) was a courtesan, singer, and musician during the Ming dynasty. Her life was dramatised in the play ''The Peach Blossom Fan''. Biography Li is referred to as Li Ji () or Li Xiang () in contemporary sources. To demonst ...

Kou Baimen The Eight Beauties of Qinhuai (), also called the Eight Beauties of Jinling (), were eight famous courtesans during the Ming-Qing transition period who resided along the Qinhuai River in Nankin (now Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China). As well as po ...

, and

Chen Yuanyuan Chen Yuanyuan (1624–1681) was a Chinese courtesan who lived during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. She was the concubine of Wu Sangui, the Ming dynasty general who surrendered Shanhai Pass to the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and later reb ...

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * Zhang, Hongsheng ��宏生(2002). "Gong Dingzi and the Courtesan Gu Mei: Their Romance and the Revival of the Song Lyric in the Ming-Qing Transition", in ''Hsiang Lectures on Chinese Poetry, Volume 2'', Grace S. Fong, editor. (Montreal: Center for East Asian Research, McGill University). {{DEFAULTSORT:Gu, Hengbo 1619 births 1664 deaths 17th-century Chinese painters 17th-century Chinese poets Ming dynasty painters Chinese women painters Chinese women poets Qing dynasty painters Ming dynasty poets Qing dynasty poets Painters from Nanjing Poets from Jiangsu Writers from Nanjing 17th-century Chinese women writers Eight Beauties of Qinhuai Chinese concubines 17th-century Chinese actresses 17th-century Chinese women singers Ming dynasty actors Male impersonators in Chinese opera Actresses from Nanjing Singers from Nanjing Kunqu actresses