Jia Yuanchun
Encyclopedia
Jia Yuanchun is a primary character in the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber
Dream of the Red Chamber
Dream of the Red Chamber , composed by Cao Xueqin, is one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. It was composed in the middle of the 18th century during the Qing Dynasty. It is considered to be a masterpiece of Chinese vernacular literature and is generally acknowledged to be a pinnacle of...

. She is Baoyu's elder sister by about ten years older (some versions said only one year older, but this is unlikely given the circumstances). Yuanchun was a lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...

 in the Imperial palace first, then, becomes an Imperial Consort. At the end of the novel, Yuanchun's sudden death precipitates the fall of the Jia family; some say Yuanchun died of palace intrigue, the result of political forces moving against the Jia family.

She is the eldest in the quartet of four "Springs" (4 daughters born into the Jia Clan). Therefore, the way she was named set the pattern for the naming of the other three. Like Baoyu, she had a remarkable birth. She was born on the First day of Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...

 and during springtime, hence her given name.

Yuanchun is the daughter of Minister Jia Zheng and Lady Wang
Lady Wang
Lady Wang is a character in the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is the wife of Jia Zheng, and mother of Jia Zhu , Jia Yuanchun and Jia Baoyu...

, the younger sister-in-law to Li Wan, and elder cousin to Lin Daiyu
Lin Daiyu
Lin Daiyu is one of the principal characters of Cao Xueqin's classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is portrayed as a well-educated, intelligent and beautiful young woman. The romance between Daiyu and Jia Baoyu forms one of the main threads of the book...

, Xue Baochai
Xue Baochai
Xue Baochai is one of the principal characters in the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is extremely beautiful and socially graceful. Her attributes complement those of her cousin Lin Daiyu...

 and others. The Prospect Garden was built at her instigation.
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