How much do you know about Qian Jin?

How much do you know about Qian Jin?
May 7, 2013 04:21
ZOEY Points: Join Date: Nov 29, 2004 Status: offline	In Chinese, 千金 has many meanings. During the Han Dynasty, Jin is used as the monetary unit. 500 grams gold (actually referring to bronze) equals one Jin. Thus, 千金 refers to 500,000 grams gold. Qian Jin also refers to talented men. According to the Nan Shi (History of the Southern Dynasties), Xie Zhuang, a famous literati of the Liang Dynasty, has a talented son named Xie Fei. One day, Xie Zhuang, together with his son, accompanied the emperor to travel in Suzhou. The emperor learns that Xie’s son is very talented. Therefore, the emperor asks him to write a poem about the cave. Xie Fei makes it immediately. The emperor is surprised, saying “He is a genius though he is so young.” Xie Zhuang is very happy, tapping his son’s shoulder and saying “You are really my Qian Jin.” Like his father, Xie Fei becomes a famous literati as well as an important official. In the following hundreds of years, Qian Jin is used to describe talented men. Qian Jin has another meaning, that is, unmarried daughters from noble families. Zaju (a kind of literary form, literally meaning miscellaneous drama) is very popular in the Yuan Dynasty. A line from a Zaju named “Xue Rengui Returning Home” says “Miss, I am just a daughter from an ordinary family. You are a Qian Jin from an official family.” Since then, Qian Jin has been used to describe unmarried daughter from noble families.

May 7, 2013 04:21

ZOEY
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Join Date: Nov 29, 2004
Status: offline

In Chinese, 千金 has many meanings. During the Han Dynasty, Jin is used as the monetary unit. 500 grams gold (actually referring to bronze) equals one Jin. Thus, 千金 refers to 500,000 grams gold.

Qian Jin also refers to talented men. According to the Nan Shi (History of the Southern Dynasties), Xie Zhuang, a famous literati of the Liang Dynasty, has a talented son named Xie Fei. One day, Xie Zhuang, together with his son, accompanied the emperor to travel in Suzhou. The emperor learns that Xie’s son is very talented. Therefore, the emperor asks him to write a poem about the cave. Xie Fei makes it immediately. The emperor is surprised, saying “He is a genius though he is so young.” Xie Zhuang is very happy, tapping his son’s shoulder and saying “You are really my Qian Jin.” Like his father, Xie Fei becomes a famous literati as well as an important official. In the following hundreds of years, Qian Jin is used to describe talented men.

Qian Jin has another meaning, that is, unmarried daughters from noble families. Zaju (a kind of literary form, literally meaning miscellaneous drama) is very popular in the Yuan Dynasty. A line from a Zaju named “Xue Rengui Returning Home” says “Miss, I am just a daughter from an ordinary family. You are a Qian Jin from an official family.” Since then, Qian Jin has been used to describe unmarried daughter from noble families.

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