Liu Rushi (1618—1664), originally named Yang Ai, later changed her name to Liu Yin or Liu Shi. She styled herself Rushi and used such courtesy names as Sir Miwu and Sir Hedong. Liu, a native of Jiaxing in Zhejiang, immigrated to and settled down in Wujiang in the south of the Yangtze River. At a very young age, she became a disciple of the famous courtesan Xu Fo at Guijia Court in Shengze, Wujiang. Later she served as a house maid at the former prime minister Zhou Daodeng’s residence. The 4th year of Emperor Chongzhen’s reign of the Ming Dynasty (1631) witnessed Liu Rushi leave the Zhou family and fall to practice prostitution. She was one of the “Eight Beauties along Qinhuai River” and known for her poetic talent in the area of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Having close connection with the Restoration Society, the Ji Association and the Donglin Clique, Liu often cross-dressed herself with garments usually worn by students of Confucianism to discuss current affairs and chant poems with male scholars. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, collections of Liu’s poems and Ci poems had been published. She came to Changshu to visit Qian Qianyi in the 13th year of Emperor Chongzhen’s reign. The following year saw them tie the knot. At the fall of the Ming Dynasty, Liu Rushi tried to persuade Qian Qianyi into committing suicide in defence of his virtue but in vain. Her own suicidal attempt proved unsuccessful. Liu even contacted people engaged in anti-Qing campaign, namely Zheng Chenggong, Zhang Huangyan, Qu Shisi and Wei Geng, to offer financial and spiritual support, which was her way to defend her absolute integrity. In her later years, Liu Rushi lived in Hongdou Villa in Baimao, Changshu. Soon after Qian Qianyi’s death, Liu committed suicide as a protest against the dispute over property among her family members. She was buried at Liushenbang River at the southern foot of Yushan in Changshu and on the west of Qian Qianyi’s tomb. Liu was good at poetry and painting. She was an expert in tonality and master of Ci poetry and Fu writing (descriptive prose interspersed with verse). She was particularly good at creating Ci poems. Even Qian Qianyi could not surpass her in these fields. Liu’s representative works include Wu Yin Cao (meaning “drafts written in the year of Wuyin”), Hu Shang Cao (meaning “drafts written near Xihu Lake”), An Album of Landscapes and Portraits by Liu Rushi and Liu Rushi Chi Du (Liu Rushi’s Correspondence). The lady once compiled the book Gu Jin Ming Yuan Shi Ci Xuan (A Selection of Poems and Ci Poems by Gentlewomen of the Past and Present). Liu also attracted much attention from contemporary scholars. One of the books they created about her was Liu Rushi Ji (An Anthology of Liu Rushi’s Writing). Professor Chen Yinke also wrote a book about her titled Liu Rushi Bie Zhuan (An Alternative Biography of Liu Rushi).
Search
