Who is Yunxiang? Yunxiang (芸香) is a name, not a separate person. It is the original name of a junior maid in Jia Baoyu’s rooms, and in Chapter 21 Baoyu renames her Si’er. If you want to meet the girl, start there.
The name
芸香 (Traditional) · 芸香 (Simplified) · Yúnxiāng · ㄩㄣˊ ㄒㄧㄤ
芸 (yún): rue, a small bitter herb.
香 (xiāng): fragrance.
芸香 is the ordinary word for the rue plant, so the name is “Rue Fragrance,” or just “Rue.” Rue was kept among books in old China to keep insects away, which makes it a scholar’s plant. Baoyu’s study in Chapter 8 is the Crimson Rue Studio, 絳芸軒, and the same plant is in its name.
David Hawkes renders this name as Soldanella. The Yangs call her Yun-hsiang.
Where it comes from
The maid tells Baoyu that she was “originally called Yunxiang” and that “Big Sister Hua” changed it. Big Sister Hua is Xiren, and the new name was Huixiang (蕙香), “Orchid Fragrance.” Within a few lines, Baoyu has thrown out both and given her the name Si’er.
Read next
Meet her: Si’er
See the scene: The Silent Treatment
All characters: Characters
New here? Start with the Start Here guide, or meet the rest of the family on the Characters page.