Xiangling (character)

Xiangling (Chinese: 香菱; pinyin: Xiānglíng, rendered Caltrop in David Hawkes's translation) is a character in the 18th century novel Dream of the Red Chamber.

Originally named Zhen Yinglian (Chinese: 甄英蓮; pinyin: Zhēn Yīnglián), she is the lost daughter of Zhen Shiyin (甄士隱), the country gentleman in Chapter 1.

Kidnapped as a young girl on the streets and sold to the Xue family under the name Xiangling (Lotus).

Also an unofficial "concubine" to Xue Pan, she is greatly abused by him and later his wife, the cruel Xia Jingui.

When Pan leaves on a business trip and Jingui tries to kill Xiangling, Baochai takes her to the Garden to live with her.