Gu Mei

Gu Mei (1619-1664), was a Chinese courtesan, poet and painter.

Gu Mei was famous for her beauty and talent within painting and poetry and counted among the elite of courtesans alongside Dong Xiaowan, Bian Sai and Liu Rushi. She was admired for her paintings of orchids, and published a collection of poems which was given good critics. In her tower Meilou in Qinhuai district in Nanjing, she hosted a famous literary salon, which counted Chen Liang, Qian Lucan and Mao Xiang among its guests.

In 1643, she left her profession to marry the career official Gong Dingzi and settled with him in the capital. His openly demonstrated love for her attracted much attention during their time, as it offended the norms of Confucian ideals, and her influence over him became legendary. She is known to have saved the Yan Ermei from execution, and to have been the benefactor of the artist Zhu Yizun.

She is one of the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai (Chinese: 秦淮八艳) described by late Qing officials. The other famed courtesans of this group are Ma Xianglan (馬湘蘭), Bian Yujing (卞玉京), Li Xiangjun (李香君), Dong Xiaowan, Liu Rushi, Kou Baimen (寇白門), and Chen Yuanyuan.

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