The videos I watched became popular in ancient times

The banks of the Qinhuai River have always been a place where merchants gather, and where scholars and playboys go to seek pleasure.

Throughout the long river of history, there are only a handful of women we can remember over the thousands of years, but there are countless men we can remember.

Yang Yuhuan, Zhao Feiyan, Su Xiaoxiao, Xue Tao, Li Qingzhao, Chen Yuanyuan, and Liu Rushi.

These names that sound like feminine things are most likely those of prostitutes.

In that patriarchal society, they were nameless, humble and lowly like weeds on the roadside.

It is strange to say, those beautiful girls born into wealthy families and those virtuous women in ordinary streets who are listed in the chastity arch.

However, it has not left much mark in the long river of history, and it disappears in a flash like dust.

On the contrary, these humble and lowly prostitutes left a cloud in the sky of history after their death.

Most of the women in brothels in ancient times had unfortunate lives and were beautiful but short-lived, and almost none of them had a good ending.

However, Gu Hengbo, one of the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, is an exception.

This sober-minded famous prostitute became the most prominent among the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai and was conferred the title of First-Rank Lady by the Emperor.

"Gu Hengbo's original name was Gu Mei. Later, she changed her name to Gu Mei, with the courtesy name Meisheng. She also took the pseudonym Hengbo and met guests in Meilou."

"Gu Hengbo was proficient in poetry, lyrics, and songs, and was particularly talented in painting, especially orchids."

"A woman with both talent and beauty like this will naturally have many suitors."

"Peach blossoms are good, but if you get a few bad ones, it will make you feel upset."

"God always lets you meet the right person at the right time. When Gu Hengbo met Gong Dingzi, it was a little late. She was already past the best age for a woman."

"But it doesn't matter. They are deeply connected and can still be together for the rest of their lives."

"While passing through Jinling, Gong Dingzi, who had a bright future ahead of him, saw Gu Hengbo."

"When she turned around and smiled, she was full of charm, and there was light in Gu Hengbo's eyes."

"She immediately fascinated Gong Dingzi, a young man full of vigor and vitality, and the story of a talented scholar and a beautiful woman began."

"A man of letters is not vulgar. When he falls in love with a woman, he will always use writing to express his emotions and his feelings."

"Gong Dingzi is no exception. As a successful Jinshi, he commands applause as soon as he puts pen to paper."

"Gu Hengbo understood poetry and Gong Dingzi, and she could see the emotions he expressed directly."

"This man is in love with her. Her eyes curved into an arch when she smiled, which made her even more charming."

"Even though Meilou is a place of lost souls, Gong Dingzi still cannot stay there for long."

"He was going to the capital to take up his new post, so the two of them could only say goodbye reluctantly."

"Sending letters via wild geese was a romantic way of communication in ancient times."

"Gong Dingzi from Yunzhong sent many brocade letters, and every poem expressed his true feelings for Gu Hengbo."

"The two were separated by distance, and they missed each other. Gu Hengbo made a bold decision."

"Gu Hengbo traveled thousands of miles to find her lover, and went to Beijing alone to look for Gong Dingzi."

"You can imagine how difficult the journey was, but she never looked back. This weak woman ran to the capital to meet her beloved."

"Gu Hengbo's deep love and loyalty moved Gong Dingzi deeply."

"A weak woman left her hometown and came to the capital to reunite with him. In today's turbulent times, it goes without saying that she has gone through many hardships along the way."

"The man is in love with the woman, and the marriage is thus concluded."

Dong Xiaowan: Gu Hengbo was the most prominent among the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, and one of the few lucky ones among the famous prostitutes of Qinhuai.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the country was in chaos and decline due to internal and external troubles.

Ordinary people live in poverty, and selling their children is common.

The brothel madam took a liking to a pretty little girl among a group of skinny, ragged children.

He brought it with him, trained it carefully, and taught it almost all the skills he knew.

This clever girl lived up to expectations and when she reached the age of 18, she not only had a stunning beauty.

He was proficient in playing the piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and was also a top-notch artist in playing various musical instruments and singing.

Like Ma Xianglan, Gu Hengbo was good at painting orchids and was proficient in poetry. The fan painting "Orchid" he painted when he was seventeen is still a treasure today.

But she is more beautiful than Ma Xianglan, and is regarded as the best singer of southern opera.

In the late Ming Dynasty, the courtesans who sang southern tunes were considered high-level geishas in brothels. The fact that she was ranked first showed that she had excellent singing skills.

This is nothing. The most amazing thing is that the young Gu Hengbo has the tendency to inherit the brothel owner's business.

After years of development, the madam invested heavily to build a Meilou on the banks of the Qinhuai River in Jinling.

The joining of Gu Hengbo has brought a different vitality to this romantic place.

She paid for the eyebrow tower with her own money and carefully built it, making it extremely exquisite and luxurious.

The building houses numerous beautiful ladies, highly qualified servants, and first-rate cooks.

The furniture is all carved and even a small door curtain is embroidered with exquisite patterns.

Therefore, Meilou is also jokingly called the Mi Lou. According to legend, the Mi Lou was the temporary palace built by Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty in Yangzhou.

From this we can see how luxurious Meilou is, just like a fairyland.

It is unknown whether the owner of this Meilou is charming and romantic, or whether this Meilou is run in a way that fascinates its customers.

But what is certain is that there is a beautiful woman in the building, and the beautiful woman lives in the building, and the person and the building coexist in harmony.

Eyebrow tower is Gu Hengbo’s confidence and a symbol of her ability and strength.

Such a talented and beautiful lady, the most beautiful lady in southern music.

The fact that she sells her art instead of her body makes visitors obsessed and unable to stop.

Every day, talented scholars and guests who came here to admire its reputation lingered and the seats were always full. Even some princes, ministers, celebrities and dignitaries came here to enjoy themselves.

Gu Hengbo is able to achieve great success at such a young age, which shows his high emotional intelligence.

She had the most interactions with the other seven beauties. She studied music with Chen Yuanyuan, played the pipa and sang ditties.

Together with Li Xiangjun, he attended the orchid society organized by celebrities, and painted orchids with ink, which amazed everyone.

He also acted in the play "Romance of the West Chamber" with Dong Xiaowan, playing the role of a man. He had a handsome face and graceful manners.

She is generous and magnanimous, and is called Brother Mei. Even Liu Rushi, who is also a manly person, regards herself as her younger brother in front of her.

It was Gu Hengbo who brought the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai together in a beautiful way.

The deep friendship and mutual appreciation between sisters are often talked about by later generations.

Gu Hengbo's naturally cheerful and open-minded character gave her an advantage in her interactions with men. Most of the men who came to Meilou had the intention of stealing her.

But during our interactions, I remembered Brother Mei's title, Brother Mei's demeanor, and Brother Mei's heroic spirit.

It will only make those men feel inferior and unable to go beyond the line.

What is even more rare is that when Gu Hengbo receives guests, he does not have any worldly mentality of discriminating against the poor and favoring the rich.

As long as they are guests of Meilou, she will personally receive them equally.

With such a broad mind and tolerance, it is no wonder that people at that time were reluctant to leave and were proud to be the guests of Meilou.

Although the society was unstable and the situation was turbulent at that time, Gu Hengbo was doing very well in Meilou.

"Gong Dingzi was a man with aspirations for a career in politics and a heart full of ideals and ambitions."

"Now that the powerful officials in the court are incompetent, he wrote many impeachment memorials and submitted them."

"The content was very convincing and well-founded, but I didn't expect it would lead to a jail term."

"He was thrown into prison, and Gu Hengbo burst into tears when he heard the news at home."

"They had just gotten married, and he was thrown into prison for angering the emperor."

“No one knows when they will be released.”

"But Gu Hengbo waited steadfastly. She looked for news about Gong Dingzi everywhere and finally waited until he was released."

"People who have been in prison will naturally understand a lot more after seeing the light of day again."

"The Ming dynasty was in danger, but he was powerless and could only watch the capital fall."

"After hearing the news that Emperor Chongzhen had hanged himself, Gong Dingzi remained silent for a long time."

"The country is in tatters, and the people are homeless."

"Li Zicheng arrived with a large number of troops, and Gong Dingzi surrendered."

"He did not sacrifice his life for his country like other literati with integrity and backbone."

"After that, he was given an official title, and he and Gu Hengbo continued to live their lives as usual."

"Li Zicheng came in a hurry and left in a hurry again."

"Then the Qing army entered the country."

"In this chaotic world, Gu Hengbo has always stayed by Gong Dingzi's side."

"Either encouraging him or comforting him, it made him more attached to her."

"Later, he joined the Qing dynasty and became an official, but he was cursed for it."

"The country was destroyed and the throne changed hands, but he and Gu Hengbo still held each other's hands tightly."

"Among the many stories of broken families and separation of wives and children, they are undoubtedly the lucky ones."

"Gu Hengbo suffered a lot following this man, but he also suffered from fear and infamy."

"When Gong Dingzi surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, it was already doomed that he would be scolded by his former colleagues in the Ming Dynasty for having no integrity, and there would also be people in the Qing Dynasty who would laugh at and ridicule him."

"In short, he is neither a human being nor a human being."

"Ming Dynasty officials and people of integrity were all planning to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and restore the Ming Dynasty, but he never participated in it, nor did he curse the Qing Dynasty like others did."

"He tried to defend himself, saying that the famous prime minister Wei Zheng served two masters and still won fame during his lifetime and after his death."

"In Gong Dingzi's heart, what is important is the people of the world and the stability of the world." "The powerful and wealthy couldn't help but laugh at him for comparing himself to Wei Zheng, which was simply ridiculous."

"In that environment, he felt powerless, conflicted and entangled."

"But Gu Hengbo stayed by his side the whole time, accompanying him through those difficult times, and never left him."

Cao Xueqin: Gu Hengbo's free and unrestrained character won the admiration of the Jiangzuo talent Gong Dingzi, who was willing to spend the rest of his life with her.

In Nanjing, a water town in the south of the Yangtze River in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the gentle and lovely woman Gu Hengbo came into being.

She was extremely intelligent since childhood, well-versed in poetry and prose, and good at painting. She was especially famous for her eyebrow paintings.

Her appearance is as beautiful as a poem or a painting, and her gracefulness reveals a hint of charm, which attracts many young men to stare at her.

In addition to her outstanding talent, she is proficient in poetry, songs, calligraphy and painting. She is simply a rare beauty in the world.

However, beauties have always had a rough life, and Gu Hengbo was sold to a brothel when she was young.

Because she is delicate and cute with outstanding features, she is cultivated vigorously by the madam.

He was good at poetry, painting, and music, especially at painting orchids.

Gu Hengbo, a famous prostitute of her generation, had two love affairs. The first was with Liu Fang, a descendant of a famous family.

Liu Fang admired Gu Hengbo's talent and was also attracted by her beauty. He was a romantic young man.

So the two of them fell in love, and they frequently visited each other, accompanied by poetry and wine. Gu Hengbo also began his first relationship.

However, because Liu Fang was from a prominent family, her family felt that this girl born in a brothel was not worthy of their family status.

Because of family obstruction, the relationship ended.

Gu Hengbo's second relationship started with Gong Dingzi, a talented scholar known as one of the three great scholars of Jiangzuo.

The love story of Gong Dingzi and Gu Hengbo is full of drama and legend. Their acquaintance originated from an accidental chance.

Gong Dingzi climbed up to Meilou and met Gu Hengbo, a famous prostitute at that time, and fell in love with her at first sight.

This woman, who was four years younger than him, became the love of his life.

When Gong Dingzi served as the Secretary of the Ministry of War in the capital, his official duties were not very busy.

The couple lived together in love, just like a couple from gods.

However, just when everything seemed to be going smoothly, life threw a confusing episode.

Liu Fang, who once rejected Gu Hengbo, faced emotional betrayal and distance.

She chose a passionate and extreme path and ended her life with death.

This sudden change makes people feel sad and puzzled.

In that era, people pointed the finger at Gu Hengbo and blamed her for Liu Fang's death.

However, this extraordinary marriage brought glory and legend to the two people later.

Gong Dingzi later became the Minister of Rites during the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty. As her husband became more successful, Gu Hengbo also became famous and was conferred the title of First-Rank Lady by the Emperor.

She is also the only woman in history who was born in a brothel and was conferred the title of a first-rank lady.

Although she was beautiful but had a tragic fate, compared with the other seven beauties of Qinhuai, she was considered to be the most fortunate prostitute of her generation.

"Gong Dingzi served as the Junior Minister of the Imperial Household, the Minister of Punishment, the Minister of Rites, and the Minister of War. He was impeached and also received gifts."

"The ups and downs of officialdom also made Gu Hengbo worry about everything."

"The honor of being a First-Rank Imperial Concubine was a reward for Gong Dingzi's family, but his wife, Madam Tong, refused it."

"That dignified and generous woman said that she had received several honors from the previous dynasty. Let Gu Hengbo be the lady of honor."

"The honor that Madam Tong refused fell on Gu Hengbo. She knew what the status of a royal consort meant. It was a compliment mixed with insults."

"Mrs. Tong is unwilling to be conferred a title because she has a Ming dynasty in her heart, so she does not want to accept the Qing dynasty's reward."

"But Gong Dingzi has already entered the Qing Dynasty as an official, so Gu Hengbo will have to bear the infamy with him."

"Some people say that this woman, Gu Hengbo, is too greedy and vain."

"That's why she was able to sit in the position of a first-rank imperial lady. She can't be compared with those women who sacrificed their lives for their country."

"Indeed, these reputations of integrity and chastity have nothing to do with her."

"What she needs to do is to stand firmly on Gong Dingzi's side and agree with him from beginning to end."

"Gu Hengbo only gave birth to a daughter, who died of illness. She was so lonely standing in a position full of glory."

"If it weren't for Gong Dingzi's company, she would really be alone."

"At the age of 45, Gu Hengbo died, but the criticism continued."

"Gu Hengbo seems to have gained wealth and glory, but he also attracted a lot of infamy."

"She followed her husband through imprisonment and the loss of her country."

"In the end, she was awarded the title of First-Rank Lady, but this attracted a lot of criticism from people."

"Indeed, the women who sacrificed their lives for their country had extraordinary integrity, and they deserve to be praised, commended, and remembered in history."

"But Gu Hengbo has never harmed the people of the Ming Dynasty, nor has he done anything despicable, yet he has attracted so much criticism. How innocent he is."

"In fact, Gu Hengbo is just like many other Ming people, accepting the fact that a new emperor appoints new ministers."

"Then live well, even if life is not easy."

"As an ordinary citizen, Gu Hengbo could not change the fate of the Ming Dynasty, nor could she save the broken Ming Dynasty."

"All she could do was stay by her husband's side and watch him speak up for the people and protect the literati and patriots of the Ming Dynasty."

"Then I would give him a pat on the shoulder after a hard day's work. That's all."

Sai Jinhua: Gu Hengbo's journey from a talented singer by the Qinhuai River to a powerful first-rank lady was not an easy one.

In feudal society, power is above everything and imperial power is supreme.

In order to consolidate imperial power, the system of imperial consorts bestowed honor on women.

This system originated in the Tang Dynasty and became more common in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The wives of officials from the first to fifth ranks could be granted the title of Lady.

Although it was an honorary title, he had no real power and only received a generous salary.

This system is for women of humble status.

It is undoubtedly a great encouragement and promotion, and also a way for them to pursue their self-worth.

However, in feudal society, the status of women was extremely low.

Women lack autonomy and must obey patriarchy and husband authority. They do not even have sovereignty over their own bodies.

Society generally looks down on women and considers them as inferior.

Even the wives of officials find it difficult to obtain the dignity they deserve.

The emergence of the system of imperial consorts brought honor to some women.

However, it did not change the low overall status of women, who were still shackled by the feudal system.

Against such a social background, Gu Hengbo's fate seems particularly shocking.

Born in a brothel, she made a living by performing arts when she was young.

However, fate favored her and she showed her talent on the corridor, attracting the attention of the scholar Gong Dingzi.

Although Gong Dingzi was over fifty years old, he was deeply impressed by Gu Hengbo's intelligence and cleverness.

In the end, Gong Dingzi took Gu Hengbo as his concubine.

This extraordinary marriage brought glory and legend to the two people later.

However, the ups and downs of fate occurred in the turbulent times at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

The peasant rebel Li Zicheng approached the capital, the royal family was destroyed, and the capital where Gu Hengbo was located also fell.

Under the threat of Li Zicheng's army, she and her parents-in-law were faced with a life-and-death decision.

At the critical moment, Gu Hengbo and Gong Dingzi decided to sacrifice their lives for their country and jumped into a deep well.

However, fate left them a chance to turn around. They were rescued despite being seriously injured, and the wheel of fate turned again.

Li Zicheng was defeated and Gong Dingzi surrendered to the Qing Dynasty.

He was awarded the title of Minister of Rites for his talent, and Gu Hengbo was awarded the title of First-Class Lady for her merits.

However, society’s perception of her has not completely changed.

As a prostitute of humble origins, her achievements were a challenge to the prejudices of feudal society.

Gu Hengbo's legendary experience shines a unique light in history.

She is a role model for women who rose from the bottom of society, and her resilience inspires future generations.

However, her success did not change the prejudice and discrimination against women in the entire feudal society.

Although there were a few women who were as successful as her, most women were still bound by the shackles of feudal society and unable to change their own destiny.

Gu Hengbo's life is a symbol of courage and persistence, and her inspirational story has inspired countless people.

However, her end caused controversy.

Although she was awarded the title of First-Rank Lady, this did not change the overall low status of women in feudal society.

She is an individual case and cannot represent all.

Therefore, people should think more deeply.

Can a single success story change the entire social system? Should the value and dignity of women depend solely on a few successful examples?

Gu Hengbo's life is a moving legend. Her tenacious spirit inspires future generations, but it also triggers reflection on the treatment of women in feudal society.

Her story is a mirror that allows people to think deeply about the value and dignity of women, as well as the impact of social systems on individual destiny.

Perhaps, her life can inspire more people to pursue self-worth, but it also requires greater efforts to change the prejudice of the whole society towards women. (End of this chapter)