潘金莲 (Pān Jīnlián) · Pan Jinlian ('Golden Lotus'),…

Meanings

1 Pan Jinlian ('Golden Lotus'), adulterous wife of Wu Dalang in 《水浒传》 and protagonist of 《金瓶梅》
2 byword for a seductress who poisons her husband

About Pan Jinlian

文学人物 fictional character

Woman in the novel 水浒传 who poisons her husband 武大郎 for her lover 西门庆 and is killed by his brother 武松; 金瓶梅 retells her story. Her name is a byword for an unfaithful wife.

Characters

Examples

HSK 5

潘金莲是明代小说中的著名形象。

Pān Jīnlián shì Míngdài xiǎoshuō zhōng de zhùmíng xíngxiàng.

Pan Jinlian is a famous figure in Ming-dynasty fiction.

HSK 6

潘金莲毒害了武大郎。

Pān Jīnlián dúhài le Wǔ Dàláng.

Pan Jinlian poisoned Wu Dalang.

Tips

culture

In 《金瓶梅》 she is named 金莲 'golden lotus' for her bound feet: tiny bound feet were praised as 三寸金莲, 'three-inch golden lotuses'.

usage

冯小刚's 2016 film 《我不是潘金莲》, 'I Am Not Pan Jinlian', follows a woman who petitions officials for years while her ex-husband accuses her of sleeping around. Its English title swaps in a Western adulteress: I Am Not Madame Bovary.