This thesis is an exploration of how masculinity is reimagined in the 18th c. masterpiece, Honglou meng by Cao Xueqin. A significant contributing factor to the enduring appeal of this 120-chapter novel is a presentation of memorable characters that project a wide spectrum of gendered roles. The thesis argument is focused on the reimagining of masculinity in the case of a principal female character, Wang Xi-feng, who is one of the most famous figures in Chinese fiction. The character is an exemplary case study for how the women in Honglou meng are not defined by Qing Dynasty gendered expectations. In-depth analysis draws from Maram Epstein’s “construction of the authentic self” (2012). This thesis further explores the significant intersection of the embodiment of masculinity and illness, on both physical and metaphysical levels.
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