Meaning & History
This name comes from the song “Jianxi” (简兮) featured in the Classic of Poetry (诗经), a collection of poetic folk songs and hymns from the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046 - 256 BCE). The song portrays a handsome male dancer performing before a noble court, as well as the female narrator’s admiration towards him. “Jianxi” is the phrase repeated in the opening verses of the song, and can either represent the drumbeat accompanying the performance or the dancer’s martial manner. The female protagonist of the 2017 Chinese TV drama Above the Clouds bears this name.