For those living exceedingly large, Schmidt and the other conference-goers represent a new breed of servant, 21st-century gentlemen and ladies-in-waiting.
Framed by six women as ladies-in-waiting, Ms. Meng's nymph showed extraordinarily sublime control, creating silken, ever-so-slightly changing postures as seamlessly and evocatively as wisps of vapor.
They then entered a meritocracy, first as ladies-in-waiting to the sultan's concubines and children, then to the sultan's mother and finally - if they showed sufficient aptitude and were beautiful enough - to the sultan himself.