I've installed package Xft2-2.1.2-3.firefly.i386.rpm and did some changes to my fonts.conf, and the simsun font worked perfect for me with bold fonts.
Recently I upgrade my Redhat 9 (default install with kernel 2.6) glibc libraries to 2.3.2-27.9.7(for the stupid nvidia driver and glx libraries) and I found the Xft no longer works with the bold fonts.
I would like to know what changes you made to the Xft package or; can you release the src rpm for the Xft package?
I found it from your website. 3x for your execellent job.
Now it works for me with
kernel 2.6
glibc 2.3.2-27.9.7
the ldconfig in glibc 2.3.2-27.9.7 is a bit strange. If I install libXft in /usr. It can find it but the bold fonts never works. Then when I install libXft in /usr/X11R6 everything is ok.