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Essay Subject:
Analysis of a Chinese story.... More...
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Paper Abstract: Analysis of a Chinese story. "Tu Shih-Niang Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger." Social and political climate of China of the time. Glorified meaning of romantic love. Love between a father and son, between friends, self-sacrificing love and self-serving love. Difficulties of the romantic love relationship; betrayal.
Paper Introduction: Introduction
Love. One little four-letter word with as many meanings as there are people in the world -- multiplied exponentially. In fact, at least half if not most of the stories and poems written, songs sung, and movies and plays produced are about various types of love. Yet, of all the meanings, assumptions, baggage, traditions, and stories associated with love, the most glorified meaning is romantic love. It is because of the many pitfalls of glorified, romantic love that stories like “Tu Shih-Niang Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” are written. “Tu Shih-Niang” specifically addresses not only romantic love, but also the love between a father and son, between close friends, self-sacrificing love, and self-serving love. This paper will explore and discuss the five different types of love found in “Tu Shih-Niang Sinks
Text of the Paper:
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155),to see his son living an honorable and respectable life. 147-8).Indeed, Li Chia spends so much time and money on Tu Shih-Niang that by theend of two years he is broke and has no real apartment to call his own.Instead of finding a position of some sort with a stipend that would helprectify this situation, he appears to live off of Tu Shih-Niang'sgenerosity. However, when he sees how Tu Shih-Niang has put her faith into LiChia by giving him her savings, he understands the potential for a truelove and loans Li Chia the rest of the money he needs to buy Tuh Shih-Niangfrom her "mother". .now on your part you must not betray her trust" (p. M. Self-Serving Love As pointed out in the beginning, Li's trip to the capital was thefirst time he had left home and encountered someone as beautiful as Tu Shih-Niang. Liu also warns Li "This girl's devotion is not to bedoubted. A woman of the world, sheunderstood that money would help pave the way into the family's graces, aswell as on the journey. In betraying both his love for TuShih-Niang and his duty and love for his father, he loses both, as well ashimself. On the other hand, Li Chia both fears and respects his father. Li, however, was too afraid of his father to commit himself. Li Chia had a friend, Liu Yu-ch'un, who had remainedfriends with Li Chia throughout the two years at the capital. When he met Shih-niang he was absolutely captivated by her and fell head over heels in love with her, and since he was not only handsome and amiable but also open-handed and untiring in his pursuit of her, the attraction and the love soon proved mutual (p. In short, a war is on and money must be raised. He seems to only find it easy to love herwhen he is not concerned with money or family displeasure, in other words,when it was easy and served the purpose of making him feel good. Then Sun, the man who covets her, refers tothis relationship when he says, "the sacred relationship between father andson is inviolable" (p. What Tu Shih-Niang really wants istrue and lasting love. Before this, his family had always taken care of him. It is at this point that the young lovers meet their first snag and thestory begins introducing the other types of love that are found in life.Father and Son The sanctity of this relationship is referred to twice. Thisaccomplishes three things: it raises money for the war effort, bringstogether students with influential people who will help forward theircareers, and finally, it brings the young romantic hero to Peking (oldPinyin for the current Beijing) to meet the young romantic heroine. They seem towillingly give her all that they can because they want her to be happy,just as Liu wants to see the couple happy. Yet, of all the meanings,assumptions, baggage, traditions, and stories associated with love, themost glorified meaning is romantic love. .very strict in family discipline" (p. Even so, they fell more and more deeply in love (p. 147). Li's friend, Liu, had warned Li to not betray Tu Shih-Niang'strust, yet as she said to Li, "it's you who have betrayed me" (p. Reference Ho, R. The pattern set in beginning continues to be the pattern for the restof the story. Healso does not want to lose his father's financial support. .in vain have I given you my true love" (p. As thestory states near the end, "Li had always been of weak character" (p. Tu Shih-Niangrefers to it when she says, "the sacred bond between father and son mustnot be destroyed" (p. 148). 159).So, Li also failed his friend because he did not trust enough in the lovingadvice of a friend. 151).Because of Tu Shih-Niang's obvious devotion to Li, Liu is more willing totrust his friendship with Li and borrow the money for him. Therefore, theemperor decides to sell positions in the imperial academies. From the contacts Li Chiamakes at the capital, he could also meet a good family and make a suitablematch with a woman of similar background and the same class. In fact, at least half ifnot most of the stories and poems written, songs sung, and movies and playsproduced are about various types of love. Li Chia, however, loses heart whenever the couple runs out of money orwhenever he remembers the displeasure that he is causing his father.Instead of striving to find an honest way to come up with money, Li Chiacontinues to give up so Tu Shih-Niang continues to support him, first bygiving him the money in her mattress and then by having the jewel box.When Li discusses his situation with Sun Fu, the merchant who is schemingto buy Tu Shih-Niang, Li doesn't call her his wife, he backs away and callsher a concubine instead. The "mother" who runs the house wants him gone so that she canmake money off of Tu Shih-Niang again. As she states in her speech at the end, "it was myintention to fit you out splendidly. Inherent in this love is the desire by the father, "a high-ranking provincial official. 147). Tu Shih-Niang, the heroine, is described as a "flawless piece of jade"(p. In the end, Tu Shih-Niang chooses to give her casketto Liu Yu-ch'un, the only one who seemed truly trust in her love anddevotion to Li Chia. Yet, with all this attention, to the woman who runsthe house, she is just a moneymaker. A romantic young man, [he] had never seen a true beauty. Tu Shih-Niang continues to put her trust and faith into LiChia through out the story, sacrificing her savings, her dowry, and theonly livelihood that she has ever known. Although it is learned laterthat the gifts that the friends "gave" Tu Shih-Niang were simply her ownsavings, they still played the charade because of their love for her.Self-Sacrificing Love v.s. He sees Tu Shih-Niang and the "mother" of the house as people who arepurposefully draining Li Chia dry and then finding a reason to send himaway. 157). To Tu Shih-Niang, however, he isher love and her salvation-her way out of a life she wants to leave behind. From thefather's point of view, this will bring about a "happy" life for his son inthe long run. 152). . One little four-letter word with as many meanings as there arepeople in the world -- multiplied exponentially. Introduction Love. 153).Love Between Friends This story seems to be the most forgiving of the type of love foundbetween close friends and this love is demonstrated through both Li Chiaand Tu Shih-Niang. Tu Shih-Niang, on her part, has also developed friends who arewilling to help her by giving her enough clothes and jewels and money tomake the journey back to Li Chia's family comfortable. His friends are embarrassed for him. Tu Shih-Niang, on the other hand, had been working as a courtesan since the age ofthirteen. . In her seven years as a courtesan every man she had been withhad been so charmed by her that they spent all they had "to win herattention" (p. When Li is explaining to Tu Shih-Niang his planof selling her he says, "he (Sun) was willing to offer a thousand taels ofsilver for your hand, so that with the money I would find it less difficultto face my parents" (p. 159). He sent his sonto the capital to learn and further his career. However, he did not trust that his love forTu Shih-Niang would help them overcome difficulties, nor did he trust inthe love that his father had for him. This is not a love that is pretty andromantic. The following paragraph sets up how they each entered into, andperceived, their relationship: Shih-Niang had long wanted to get out by getting married; now that she saw how honest and devoted Li was, her heart became all the more set on him. . His father is worriedfor him. It is because of the manypitfalls of glorified, romantic love that stories like "Tu Shih-Niang Sinksthe Jewel Box in Anger" are written. "Tu Shih-Niang" specificallyaddresses not only romantic love, but also the love between a father andson, between close friends, self-sacrificing love, and self-serving love.This paper will explore and discuss the five different types of love foundin "Tu Shih-Niang Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger".Romantic Love The story opens by describing the social and political climate ofChina. 156).Conclusion Li Chia claimed that he loved Tu Shih-Niang, and in some way he alsowanted to please his father. .so that when you returned to yourparents they might appreciate my love for you and admit me into the family.. "Tu Shih-Niang Sinks the Jewel Box inAnger." Ching-shih t'ung-yen. 156). W., translator. When Li Chiagoes to Liu Yu-ch'un for help, Liu at first advises his friend to break itoff. For Li Chia,love is comparable to duty towards his father mixed with a dependency andfear of being "stranded far away from home and die[ing] without a burialplace" (p. Here is the first example of romantic love as thewriter introduces Li Chia.
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