Because of Grandma Liu's words, Jia Mu gave Xi Chun an order to paint the Grand View Garden. When everyone gathered in Daoxiang Village to discuss painting, Tanchun smiled and said, "Don't blame the old lady, it's all that Liu Grandma said." Lin Daiyu smiled busily, "But what, it's all her words, which kind of grandmother is she?" Just call her a 'mother locust'. ”
Lin Daiyu's sentence has made some readers have an opinion of her in their hearts, thinking that she looks down on poor people. In fact, this matter can not blame Lin Daiyu, after all, we are from the "God's point of view" to view Liu Grandma, knowing that this old lady who bows down in front of the people of Jia Fu will do the "grace of dripping water, gushing springs to repay" in the future, which is the most respectable role.
In Lin Daiyu's eyes, at that time, Grandma Liu was just trying her best to sell ugliness and curry favor with the people of Jia Province, in order to exchange a little benefit for herself. She has prejudice against Grandma Liu at this time, which is actually the common sentiment of people.
However, it is worth pondering whether Grandma Liu is "the grandmother of which discipline"? Why did the author give her such a title? Why do the people of Jia Province, regardless of their dignity or inferiority, continue to use this title? In fact, after understanding this, we found that the author Cao Xueqin's intentions were not ordinary, and his mind was too wonderful!
Grandma, the most common meaning in Chinese, is the mother's mother. Corresponding to the "Dream of the Red Chamber", Grandma Liu is indeed Ban'er's grandmother. But in terms of generations, Grandma Liu was not the grandmother of anyone in Jia Province.
The father of Liu's son-in-law Wang Dog'er was Wang Cheng, and Wang Cheng's father had been a Beijing official in the past, because he coveted the power of the Jinling royal family, and recognized Lady Wang's father as an uncle. Therefore, Wang Cheng's father and Lady Wang are a generation, Wang Cheng and Wang Xifeng are a generation, Wang Dog'er and Sister Qiao are a generation, and Ban'er is a generation lower than Sister Qiao. Therefore, Grandma Liu and Wang Xifeng are actually of the same generation, and the other young masters in Jia Fuzhong can also be said to be the same generation.
Even the youngest sister Qiao should not call Grandma Liu "Grandma". Therefore, the title of "Liu Grandma" actually has another deep meaning in "Dream of the Red Chamber".
The word grandma, which also has another meaning in Chinese, is often extended to the honorific title of an elderly woman of high moral standing. This is the real intention of Cao Xueqin to give Liu Grandma the title. In the "Guangyun Old Rhyme", it is written, "Grandma, the female teacher is also." ”
In the entire "Dream of the Red Chamber", no one is more worthy of such an honorific title than Grandma Liu. Jia Mu was honored all her life and was the ancestor of the jia family, but she also had her own extremely selfish side, even if she sometimes did some good deeds, it was only to seek blessings for herself or her juniors.
And Grandma Liu, although she was born in a humble background and although her status was lowly, her body flashed the greatest brilliance of human nature. Because of his family's difficult situation, he had to go to Jia Fu for help, and after receiving Wang Xifeng's condescending handouts, he was busy carrying two bags of stubble melons and fruits in the field to the people of Jia Province. She knew that for the people of Jia Province, this bit of melon dish was nothing, but for the first time, she presented the character of Liu Grandma's Zhi'en Tu newspaper to the readers.
Grandma Liu entered the Jia Mansion twice, but she received a gift of more than a hundred miles of silver, but how much did she have to spend when she saved Sister Qiao'er? This question was not in the scope of Grandma Liu's consideration at all, she just decided to repay the favor at all costs. The thing that Grandma Liu did was much more noble than talking and laughing with Wang Xifeng every day, but ignoring Sister Qiao's mother and son who had been betrayed; and Wang Ren, who sold her niece, was in a huge contrast with Grandma Liu.
Therefore, Cao Xueqin gave the title of "grandmother" to this poor old man, and her real intention is to tell the reader that she is the most respectable person in "Dream of the Red Chamber", not only "female teacher", but also the teacher of everyone in the world.
Which kind of grandmother is Grandma Liu? Cao Xueqin asked Lin Daiyu to throw this question in order to lead our thinking.