In the deep courtyard of the Xue Mansion, a seemingly ordinary but hidden crab feast quietly unfolded. This is not just an ordinary party, but a big test of Xue Baochai's status in the social circle of Jiafu. Bao Chai, a clever and dignified aristocratic woman, made what she considered the stupidest mistake at this banquet. A few seemingly harmless crabs turned out to be the key to uncovering her long-hidden secret.
She had thought that this banquet would be the perfect opportunity for her to improve her status in the eyes of Jia's mother, but the reality was a dramatic departure from her expectations. Every arrangement, every smile, and even her every word silently conveys her inner world - a real and complex world hidden behind the illusion of perfection.
Xue Baochai under the mask
Xue Baochai, a woman who is famous in Jiafu, her image is as bright as a pearl in the eyes of everyone - she is extremely intelligent, generous, and dignified. In the eyes of outsiders, she is the pride of heaven and has all the enviable qualities. But in reality, these are just the external images that she carefully maintains, the masks she has carefully carved in the complicated eyes of the world.
Baochai's growth has not been easy. Since she was a child, she was strictly educated by her father, and every step of the way was for one goal - to enter the palace and become a palace maid, just like her cousin Yuan Chun. In those days, a woman's value was often realized by marrying into a wealthy family or entering the royal palace. Bao Chai's father, a shrewd businessman, knew this well, so his education was full of utilitarian colors.
However, Baochai is not blindly accepting. Privately, she has a lot of complaints about this type of education. She believes that girls' learning of Xi piano, chess, calligraphy and painting and other talents is to a large extent an extension of exam-oriented education, and these art forms have been utilitarianized and lost their original meaning. In her view, true education should be about cultivating personal qualities and substances, not just learning superficial skills to please others.
This idea was reflected in a conversation she had with Jia Fuzhong. That day, Baochai chatted with Daiyu and Baoyu, and the topic turned to girls' education.
Daiyu asked, "Sister Bao, what do you think is the use of us learning these qin, chess, calligraphy and paintings?"
Baochai smiled slightly and replied, "These things are just decorations in the eyes of outsiders. ”
Baoyu interjected curiously: "Then what do you think the real Xi should look like?"
Baochai pondered for a moment and said slowly: "The real learning Xi should let our hearts grow, not just superficial skills. ”
Although these words are simple, they express the true thoughts in Baochai's heart. What she longs for is a deeper, inner growth of personality and heart, rather than superficial showmanship. This perception was incompatible with the environment in which she lived, but she did not change her mind because of it.
Baochai's independent thinking is often reflected in her behavior. Although she ostensibly follows the norms of society, in her words and deeds, she can always reveal an advanced thought that is different from the times. She does not want to be bound by the shackles of the world, and longs for true freedom and growth.
However, this thinking is sometimes in stark contrast to her behavior. In social situations in Jiafu, she often needs to play a perfect role, and this role is often contrary to her inner thoughts. She has learned to navigate this complex social arena deftly, maintaining her independence of thought while not offending the powerful.
The influence of the family of origin
Xue Baochai's family background is complex and unique. She was born into a family of businessmen whose core values were profit maximization, and they would do whatever it took to achieve this goal. This family environment has had a profound impact on Baochai's growth, especially in terms of her knowledge, upbringing, and the way she handles things.
Baochai's father, Xue Zhen, was a shrewd businessman whose business spread to all corners of the capital. Since childhood, he has taught Baochai how to survive in this world where interests are paramount.
He often told Baochai: "In this world, only the strong and the winners can survive." You have to learn how to find your footing in this complex society. This kind of education has taught Baochai how to deal with various social situations skillfully from an early age, how to hide her true thoughts, and how to make the most appropriate choices driven by interests.
However, this kind of interest-centered education also made Baochai feel deeply conflicted and struggling. Deep down, she longs for true self-expression and personal growth, but has to face the weight of her family's interests. At a dinner party in Jiafu, this contradiction was inadvertently exposed.
That night, the banquet in Jiafu was full of laughter. Baochai's father was chatting and laughing at the banquet, while Baochai sat quietly on the sidelines, seemingly calm. Suddenly, a distant relative asks Baochai a question about a business transaction. Xue Zhen immediately picked up the topic and began to tell how he skillfully handled the transaction and made a huge profit.
Baochai smiled slightly and replied, "Father's business skills are indeed clever. ”
However, there was a hint of uneasiness in her eyes. Xue Zhen noticed her daughter's strange appearance and asked, "Baochai, what do you think about this?"
Baochai was silent for a moment, and finally said: "Everyone has their own way of survival, I'm just thinking about my path. ”
Her words, though tactful, reveal her questioning of the principle of the primacy of the family's interests. This suspicion is not due to disloyalty to the family, but to the search for personal worth and morality. Baochai's inner world is far more complex than what outsiders see. She is not only a smart and generous aristocratic woman, she is also a wise woman who struggles between tradition and modernity, family interests and personal values.
The mistake of the crab feast
One day, Xue Baochai organized a grand crab banquet in Jiafu. The banquet was supposed to be a showcase of her prominent position in the Jia Mansion, but it was not. Due to Baochai's own merchant family, she did not have a deep understanding of aristocratic social occasions, which directly led to various mistakes in the banquet.
Baochai is full of expectation and enthusiasm for the preparation of the banquet. She carefully selected the fattest crabs of autumn, set up gorgeous tables, and even participated in the design of the dishes herself. However, she overlooked an important point - the elaborate etiquette of aristocratic socialization.
On the day of the banquet, the living room of Jiafu was brightly lit, all kinds of delicacies filled the table, and the aroma of crabs was overflowing. Baochai greeted the guests with a smile on her face, dressed in exquisite clothes. However, with the arrival of the guests, Baochai gradually realized that there was a problem. She noticed that the guests in Jia Mansion were a little uncomfortable with the style of the banquet. They were Xi to more elaborate and elaborate etiquette in aristocratic banquets, while Xue Baoqi's arrangement seemed too direct and simple.
Jia Mu looked at the banquet and said to Baochai with a smile: "Baochai, today's crab is really delicious. ”
Baochai smiled slightly and responded: "Thank you Jia Mu for your appreciation, I just want everyone to taste the taste of hometown." ”
However, Jia Lian interjected on the side: "Sister Bao, although this crab feast is good, it doesn't seem to match the style of our Jia Mansion. ”
After hearing this, although Baochai still maintained a smile on his face, he was a little embarrassed in his heart. She realized that she had been negligent in arranging the banquet, and that her simple style, which came from a merchant family, seemed a little out of place in an aristocratic environment like Jiafu.
In this crab feast, Baochai originally hoped to take this opportunity to improve his status in the eyes of Jia's mother and everyone in Jiafu. However, due to her ignorance of aristocratic social occasions, the banquet did not have the desired effect. Baochai's original intentions were good, and she wanted to gain recognition through her own efforts, but she ignored the traditions and Xi of Jia Province.
This crab banquet also exposed the short-sighted and utilitarian defects of Xue Baochai's merchant family, which made many people in Jiafu look down on her in their hearts.
The contrast between truth and falsehood
In the classic "Dream of Red Mansions", Xue Baochai's image is in stark contrast to other characters, especially with Grandma Liu. Grandma Liu, an old woman from the bottom of the society, although her status is humble, her manners and gifts reveal a kind of simplicity and sincerity. This is in stark contrast to Baochai's behavior.
On a sunny afternoon, Grandma Liu happily came to Jiafu with some vegetables and fruits grown at home. Her arrival didn't cause much of a stir, but her gift did attract everyone's attention. Although these gifts are ordinary, they are planted by her own hands, and they are full of simple local flavor and respect for Jiafu.
In contrast, the crab banquet that Baochai had organized to enhance his status in Jiafu before seemed too calculative and utilitarian. Although the banquet itself was very lavishly arranged, it lacked a sincere and rustic emotion. This contrast makes Baochai's behavior seem a little hypocritical and unnatural.
At a tea party in Jia Province, this contrast was inadvertently displayed. Grandma Liu said humbly at the meeting: "These are all things in my home, although they are simple, but they are all planted by me. ”
Jia Mu replied with a smile: "Grandma Liu, we have received this intention of yours, it's really good." ”
Baochai listened to it from the sidelines, and couldn't help but feel a little uneasy and ashamed. She thought silently: "Maybe I'm really too concerned about the form and the evaluation of the outside world." ”
After this tea party, Baochai began to reflect deeply on his behavior. She realized that in her quest for external recognition and status, she may have neglected the most important thing – sincerity and the expression of her heart. Grandma Liu's simplicity and sincerity touched her a lot, and she began to think about how to maintain her unique personality while also showing her inner sincerity and kindness.
Since then, Baochai's behavior in Jiafu has begun to change slightly. Instead of being overly flamboyant and flamboyant, she began to focus more on inner feelings and true self-expression. She also cares more about the people around her, trying to understand their feelings and needs.
Although this change is small, it has gradually won the respect and love of the people of Jiafuzhong. Baochai's wisdom and talent are still admirable, and her new sincerity and warmth make people feel close and comfortable. Her image gradually changed from a high-ranking aristocratic woman in Jiafu to a real person with rich emotions and deep humanity.
Through the comparison with Grandma Liu, Baochai's growth and changes are more vivid and moving. She went from being a woman who valued her appearance and status to being more focused on her heart and sincerity. This process is not only the embodiment of Baochai's personal growth, but also one of the profound themes conveyed by Dream of Red Mansions as a great literary work - the complexity and beauty of human nature. Through Baochai's story, readers are able to feel the confrontation between sincerity and hypocrisy in human nature, as well as the possibility of personal growth and change.
Dream of Red Mansions