In ancient Chinese literature, "Dream of the Red Chamber" is the first to stand, not only because of its rich group portraits of characters and intricate emotional entanglements, but also because it profoundly reveals the various contradictions of feudal society. Today we focus on two very representative female characters: Lin Daiyu and Shi Xiangyun. These two women not only played an important role in Jia Baoyu's life, but also reflected the profound influence of society on the fate of women at that time. In this male-centric society, how their origins and fates are woven into a story of joys and sorrows is at the heart of this article.
The spring breeze is ten miles, not as good as you. This sentence seems to be born for only two people in the garden of Jiafu. Lin Daiyu and Shi Xiangyun, just like this spring breeze, have their own merits, but they have many fates.
Lin Daiyu, from a scholarly family, her family was once prosperous, and the princes were hereditary. Her great-grandfather, Lin Ruhai, was a well-known Tanhualang, and later became a salt patrol. With the change of the times, the glory of the Lin family is no longer there, and by Lin Daiyu's father's generation, there is no way to inherit the title, and can only rely on cultural accumulation and court status to maintain the dignity of the family.
Shi Xiangyun's family background is also prominent, his ancestor is Baoling Hou, a generation of famous generals. But in her father's generation, due to his untimely death, the title was never passed on, and the glory of the family gradually dimmed. Because of the relationship between his mother and Jia's mother, Shi Xiangyun still enjoys a certain status in Jia's mansion, and can occasionally show his style.
During a spring flower viewing, the fates of the two girls are intertwined. Lin Daiyu stroked the keys and sang in a low voice, while Shi Xiangyun held the red plum in his hand, smiling like a flower. Their dialogue reveals their own sorrow and helplessness.
"Sister, your piano always has a little sadness, do you miss your old friend?" Shi Xiangyun lightly opened his red lips, and there was no lack of concern in his tone.
Lin Daiyu smiled slightly, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes: "Yes, whenever I play the violin, I recall my father's teachings and the family glory that is gone." Now, although there is no title to inherit, Qin Se is in the palace, and he can still show a little heart. ”
After Shi Xiangyun heard this, there were also layers of ripples in his expression: "Although my family has the name of Baolinghou, but my father died early, I listened more to my mother to tell about the glory of the past. Now, Houmen is like a mirage, and it is all passing clouds. ”
The two looked at each other and smiled, both full of emotion. In this era of respect for men, their fate seems to have long been destined to drift away with the wind, like flowers falling in this court.
The years go by, the spring and autumn of Jiafu alternate, and the story of Lin Daiyu and Shi Xiangyun is also interpreted in Jia Baoyu's life. Jia Baoyu, this gentleman, has had an indissoluble bond with Daiyu and Xiangyun since he was a child. In the days of Rongguo Mansion, the three of them laughed, cried, quiet, or moved, weaving scenes of youthful dreams together.
Lin Daiyu's health has always been bad, but her mind is extremely sensitive and delicate. In her eyes, every grass and tree in the world has its sorrows. And Shi Xiangyun has a cheerful personality and bold behavior, she faces the misfortunes of life more with a smile. The two completely different personalities make them have their own strengths and weaknesses in Jia Baoyu's heart.
One day, a poetry meeting was held in Fuzhong, and Shi Xiangyun chanted loudly: "The spring water is just born, the spring forest is in full bloom, and the spring breeze is not as good as you." Lin Daiyu responded in a low voice: "The falling flowers are independent, and the swifts are flying." In the poetic life, it is not difficult to see the emotional world of the two: one is outward, the other is inward, but both have an infinite vision for the future.
The cruelty of fate is always unexpected. Lin Daiyu's frailty and illness finally limited her life to a short time, and although Shi Xiangyun had stronger vitality, she could not escape the fate of the family's decline. In the end, the two beauties could not escape the shackles of feudal society on women, and their beautiful youth and talent finally turned into a sigh.
Time flies, the prosperity of Rongguo Mansion has come to an end, Lin Daiyu died early, and Shi Xiangyun gradually faded out of people's sight with the rise and fall of the family. In Jia Baoyu's memory, these two former confidantes are like the flowers blooming and falling in spring in Nafu, gorgeous and short-lived. Their story, in the end, can only find that trace of eternity in Jia Baoyu's dream.
"Dream of Red Mansions" is not only a novel about love, it also reflects the tragedy of women in that era more profoundly. The story of Lin Daiyu and Shi Xiangyun is the epitome of countless boudoir women. They are talented and emotional, but because of the restrictions of society and the rise and fall of their families, they cannot control their own destiny. In this male-centered world, their joys and sorrows are not only personal helplessness, but also the shortcomings of the entire era. Through their stories, we can deeply feel that the light of every life should not be easily ignored. Looking back at the past, we should think about how to give each individual more dignity and the right to choose in modern society.