"Dream of Red Mansions", a classic masterpiece, is still talked about by countless readers after hundreds of years. Especially the emotional entanglements in the book are even more tiresome. Especially the love story of Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu can be said to be a swan song for the ages, which has moved countless people. However, if I tell you about the love between Baoyu and Daiyu, it is actually just an empty joy.
Dream of Red Mansions is not just a literary work, it is more like a mirror, reflecting the complexity and changeability of human nature. Especially the protagonist Jia Baoyu, his love life is staggeringly rich. Everyone knows that the relationship between Baoyu and Daiyu is a highlight of the whole novel, and the relationship between the two is pure and noble, as if it was a match made in heaven. Baoyu's emotional world is far more than that, there are many women around him, each of which has a deep or shallow intersection.
Let's look at the relationship between Baoyu and Daiyu. Daiyu, a frail and sickly beautiful girl, was deeply attracted by her intelligence and talent. Baoyu's care and care for her is undoubtedly sincere. They played together, recited poems together, and enjoyed the fun of being a teenager. Baoyu even braved the heavy rain to visit Daiyu when she was seriously ill, regardless of the stormy night, which was undoubtedly touching.
Baoyu's emotions are not locked on Daiyu alone. In "Dream of Red Mansions", Baoyu has varying degrees of emotional entanglement with many women. For example, although his marriage to Baochai was the order of his parents, Baoyu's care and consideration for Baochai is also obvious to all. Baochai is sensible, gentle, and has a more mature acceptance and understanding of Baoyu's fraternity.
In addition, Baoyu has also had many in-depth interactions with other women. For example, the skin-to-skin kiss between him and the attacker more than once, as well as his ambiguous attitude towards other maids, all show his amorous side. Baoyu's affection is not out of true love, but more out of an appreciation and desire for beautiful things. He loves being surrounded by girls and the feeling of being needed.
In fact, Baoyu's attitude towards feelings is, to a large extent, a manifestation of self-centeredness and a lack of responsibility. He has a crush on every girl and is willing to give comfort and attention to every girl, but he doesn't really understand what single-minded love is. In his world, love is open, inclusive, and unlimited. His emotional world is vast and complex, and it seems that every girl who enters his life can find a place in his heart.
But is such amorous really love? Perhaps in Baoyu's view, every one of his feelings is sincere and worth cherishing. From the outside world's point of view, such an attitude shows that he is not serious enough about his feelings, and even a little cynical. This amorous nature of Baoyu is easily reminiscent of the image of the merry and talented men of the ancient literati, who are usually emotional, but often cannot give a woman complete love.
Baoyu's emotional attitude, to a certain extent, also reflects the social status and cultural background of men in that era. In feudal societies, men often had more rights to choose and determine their own emotional lives, while women were often in a passive and subordinate position. Although Baoyu seems to be more free emotionally, this freedom may be a kind of helplessness and sadness for the women around him.
And for Lin Daiyu's affection, it is undoubtedly a harm. Daiyu loves Baoyu deeply, and her love is single-minded and deep. She is very emotionally invested in Baoyu, and every time Baoyu cares about her, she can feel extremely happy. When she discovers that Baoyu's heart does not belong to her alone, the feeling of betrayal undoubtedly deepens her condition and even affects her life.
Daiyu's feelings reveal the other side of Baoyu's emotional world - his affection is not only a display of personality, but also a sense of powerlessness that cannot give real commitment. He can give a little care to everyone, but he can't give all the love to anyone. This emotional attitude eventually led him into deep pain and struggle.
Baoyu's emotional world is complex and contradictory. He longs for love and fears bondage; He wants to care, but he can't take responsibility. This contradiction eventually led to the tragic ending between him and Daiyu, and also made his other emotional lines confusing. This amorous nature of Baoyu is both part of his personality and part of his destiny.