Red peony

Author: Lin Yutang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: This book is one of Lin Yutang's eight novels titled "Red Peony." Through the experiences of the female protagonist Peony in her marital and romantic life, the novel portrays the bold pursuit of love by a young woman in the late Qing Dynasty. It meticulously depicts the mysteries of the love world. Although the novel is set in the late Qing Dynasty, the consciousness of its characters is modern. The book actually uses the attire of ancient people to express a female consciousness suitable for modern Western cultural values. The values presented by the author in the book are very close to the standards of Western culture. The philosophical analysis of love is profound and thought-provoking. Therefore, the book has been extremely popular overseas and has been reprinted many times. A Dream of Red Mansions is a grand masterpiece by Mr. Lin Yutang, with numerous characters, a vast setting, and a bold scope, just like a panoramic view of the Yangtze River. Red Peony, on the other hand, features very few characters, with Peony as the sole protagonist, while Liang Mengjia, Ande Nian, Bai Wei, and Susen serve as supporting roles. Thus, over 90% of the book focuses almost entirely on Peony's portrayal. The story begins with Peony's sacrificial rites after her husband's death in an unhappy marriage. Driven by the need for intimacy and the torment of love, she pursues men several times. First, she falls in love with her cousin Liang Mengjia, then becomes emotionally distant from Jin Zhu, whom she knew before marriage. Later, she accompanies her younger sister Susen to Beijing with Liang Mengjia. Disgusted by her cousin's excessive refinement, she secretly falls in love with the martial artist Fu Nantao. Nantao is imprisoned for killing his wife. Upon hearing that Jin Zhu, her first love, is critically ill, Peony has a falling out with Liang Mengjia and returns to Hangzhou. On the ship from Tianjin to Shanghai, she falls in love with a university student and sleeps with him. Upon returning to Hangzhou, her former lover Jin Zhu is already at death's door. Despite Peony's devotion in saving him with high-quality medicine she brought from Beijing, Jin Zhu dies anyway due to the medicine being ineffective. On the day of his funeral, Peony personally goes to Jin's house to mourn and weep over his coffin. Her grief is discovered by Jin Zhu's wife, leading to a chaotic struggle where Peony escapes. News of this spreads throughout the city, and the legend of Red Peony circulates in teahouses and taverns. In her disappointment, Peony meets the Hangzhou poet Ande Nian, who is very much like Wang Zhaojun and Zhong Yu, and falls in love again, nearly eloping to Shanghai. However, Ande Nian suffers the loss of his child, and his wife is devastated. Unable to bear leaving her in such a desperate situation, Ande Nian and Peony abruptly break off their relationship. Heartbroken and shattered, Peony returns to her true self, sheds her worldly vanity, and lives in seclusion in a small town, teaching as her profession. Unbeknownst to her, she is kidnapped by a salt merchant. Liang Mengjia entrusts the Green and Red Gang leader...