The Ninth Widow

Author: Yan Geling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-14
Features: A real legend story that circulated in the rural areas of Central China during the 1940s-1980s. A chaotic and painful history, a severe test of human nature and ethics. Most people had to undergo multiple transformations just to survive, while the ignorant and naive heroine, Grape, consistently adhered to her simple principles. Her father-in-law, who was wrongly labeled as a ruthless landlord and sentenced to death, was hidden in a sweet potato pit for decades. Grape is a unique artistic creation contributed by Yan Geling to contemporary Chinese literature. Her boundless compassion and all-encompassing kindness transcend all worldly gains and losses. The plot of the novel unfolds from the contrast between Grape, who hides her father-in-law as a child-bride to fulfill her filial duties, and as a widow engaging in intense passion with different men. It depicts the brilliance of human nature and reflects the true power and essence of the rural world. The folk world in the novel is a complete world, and its tendency to harbor impurities is first reflected in the evil cultural psychology prevalent among the people, such as jealousy, indifference, hatred, and madness. However, under the endless of political power, all impurities are filtered and sifted out. The result of this upheaval is that the folk world preserves and amplifies the pure essence it contains. Under the premise of Grape's righteous act to save her father-in-law, the father-in-law, Sun Erda, was originally an innocent person. He was clever, open-minded, full of wisdom about daily life, considered all living things as brothers, and remained indifferent to historical honors and disgraces. During these long years, he and his wife conspired to play a game, jointly challenging the cruelty of history—to see whose life would last longer. As the plot progresses, this game involves the entire village, with everyone seemingly coming together to protect the old man's existence, using the collective strength of the folk world to participate in this great struggle.