Pin Jianghu - The Black and White World in Chinese Classical Novels

Author: Sun Wenjiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: In Chapter 52 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, titled "Zhao Yun's Strategy to Capture Guiyang," Zhao Yun and Zhao Fan, the governor of Guiyang, become sworn brothers due to sharing the same surname, hometown, and birth year. Zhao Fan voluntarily offers to "provide the dowry" and marries his widowed sister-in-law to Zhao Yun, making the two men relatives. Upon hearing this proposal, Zhao Yun becomes furious: "Since I have sworn brotherhood with you, your sister-in-law is also my sister-in-law. How can you do such a thing that disrupts human ethics!"
Zhuge Liang, upon learning of this, says, "This is also a good thing. Why are you so upset?"
Zhao Yun lists four reasons for his opposition: "First, since Zhao Fan has become my sworn brother, marrying his sister-in-law would invite ridicule. Second, remarrying a widow would cause her to lose her great virtue. Third, Zhao Fan has just surrendered, and his intentions are uncertain. Fourth, the lord has recently stabilized the Jianghan region, and his affairs are not yet settled. How dare I let one woman disrupt the lord's great cause?"
This story was likely fabricated by the author to praise Zhao Yun, as it incorporates the increasingly emphasized concept of chastity from the Song Dynasty onwards, portraying remarriage of a widow as a loss of virtue and elevating chastity to the utmost importance.
What Zhao Yun truly values and repeatedly emphasizes is "human ethics," not wanting to embarrass others.
The phrase "How dare I let one woman disrupt the lord's great cause?" still reflects the underlying belief that "a man has no trouble finding a wife," regardless of who the woman is. Look at his tone—it still shows contempt for women, exuding a sense of male superiority.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms has a similar story.
When Qin Shubao, despite being ill, defeated the Sui general Xin Wenli, his army advanced to Hongni Pass. Xin's wife, dressed in armor, fought on the battlefield and injured Cheng Yaojin with her meteor hammer. Wang Boda, the lecherous villain from the Wazhang faction, heard that Xin's wife was coming to fight and became extremely excited, eagerly volunteering to face her. After a few rounds of battle, he captured Xin's wife. When he returned to see Qin Shubao, Wang Boda reported, "Brother, the female general has been brought back by me. May I ask Brother to reward her to me as a wife?" Before Qin Shubao could reply, Cheng Yaojin had already beheaded Xin's wife with a sword and walked into the tent with her head. Wang Boda, seeing this, flew into a rage, drew his sword, and charged straight at Cheng Yaojin, ready to fight to the death.
At this moment, Cheng Yaojin delivered a speech: "Brother Boda, you are a man of great integrity. A true man only worries about not achieving fame, not about not having a wife. This woman is already a widow; Xin Wenli is also an official of the court, a man of some reputation. If you take her wife, wouldn't that tarnish his reputation? I have killed her, first to uphold Xin Wenli's official conduct and second to uphold her chastity. You didn't even think about this before blaming me? How ridiculous! You have even been a military champion and a literary scholar, yet you are not as good as me, a mere woodcutter and laborer?"