Shanghai beauty

Author: Kong Mingzhu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Read the love story of the famous poet and talent Xu Zhimo in the 1930s. From the women Lin Huiyin and Lu Xiaoman in his life, one can see the differences between a refined lady and a small-town beauty in their views on marriage and love. Refined ladies, due to strict upbringing and high self-esteem, generally do not take the initiative to express affection. They convey their feelings in a poetic and reserved manner, with passion simmering beneath the surface. In contrast, small-town beauties are less bound by social status and are more practical in their interactions, often using playful tantrums to captivate men, making them dizzy with infatuation. As a result, refined ladies obtain what is "Platonic" love, while small-town beauties enjoy worldly love.
After the liberation, girls from once noble families, who were destined to be refined ladies at birth, suddenly lost their support. The collectivization movement ruthlessly erased all traces of the old society. Economic incomes were largely standardized, especially after several political campaigns, when the wealthy learned to survive with humility. Women's fashion also became revolutionary. The slogan of women's liberation, "We all have two hands, we cannot stay at home doing nothing," encouraged refined ladies to leave their homes for work. Their background left only faint traces on them.
In memory, during the time when intellectuals' children were sent to the countryside, they were highly active, afraid of falling behind in the transformation of their worldview. Children of workers and peasants were indifferent to their fate. Only the daughters of wealthy families knew the hardships of life in the countryside and the terror of manual labor. Generally, they stayed hidden under their mothers' protection, allowing others to drum at their doors without raising a fuss.
Xiao Bai's older sister was like this. Her maternal grandfather was a famous doctor in Shanghai, her father was the chief surgeon at a hospital, and her mother worked at a local clinic giving injections. She was polite and dignified to others, often hiding her daughter at home under the excuse of illness. Xiao Bai's sister was average-looking, with a pale face dotted with freckles, a slender wrist finer than most young girls', and eyes set high on her forehead. She never made eye contact and walked as lightly as smoke. She refused to go to the countryside for the revolution and spent her days reading foreign novels, relaxing by growing a few pots of roses and peonies. Later, out of boredom, she taught herself tailoring. Wearing a black-and-white swallow-collared dress, she looked elegant and proper. Other girls wanted to learn from her, but Xiao Bai's sister blocked them at the stairs, refusing to admit she knew how to tailor.
Xiao Bai's sister did not go to play in the lane and studied Japanese with an elderly professor. When the college entrance exams were restored, she was admitted to "SISU" (Shanghai International Studies University) and later worked for a foreign company. Eventually, she settled in Japan.
There was also a middle-aged woman in the lane known as the "Old Monster." It was said she came from a wealthy family, but she did not have the demeanor of a refined lady. She wore makeup, high-heeled shoes, and clothes that clung tightly to her body. Every evening, she left with a small, shiny pearl bag, swaying her hips as if attracting attention. The "Old Monster" often boasted about her hidden treasures, steady income, and overseas remittances. However, whenever she turned away, the mothers and grandmothers would whisper behind her back.
Therefore, any woman associated with the term "refined lady" must be discreet in her actions. Regardless of the era or environment, there are always women who do not follow the crowd. They are women with inner strength, and they are the ones who truly connect with others.