Yan Geling · The Ninth Widow

Author: Yan Geling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: A real-life legend that circulated in rural 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 simple heroine, Grape, her simple principles and was mistakenly labeled as a tyrannical landlord's wife, only to be hidden in a sweet potato pit for decades. Wang Grape is a unique artistic creation that Yan Geling has contributed to contemporary Chinese literature. Her unconditional kindness and boundless tolerance transcend all worldly conflicts of interest. The novel's plot unfolds from the contrast between Grape, as a child-bride protecting her father-in-law to fulfill his filial duties, and as a widow indulging in intense desires with different men. It portrays the brilliance of human nature and reflects the true power and essence of the folk world. The folk world in the novel is a complete world, and its tendency to harbor impurities is first reflected in the pervasive evil cultural psychology among the people, such as jealousy, indifference, hatred, and madness. However, under the endless turmoil of political power, all impurities are filtered and sifted out. The result of the folk world's upheaval is that it preserves and highlights the pure essence it contains. Under the premise of Grape saving her father-in-law, Sun Erda, the father-in-law, was originally an innocent person. He was clever, open-minded, full of wisdom about daily life, regarded all things in nature as siblings, and remained indifferent to historical glory and disgrace. 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, the game involves the entire village's residents, as they seem to come together to protect the old man's existence, using the collective strength of the folk world to participate in this great competition.