On the Image of Liu Lanzhi in Peacock Flying Southeast
Abstract: Liu Lanzhi, the heroine of Peacock Flying Southeast, is a woman with traditional virtues. She not only has incomparable external beauty, but also impeccable internal beauty. In addition to the traditional virtues that women in feudal society must have, modern female consciousness such as self-esteem, self-improvement, sobriety and perseverance shines on her ... These have not brought her benefits, but accelerated her tragic fate. Her personality charm touched Jiao Mu and Jiao Zhongqing's patriarchal ideology, so she was not allowed by her mother-in-law and was sent home on the pretext of "acting alone". Finally, Liu Lanzhi defended his dignity as a human being with his death.
Keywords: Liu Lanzhi; Traditional heritage; Modern consciousness; woman
Peacock Flying Southeast was first seen in Yutai New Poetry, which was named Jiao Zhongqing's wife's ancient poems. The preface to the poem says, "Liu, the wife of the petty official of Lujiang House, was sent by Zhong Qing's mother and vowed not to marry. His family forced him to die without water. When Zhong Qing heard about it, he hanged himself in the courtyard tree. When a person is injured, it is poetry. "
Peacock Flying Southeast is the earliest preserved long narrative poem in ancient China, and it is also one of the representative works of ancient Yuefu folk songs. It is also called "Yuefu Shuang Bao" with Mulan Ci in the Northern Dynasties.
In the long feudal society of China, the misfortune of women's fate is self-evident. When it comes to women, China people and China culture show their versatility, but women have not received a clear and consistent evaluation. In the orthodox feudal culture, women are a vulnerable group that is strictly restricted. As far as time is concerned, women are dominated by men all their lives because of the rules of "obeying their father at home, marrying their husbands and obeying their husbands when they die". As far as space is concerned, "don't look back, don't show your teeth, don't move your knees, don't shake your skirt, don't laugh ... don't peep at the outer wall, don't leave the palace, peep will hide your face and hide your shape when you leave" [1], which makes women almost isolated from the outside world. Of course, the more important restriction is the imprisonment of women in thought and behavior. Therefore, the imprisonment of feudal ethics, attached to the humble position of men, made women lose their independence and dignity, and suffered far more than men. In fact, as Lin Yutang said, "For China people, women are women who don't know how to enjoy themselves".
According to traditional research, Peacock Flying Southeast "exposes and attacks the evils of feudal system and feudal ethics through the love tragedy of Jiao Zhongqing and Liu Lanzhi" [2]. Although this statement is not unreasonable, it always feels that it is not comprehensive and profound. Walking into Peacock Flying Southeast, the image of Liu Lanzhi always appears in front of us, lingering and ready to come. From the aesthetic point of view, Peacock Flying Southeast is a field full of beautiful charm and a world full of beautiful things. Among them, the image of Liu Lanzhi is a bright pearl in the image gallery of China classical literature. Her tragic ending enhances the infinite charm of her image beauty and makes this image have unparalleled aesthetic value.
First of all, Liu Lanzhi is rich in traditional beauty.
(1) The image beauty of natural beauty. When it comes to the beauty of human image, people often think that only the west attaches importance to and appreciates it. For example, the Trojan War in Homer's epic was triggered by the struggle for the peerless beauty Helen. Similarly, in the history of China, people attached great importance to their own aesthetic value. Liu Lanzhi in Peacock Flying Southeast is an example. First of all, Liu Lanzhi will be abandoned by her mother-in-law, and she will return to her mother's home in the morning. The positive description says, "My feet are crawling, and my head is shining. If the waist is flowing, you will smell the bright moon. Refers to the root of onion, with dani in its mouth. The steps are fine and exquisite. " In the complex mood of farewell, Lan Zhi is still radiant, so it can be said that its beauty is unparalleled, comparable to Helen's beauty.
At the same time, the author also uses the common brushwork of China's classical poetry-side contrast, which can also be seen as unique. Just after "returning to China for more than ten days", the county magistrate sent a matchmaker, rejected the three sons of the county magistrate who were "gentle" and "eloquent", and sent the satrap to "match the bridge". It can be seen that Lan Zhi's beauty has spread all over the village, and her reputation has spread far and wide, and she has won the admiration of talented people from all directions. But such a beautiful woman is from Jiao Mu. The more beautifully the author portrays the image of Liu Lanzhi, the more readers can feel the meaning of tragedy.
(2) Diligence and kindness. Diligence and kindness are the traditional virtues of working women in ancient China, and Liu Lanzhi is no exception. In some people's eyes, "husbands run family planning, but women can't make money" [3], so women must engage in labor, such as "painting phoenix and stabbing phoenix", "embroidering pillows" and knitting clothes. In Peacock Flying to the Southeast, the author wrote that Lan Zhi's "cock crows into the weaving, and it doesn't stop at night" can be described as greedy and diligent. She also wrote that she "broke five horses in three days" and strongly emphasized that she could weave. Besides, Lan Zhi's account of packing things in his room before leaving can prove that he is steady and meticulous in his daily management. These all highlight her diligence and kindness, and the sentences of "breaking five horses in three days" and "day and night" can better reflect her diligence and ability.
(3) the spiritual beauty of knowing the book. Liu Lanzhi portrayed by the author is a perfect woman in a feudal society. She is "thirteen weavers, fourteen tailors, fifteen pianists and sixteen poets", and she is versatile and cultivated. Zhong Qing's "No Deviation in Women's Travel" further shows that Lan Zhi's dismissal is completely a mother's unreasonable disgust and picky. Even so, when Lan Zhi said goodbye, she still said, "She was driven by her mother's money and silk. Go home today, miss your mother and work at home. " Be polite and behave appropriately. When she said goodbye to her sister-in-law, she told her to "support and help her husband", which showed that she was actually very filial to her mother-in-law, even though her mother-in-law was so fickle to her. Then she said to her sister-in-law, "Don't forget each other when you play on the seventh day and the ninth day", which shows that her relationship with her sister-in-law is very harmonious. We know that the relationship between aunt and sister-in-law is difficult, but Lan Zhi's feelings for her sister-in-law can be seen from her "at home" moral character: "tears are falling from her sister-in-law", "starting to help her get out of bed", "as good as me" and telling her to "be diligent in serving my husband and helping" and "don't forget when playing on the seventh day and the next day".
(4) the beauty of affectionate style. Women are persistent in love. "A woman values love more than her life" (Madame Curie). As Hegel said: "Love is especially beautiful for women, because women focus all their spiritual life and real life on love and carry it forward. Only in love can she find the support of life; If she encounters misfortune in love, she will be blown out by the wind like a flame. " [4] The second volume Liu Lanzhi is not the same? Liu Jiao's love affairs and vows are written in poems with affectionate language. Lan Zhi's loyalty to love can be seen from the following aspects: "The monarch is a rock, and my concubine is Pu Wei", "The official will never leave Ding Ning" and "Meeting in the grave means double suicide". She has deep feelings and strong love for Jiao Zhongqing, which fully embodies the unique virtues of women in China.
Second, a smart woman with modern brilliance.
(1) Intelligent and unyielding personality beauty. Mr. Lu Xun once said: "The bravery of women in China has been suppressed for thousands of years, but it has not died out." [6] Life is worse than death, which is the unique resilience of women in China. Peacock Flying Southeast describes Lan Zhi's beauty, intelligence, diligence, courtesy, kindness and meekness with exaggerated brushstrokes. But behind kindness and meekness is a rebellious character and rational understanding that cannot be concealed.
First of all, the scene of "It's hard to complain" not only tells us the virtue of Lan Zhi, but also shows us Lan Zhi's sober attitude in understanding problems: "A gentleman is harmonious but different, and a villain can't succeed. I can't bear to be driven away, but there's nothing I can do. You can say goodbye to the public and send them back in time. " Zhong Qing's conversation with her mother proved that Lan Zhi's judgment was accurate. The reason, as Lan Zhi expected, is by no means a "knitting" problem, but "this woman has no manners and makes her own decisions. I have been angry for a long time. How can you be free! " It was Lan Zhi's "independence" that stung Jiao Mu, the feudal family overlord, and it was inevitable to be driven away. Clever Lan Zhi, through the temptation of Zhong Qing, confirmed his analysis and judgment. Zhong Qing failed to ask for relatives, but she still had illusions: "Your mother will return to China for the time being, and I will report to the government today. When it was returned soon, it got married. " Lan Zhi told Zhong Qing calmly: "Don't be too complicated, people are too cheap, and future generations are not welcome. Leave it to the legacy, there is no reason today. Always for comfort, I won't forget it for a long time. " This is a profound and incisive rational understanding, and the development of things is just as Lan Zhi said.
Secondly, from the description of "heavy makeup", we can not only get a glimpse of Lan Zhi's stunning face, but also let readers feel Lan Zhi's suffocating stubbornness and self-esteem. Please see "Embroider a skirt with me, everything is four or five: I stand on tiptoe and my head is shiny." If the waist is flowing, you will smell the bright moon. Refers to the root of onion, with dani in its mouth. The steps are meticulous and exquisite. "These jewels are not exquisite, these clothes are not exquisite, and the repeated decoration is not meticulous, so the scene is not wonderful. At this time, Liu Lanzhi, including his resentment towards his mother, was deeply attached to Jiao Zhongqing and full of worries about the future. Really full of thoughts. Lan Zhi is considered to be careless about clothes and appearance, but she dresses up from head to toe. She married Jiao's family beautifully and left Jiao's family beautifully to show her innocence. She must walk decently and never look sad with a snot and tears in front of her mother-in-law. For the sake of human dignity, she dresses so carefully, as if a hero is going to the execution ground, and she should dress neatly and hold her head high. Her heart was bleeding, but there were no tears in her eyes. Her chest was on fire and her face was expressionless. What a stubborn and loyal character and integrity.
(B) a strong sense of women's freedom. In feudal society, women's marriage was established entirely in accordance with men's thoughts and interests, without considering love and freedom as women at all. Patriarchal marriage system is a pre-existing contract for women, which stipulates that women unconditionally obey men. This is a custom and law formed in advance when a woman is unmarried. In the patriarchal marriage contract, women are forced to sign a contract with this patriarchal marriage contract as soon as they get married. Under the provisions of the male-dominated contract, countless women have ruined their lives and freedom of love, and even women themselves are designed according to the needs of men.
"Peacock Flying Southeast" tells the story that when she was taken home, Liu's mother was terrified and questioned, which was quite telling: "My mother clapped her hands and said,' Thirteen teaches you to knit a sweater, fourteen teaches you to cut clothes, fifteen teaches you to play, sixteen teaches you to be polite, and seventeen gives you a wedding, which means she keeps her word. "What crime did you commit today? You are not welcome to go home." "The horror of Liu's mother is that she shaped her daughter according to the norms of feudal ethics, and the purpose of doing so is to meet the requirements of men. Because of her husband's divorce, her daughter can't meet the requirements of men; Liu's horror also lies in that her daughter can't meet the requirements of men and doesn't conform to social norms, which is a great deviance and therefore a shame. It can be seen that the Liu family asked to learn to weave, cut, fight and recite poetry books, not to make a woman with richer thoughts, spirit and personality, but to shape a woman who is more in line with men's needs. Only in this way can women find a better family. It is an ideal female image created by the Liu family according to the female norms in a patriarchal society.
However, Liu Lanzhi has a unique understanding that is different from male norms. She thinks that she "has thirteen skills in weaving, fourteen skills in tailoring, fifteen skills in playing the piano, sixteen skills in reciting poems and seventeen skills in being a gentleman's wife". She is such a woman who knows art, is proficient in poetry, is talented and has feelings. She should have her own ideal love and be loved by her husband. In Liu Lanzhi's view of marriage, there are women's freedom consciousness and love pursuit. She thinks that she has signed a contract of free love for women with almost the same status as men, so she wants to get rid of the shackles of feudal ethics, get the freedom of human nature, get the freedom of love for women as male vassals, and get the freedom of life for women as in-laws tools. As a result, she will be dissatisfied with "being a husband's wife at the age of 17 is always bitter and sad in her heart", complaining that "my room is empty and it is often rare to meet each other", lamenting that "the husband and wife are in trouble" and indignant that "I can't catch up, but I can stay in vain and send it back in time". Of course, Liu Lanzhi doesn't really want to leave Jiao Zhongqing, not to break this marriage contract, but to maintain her love contract as a woman in this special way. Because this married life is far from her imaginary love, and her pursuit stems from the contract she signed as a woman with her love ideal when she was in The Seeds of Love. This love contract, which precedes the marriage contract, inevitably conflicts with the patriarchal marriage contract: the female freedom consciousness makes her focus on the bondage, restriction and control imposed on her, which makes her resentful and yearns for a free love life.
(3) The tragic beauty of death. Lan Zhi was taken home, although she made various efforts for the "special alliance" with Jiao Zhongqing, and refused the employment of county magistrate and magistrate. However, in the end, she was forced to break the contract under heavy pressure. But that was the result of compulsion, and Liu Lanzhi was unable to confront this ubiquitous paternalism. Therefore, the responsibility for breach of contract lies in the patriarchal ideology, not in Liu Lanzhi. Jiao Zhongqing, as the other party, did not take positive actions to fulfill this contract. It was only after learning that Liu Lanzhi had breached the contract that he hurried to see Liu Lanzhi. He clearly knows that he has never made any efforts to keep his promise, but he still wants to ridicule, mock and humiliate Liu Lanzhi: "He Qing has to move higher and the rock is thick, and he can die for a thousand years; Puwei sewed for a while, and it was all night. " And further ridiculed that "the Qing dynasty wins your day."
On the surface, Liu Lanzhi broke his promise, but in fact, Jiao Zhongqing was the actual breach of the contract. This is because Jiao Zhongqing failed to fulfill his promise, and she could not marry Lan Zhi, which led to Lan Zhi being forced to remarry. Jiao Zhongqing did not reflect on his own breach of contract, but instead laughed at Lan Zhi and pushed the responsibility for breach of contract to Lan Zhi. When Lan Zhi remarried, Jiao Zhongqing angrily put forward "I want to die alone" in front of Lan Zhi. In fact, he didn't really want to die, but condemned and pressured Lan Zhi. This is an angry word after humiliating Lan Zhi, a threatening word that Lan Zhi's remarriage cannot change, and also expresses his extreme disappointment and sadness. Therefore, although Jiao Zhongqing is a party to the Yellow Covenant, Jiao Zhongqing's performance is passive, slow and reluctant. After he learned that Lan Zhi kept his promise, he was "deeply separated", "wandering under the palace tree" and "hanged himself in the southeast branch". After Lan Zhi kept his promise, he kept his promise, because he couldn't change the contract and had to practice it. This yellow contract brought him a symbol of fear that "the cold today, the cold wind destroyed trees, and first frost broke the court", but he couldn't break the contract he entered into, so he sighed "empty house" and "turned his head to look at the house, gradually worried and forced", and finally he could only helplessly fulfill the contract he entered into.
As a matter of fact, Liu Lanzhi was the one who made a death pact. Because although she has been sent home, there is still a glimmer of hope in her despair: she is eager for her husband to fulfill his oath and his contract-to really remarry her, and Jiao Zhongqing is the last glimmer of hope in her despair. But now, the only person in the world who can help and understand her is even worse when she is physically and mentally exhausted. Instead of giving her the slightest comfort, she only gave her severe sarcasm, ridicule and humiliation. This patriarchal society has not left any living space for women with female consciousness like Lan Zhi. So she confessed indignantly and bitterly: "What do you mean by saying this! Both of them have been persecuted, and so has your concubine. Then they resolutely signed this contract of life and death: "Meeting in the grave is not against today's words. "Lan Zhi's signing was so decisive and her performance was decisive." Today my life is unique, and my soul will die forever! Take off the skirt and silk shoes and lift yourself to the pool. "
Liu Lanzhi's covenant and performance is to prove her personality, but it also profoundly contains the woman's disappointment with Jiao Zhongqing, the man, the love and the patriarchal society. Therefore, Liu Lanzhi's death was not for double suicide. If it is for the sake of double suicide, she should choose this road after being expelled. If it was for double suicide, she should have thought of death after being forced to remarry. After being humiliated and laughed at by her husband, Liu Lanzhi died of anger on her wedding night. Liu Lanzhi will use death to prove her innocence, her value, her dignity and her personality: she is not the kind of woman who is greedy for money and fickle, not the kind of woman who breaks her word, so her death is so decisive and shocking, showing a kind of holiness, purity, fortitude and bloodiness.
Liu Lanzhi is a great woman, who shows women's desire for pure love, freedom and dignity, as well as their desire for a better life in a patriarchal society. Her destruction contains profound cultural connotation, and the core of this cultural connotation is the problem of women and marriage under male domination. Liu Lanzhi is a tragedy, but it is not the only one.