User talk:Alexandria29

Homing Crane Lodge By: Li Yu Twelve Towers

Summary:

Chapter 1:

Chapter 1 opens with a short poem in order to foreshadow the main events that will happen throughout the story. Following the introduction, it tells a longer poem about two lovers who only get to see each other once a year. The poem is not directly related to the story but it foreshadows the story because the “Weaving Girl” and “Herd Boy” are later used to describe the main character’s situation. The opening then gives a third foreshadowing effect as it tells the story of a rich man and poor man who share a room at an inn. The room is filled with mosquitos and even though the rich man has a mosquito net and servants fanning all he could think about was his misery caused by the mosquitos disturbing his sleep. The poor man on the other hand, had no net and was being bitten all over. Although he was in a far worse situation than the rich man, the poor man continuously boasted about his happiness and good fortune. When the rich man ask him why he is so happy he responds by comparing himself to people who have endured worse fates. This is how the author begins the discussion on perception and the way one views their situations along with the idea on contentment. The author (Li Yu) then begins the story by introducing the main character, Duan Pu. Duan is a character that expresses a lot of fear in his lifetime from his overwhelming distress of the karma he deserves. He believes that he has lived a life of abundant and burdening blessings. This is to express the importance of the Ying and Yang in Chinese culture for the need of a balanced life. Duan was born as a natural academic prodigy but refuses to take the imperial examinations for fear of wearing out his good fortune. He also does not wish to marry for fear of having a son. He feels that since his parents died while he young that he never got to earn the filial duty that he would be granted when having a son. Duan’s friend Yu Tingyan is then introduced to the reader. He is exceptionally gifted in his academic talents as well but unlike Duan, Yu maintains a high focus on marriage. He believes the marriage is the most important thing in his life however; he is very picky and requires the most beautiful wife. Yu feels that marriage is the basis of life but still finds himself in the same situation as Duan who is not married. This introduction of Yu then connects back to the Mosquito story as it tells the differences in perception these men have about marriage. As Duan was content without marriage he lived a serene life but since Yu was always stressing about marriage he lived a very anxious 6-7 years. The plot begins when the emperor forces all eligible men to take the imperial examinations. The emperor needed all the capable men he could get because the Jin was rising far above the Song dynasty. Both Duan and Yu did not see this as a great thought for they felt that all they needed was to fail the exams in order to keep up their lifestyle. Although they both tried to fail, they ended up ranking within the top scores due to their natural and prominent abilities. Then the story introduces the official name Guan. His daughter, Pearl and niece, Jade (who he raised as if a daughter) were the two most beautiful in the empire and sometimes even considered the most beautiful in the world. Then the author emphasizes that although both are beyond gorgeous that if one had to choose between the two, then Jade would surpass Pearl. The locals of the capital even made up a jingle about the two women when they were chosen to enter to emperor’s palace. But because of the war, the emperor was forced to resign his pleasures and denied the women. Because the two women were now free to marriage, Guan saw the two young scholars as ideal candidates for Jade and Pearl to marry. At first Duan was matched with Pearl because he had scored higher on the exams and therefore Guan wanted his daughter to marry the man who was most likely to succeed. But then when orders came that Yu would be in the capital and Duan would be stationed on the forefront, Guan secretly changed the wedding plans without telling the bride or groom.

Chapter 2:

Guan’s decision to switch the couples ended up being a good match for each couple and they ended up vey happy together. Although Yu had initially wanted the prettiest girl, he soon found that he loved Pearl’s manners and demeanor and therefore fell quickly in love. Duan on the other hand loves his wife but he is not eager to bask in his glories. He felt that he did not deserve the most beautiful woman in the world because even the emperor had found that he could not have her. Luckily, Jade and Duan had a strong sense of communication and she quickly learned to identify with his beliefs. They discuss how if fate has it then they would rather part by death rather than part in life. This is because parting in life would keep the two pinning after each other which would lead them to a very long and miserable life whereas parting in death leaves the other without hope and they can move on with life. They imagine a life where they die together on the forefront of the empire but Duan knows that his fate will never allow such a happy ending. Soon their happiness came to an end when the emperor found out about the girls marriage. He was enraged when he heard that the girls had gotten married. He regretted his decision to let the concubines go and had thought that they would have waited for him. The emperor decided to punish Yu and Duan and therefore assigned them one of the most difficult jobs for the Song Dynasty. Yu was to deliver silver to the Jin and Duan was to deliver silk to the Jin.

Chapter 3:

These are both very dangerous and time consuming jobs because the Jin will often pretend that the goods they receive are not of the amount or quality they deserve and hold the deliverers hostage. However, it is much easier to act like they (the Jin) are being ripped off by silk goods and harder to pretend that the silver is not of good quality. Therefore, Duan is given a much more difficult task than Yu. This was done on purpose by they emperor to punish him for marrying the prettiest girl. Before Duan and Yu leave for their journey, Yu is assured that his father-in-law will pay his ransom cost to the Jin and he will return home quickly. Yu smothers his wife in love and promises her of their upcoming reunion. Duan and Jade are the opposite as they begin to fight just before he leaves. Jade had made Duan enough clothes to last his estimated 10 years of imprisonment. Duan rejects her gifts and claims that he will not need them because they are not parting in life but that he is walking towards a death sentence and they are to part by death. He tells her to keep the clothing so that they can be of use to a new husband. In response she burns the clothing to prove to him that she would never perform such an in noble act. Duan then marks “Homing Crane Lodge” on their bedroom door to symbolize that he will not be returning and leaves with no remorse. Upon arriving to the Jin both Yu and Duan are taken prisoner because their goods are not considered the quality they wanted. Yu was soon able to pay his ransom and left Duan behind unable to pay his dues. Yu swiftly returned back to the capitol where he needed to report his mission back to the emperor before returning home. The emperor was facing a tough decision to ally with the Jin and upon Yu’s arrival he was immediately given another task that dealt with the war. The emperor did this to punish him for his quick return to Pearl and also because he was the only official present when the emperor made his decision. Yu illegally met with Pearl before he left again and gave her a letter from Duan for Jade. The letter to Jade reassured her that her husband felt no remorse or love and so she began to live her own life as an independent and happy woman while Pearl continued to sulk. Yu was not doing much better than Pearl as he began to go grey with sadness and desire. Just as he had finished his second mission he was immediately promoted and had to stay longer in the military. He was about to give up when he suddenly received a letter from Duan that saved his life.

Chapter 4:

Duan’s letter told Yu to petition his position and pretend to fall ill. He told this to Yu because he knew that he would soon rush home to his wife and end up costing his life. Yu then returned to the Jin where Duan was stationed and he was treated at first as a fine official. Duan explained to Yu that his coldness towards his wife was all done in love, which he knows has ended up saving her life. He tells Yu that he knows that his actions have caused her to live a healthy life without constantly waiting for his return. Soon the Jin defeated the Song dynasty and took the emperor and his son prisoner. The emperor confessed his jealousy for the two men and apologized for his actions against them. When Yu and Duan returned home, Pearl had died from grief and his only reunion with her was between her coffin. Jade however had gained weight and was healthy. Duan explained his actions to her and they continued their love for one another.

Analysis:

(Li Yu) focused this story on very common Qing themes such as love (emotions) and revenge. He wrote the book “Twelve Towers” which consist of several short stories including “Homing Crane Lodge”. This story makes an obvious focus on the Ying and Yang concept of Chinese tradition. This story stresses the balance of good and bad in ones life. The ying and yang belief that both bad and good rely heavily on each other. Without one the other could not exist and an excess of one would create an imbalance that would eventually need to even out in ones life. Contrary to popular belief of that time this story disconnects to Confucian beliefs and even demonstrates success in doing so. Ying Mang (Mount Holyoke College) would argue that this story is a detachment from Confucian values and openly disregards the popular beliefs that determine success and a respectable social life. The story resembles a break in loyalty because it portrays the emperor as the antagonist rather than a hero that is worthy of devotion. It is even possible that Li Yu wants to show that the imperial exams do not necessarily determine ones virtues because he was not capable of finishing the imperial exams himself. Some would argue that this story is meant to represent the time period that Li Yu himself was living through because he witnessed the turn of the Ming to the Qing dynasty. Therefore, it is likely that the story banishes Confucian thought in order to put the reader in a more lighthearted state of mind and aid the anxiety of a disrupt government system.

Resources:

Li, Yu, and Patrick Hanan. “Home Crane Lodge.” A Tower for the Summer Heat. New York: Ballantine, 1992. 173-219. Print

Wang, Ying. "New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies 6, 1 (June, 2004): 150-175. “HOMING CRANE LODGE” VERSUS THE STORY OF A PALINDROME: DIFFERENT WAYS OF REDEFINING QING AND EMPLOYING INVERSION." New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies 6.1 (2004): 150-75. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

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12:15, 1 January 2015 (UTC)

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