First of all, the "treasure chest" is a clue connecting the story. In the novel, the "Hundred Treasure Chest" appears four times, constituting four stages in the development of the storyline:
The first time: when Li A was running around borrowing money to raise the three hundred taels of silver that he had redeemed from the pimp, but there was no place to go, Du Shuniang took out her "private savings" (said to be from the pimps), which was the "private savings" of the pimps. (which she said was borrowed from her sister but was actually taken out from her "treasure chest") 150 taels for "half of it" (in addition to 20 taels for "traveling expenses"), which finally touched Du Shuniang's heart. (In addition, there are twenty taels as "traveling money"), finally moved Liu Yuchun to borrow the other half, so that Li Jia can successfully redeem Du Shuniang. This is the first stage of plot development.
The second time: when Du Shuniang and Li Jia said goodbye to Liu Yuchun and all the sisters and prepared to go on the road, Xie Yuelang "ordered a man to bring a gold-drawn stationery to the front, the blockade is very solid, I do not know what is in it. Shuniang also not open to see, also do not excuse, but attentive to thank only." This "gold stationery" is the "treasure box", with this "treasure box", the couple floating between Wu and Yue landscape fees will not worry. This is the second stage of plot development.
The third time: when Li A used up the 20 taels of silver, for the lack of travel funds "just worry", Du Shiniang again to take the key to open the box, out of the 50 taels of silver as travel funds. This time, although the "treasure box" was opened in person, but Li Jia "in the side of shame, but also do not dare to look at the box of reality," resulting in the "treasure box" once again fell into the five fog. This is the third stage of plot development.
The fourth time: when Li Jia was instigated by Sun Fu, Du Shuniang betrayal, Shuniang grief and indignation, take the key to open the lock, the box of treasures one by one thrown into the river, and finally, he also "holding the treasure box, to the center of the river, a jump," the end of the young life. This time "treasure box" only let Li A, Sun Fu and bystanders have a clear view, so that Li A "and shy and bitter, and regret and weeping", but it is too late to repent. This is the fourth stage in the development of the plot, but also the climax and the end of the story.
In the whole storyline development process, as a link between the story clues "treasure chest" is like a thousand feet of silk, have haunting flowers sticky grass of the wonderful; just like a dragonfly pointing at the water, as if away; and like the dragon of WanYuanYou, hidden and hidden. "Treasure chest" this imagery in the novel four times, the development of the plot plays a role in suggesting and promoting, the first three times (of which the first is suggestive) readers do not know what is in the box, and do not care too much about it until the fourth time, the readers only suddenly realized. This is the author's ingenuity of conception.
Secondly, the "treasure box" is a wonderful stroke of narrative editing. In the novel, the "treasure chest" closes first and then opens, prolonging the secret of the story, setting up suspense for the reader, and enhancing the readability of the work. Specifically, there are two points:
1. Control the narrative distance, the formation of narrative rhythm. The four appearances of the "treasure chest" are the preparation of new events immediately after the completion of the previous event, and the arrival of new tensions at the time of the old tension lifting, such as the waves of the Yangtze River pushing the waves ahead, a wave has not yet leveled off, a wave again and again, so that the storyline has many ups and downs, twists and turns.
2. Adjust the narrative perspective, create narrative tension. China's traditional novels, storytelling more omniscient perspective, the causes and consequences of the event, the ins and outs of the clues, the character's life to explain to the readers clearly, otherwise there will be a narrative incomplete suspicion. Du Shuniang" is different, it adopts the perspective of limited knowledge, so that readers do not know what the treasure chest is at the beginning, nor do they know the specific situation and mentality of Du Shuniang's daily secret accumulation of treasure chests, until Du Shuniang is betrayed by Li Jia, when she opens the chest to get the treasure and throws herself into the river, then she realizes that she still has a treasure chest. The reader will then wonder: why did Du Shinniang save up the Hundred Treasure Chest? Why did she refuse to tell Li Jia the secret of the treasure chest? And why did she not let the treasure chest work at the critical time and sank it to the bottom of the river for nothing? The reader's exploration and answers to these questions reflect the author's good intentions and are the key to the reader's understanding of the novel's connotations.
Once again, the "treasure chest" is a symbol of Du Shiniang's tragedy. What is the cause of Du Shiniang's tragedy? How is the social and historical significance of Du Shiniang's tragedy? For a long time, people have made a variety of guesses and interpretations of these issues, but always unsatisfactory. For example, some people think that Li Jia is the direct murderer of Du Shuniang, and it is his "negative feelings" that pushed Du Shuniang into the river; some people think that Sun Fu is the direct cause of Du Shuniang's tragedy, if not instigated by Sun Fu, Li Jia may not abandon Du Shuniang; some people also think that the tragedy of Du Shuniang is attributable to Li Jia's negative feelings and Sun Fu's instigation, all of which are too simplistic. Others think that attributing Du Shiniang's tragedy to Li A's negative love and Sun Fu's instigation is simplistic and superficial, and that the cause of Du Shiniang's tragedy should be the feudalism, and the novel reveals the cannibalistic nature of feudalism through Du Shiniang's tragedy. The author thinks that the first and second views are certainly too superficial, and the third view seems to be profound, but it is also formulaic, conceptualization, and failed to make the best use of it. If we start from the "treasure chest" as an image to interpret the tragic meaning of Du Shuniang's image, it may be a new way through.
1. "Treasure chest" is a symbol of money, is the representative of interests. China's Ming Dynasty, is the rise of the commodity economy and prosperity of the period, dedicated to commodity production and exchange of handmade workshops have begun to take shape. With the rapid development of the commodity economy, the status of money and interests in social life has been increasing, the traditional values have been seriously challenged, and the deep-rooted feudal family has finally begun to waver in the face of money and interests, and the relationship between people has been changed from patriarchal ethics to profit-driven. This background is explained in the novel Du Shiniang: "As the old saying goes: 'Those who make friends with profit are alienated when the profit is gone'", "It is often said: 'When money is spoken of, there is no relationship ", "In today's world, there is no such thing as taking care of the word "slow and urgent". In such social relationships, Bustard and Du Shinniang, Three Kindred and Four Friends and Li Jia, Li Buzheng and Du Shinniang, Sun Fu and Li Jia, and even Li Jia and Du Shinniang, are all based on money and interests. This is precisely the reason why Du Shinniang accumulates the "Hundred Treasure Chest", which she fantasizes about using to exchange for Li Jia's love.
2. The "Hundred Treasure Chest" is the symbol of Du Shinniang's value and hope. Du Shinniang in the novel is a smart, beautiful and passionate woman, but because of "fate", fell "dusty and tired", full of physical torture and mental ravages, living a life of hell on earth. She longed to get rid of this inhuman situation, to be a truly valuable person, and thus "long had the will to be a good man. However, it is not easy for a woman, especially a prostitute at the bottom of society, to change her fate. What's more, Du Shinniang pursued, and not a moment of love, general marriage, she wants to pursue a true love. Therefore, Du Shinniang is painstakingly accumulating "treasure chest", hoping to use "treasure chest" to prove their own value, with "treasure chest" in exchange for true love. When she chooses Li Jia to devote her life to, Du Shinniang refuses to tell Li Jia the secret of the "Hundred Treasure Chest" for this very reason. However, Du Shinniang is too na?ve, in a society of greed and lust, in a relationship full of the stench of copper, there is no true love to speak of! Her hopes are doomed to be dashed, her tragedy is destined to happen.
3. "The Hundred Treasure Chest" is a symbol of the fierce conflict between society and human nature, and is the real cause of Du Shinniang's tragedy. The environment in which Du Shinniang lives is a society in which feudal rites and rituals are dominant and at the same time intertwined with interests. In such a society, there is no soil for the growth of true love; in such a society, true love is like a tender shoot, without nourishment and moisture, only withering and death. Du Shinniang is too dignified and believes too much in the power of human nature; she even mistakenly thinks that money can buy true love. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. Originally, even if Li A negative righteousness, Du Shinniang too can not be thrown into the water to kill themselves, she has youth, beauty, and money, she can still find another love, even if alone can survive. But the cannibalistic feudalism and self-serving relationships made Du Shinniang completely disappointed. A person who was once grateful to her, a person she truly loved, only for "one thousand taels", for personal gain, she betrayed her trust and betrayed herself categorically, but also with a happy face and no shame in her heart. May I ask what place under the sky can accommodate such a weak woman and her pursuit of a happy life? What medicine can cure her broken heart and heal the wounds of her soul? Du Shinniang, she can only use curses to express the great indignation in her heart, and only use death to rebel against this dark society, to save her dignity and innocence! Du Shinniang sank into the river is not a "treasure chest", is human nature, is moral justice, is conscience, is the human heart, because the society at that time can not accommodate these things, Du Shinniang never managed to escape the net of etiquette, become a victim of money and interests. Du Shiniang was not wrong about Li Jia, but about not being able to see through the poisoning and destruction of human nature by the feudal system and rituals, and the trampling and killing of human love by money and interests. And Li Jia, Sun Fu's generation, just became an indirect murderer!
Pathetic Du Shuniang, lamentable song of society and human nature of the double sad song.