Chi li in The Dream of the Red Chamber
Resource
臺大中文學報, 35, 157-204
Journal
臺大中文學報
Journal Issue
35
Pages
157-204
Date Issued
2011-12
Date
2011-12
Author(s)
Abstract
The Romance of West Chamber and The Peony Pavilion are counted in The Dream of the Red Chamber as stories of the Scholar-Beauty Romance (SBR) genre. After thoroughly reflecting upon the desire narrative pattern common in this genre, Cao Xueqin consciously subverts the view of romantic love by constructing his own perspective on the love and marriage in his Dream of the Red Chamber. Specifically, the love between Bao-yu and Dai-yu is formed through kindness and righteousness (恩義). In this ideal, love occurs and develops with accumulation of mutual experiences rather than passionate love-at-first-sight or erotic desire. In contrast of the chi qing (癡情, infatuation) advocated in the SBR model since mid-Ming, Cao proposes chi li (痴理, attachment based on social manners) when facing the conflict between individuals and society, making a reasonable balance and a good compromise between the two requirements. He reverses the vacuum personal state in the erotic love theme of SBR and relocates individuals into their social context and relationships. The individuality is thus released from the monopoly of erotic hegemony and redefined as a pursuit of personality value and ethical significance. The love in The Dream of the Red Chamber realizes an ethics with feelings and a feeling within ethics, where personal thinking and social/family responsibilities can both be satisfied.
Subjects
紅樓夢、才子佳人模式、鶯鶯傳(西廂記）、牡丹亭、痴理The Dream of the Red Chamber, Scholar-Beauty Romance Pattern, The Story of Ying-ying (The Romance of West Chamber), The Peony Pavilion, Chi Li (attachment based on social manners, 痴理)
Type
journal article
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