Brother Rong of Red Mansion

Chapter 65 Let’s briefly talk about Qin Keqing...

The wedding is over, the bridal chamber is in, and Jia Rong begins her married life. Our first female protagonist "Qin Keqing" also appears.

Earlier, I saw that everyone commented that there was some controversy about "Qin Keqing" or "Qin Ye and his son". Let me just open a single chapter and briefly talk about the character "Qin Keqing".

Some readers said that Qin Keqing was "watery". I didn't argue. Because it's right. Cao Xueqin did describe her "kinky" side. Whether it is the room decoration in the original text, or the "metaphor" of her incest with Jia Zhen Jia Qiang, or the original chapter review of Chapter 13 of the original work "Qin Keqing's obscene mourning in Tianxiang Tower". Everything indicates that Qin Keqing is a "willful" woman. ——Until the 13th chapter of the original text was deleted, a large part of the story of Tianxiang Tower was deleted and changed to "Dream Entrustment" by Wang Xifeng. Qin Keqing's image has undergone an earth-shaking change.

So, if you say she is "watery", I can't refute you. Because you are right. But if Qin Keqing only has the label of "watery populace", that would be too one-sided. You know, Qin Keqing is the only character in Cao Xueqin's works who had "large sections of the plot deleted." And it is also one of the very important twelve golden hairpins. The complexity of her is worthy of our in-depth study.

The reason for the deletion is that in the comments of Chapter 13 of the original work, there are two comments about "the abnormal Watou old man", which fully reveals the whole process. Probably because there really is such a prototype character in reality, "The Abnormal Wat Old Man" couldn't bear it, so he "ordered Qinxi to delete it."

Of course you have to listen to what the elders said. Cao Xueqin not only deleted it, but also changed it.

A large part of the Tianxiang Tower scene was deleted, and the scene of "Jia Yuanchun's dream" was placed on Qin Keqing. A "new Qin Keqing" image officially appeared on the stage of history.

Everyone, here comes the point!
  Cao Xueqin's deletions and changes can be described as "unprecedented" in the history of literature, enough to be recorded in the annals of history. It greatly promoted the progress of classical novels. We all know the relationship between "Dream of Red Mansions" and "Jin Ping Mei". These two worldly affairs novels have many similarities. And "Jin Ping Mei" is the most precious. When Cao Xueqin wrote "Dream of Red Mansions", he unconsciously had to "learn from his predecessors". For example, the portrayal of Qin Keqing is this typical example.

When we read "Water Margin" and "Jin Ping Mei", we will find a very interesting point: many female characters, especially the women who are described as "watery", directly use the word "obscene" to describe them. The attitude of contempt and disdain is clear at a glance. This is the fault of the "male chauvinism" and "Confucian traditional culture" in the bones of ancient literati. They will only despise and spurn them, but they will not reflect on the reasons. As the librarian commented, "Only writes about darkness, not light."

When Cao Xueqin portrayed Qin Keqing, she actually followed the same routine. He wanted to write her as a "bad woman" and put part of the reason for the collapse of Ning Guo Mansion on her head. Not only her, but Wang Xifeng also followed this routine. Moreover, the creative methods are also "in the same vein", they are all directly copied from the previous work "Feng Yue Bao Jian". ——The so-called "I come from "Feng Yue Bao Jian"..."

It wasn't until he was ordered to delete it that he realized a problem. Writing only "obscenity" in the whole article would only make people scorn him, and it would not highlight the "beauties' fate" side. This is different from "A Thousand Beauty Cries" and "Wan Yan" The theme of "Common Grief" is completely contradictory. Therefore, he temporarily "replaced" "Jia Yuanchun's dream".

With this change, Qin Keqing's character core has completely changed. Her "kinkyness" was "forced" by the environment. She is obviously a very talented person. Jia Mu once praised her as "the most favored person among the great-grandson's daughters-in-law". Youshi praised her as "the elders in the family don't like her". Everyone in the He clan Ding Bing's family praised her. She "wanted him to be filial, harmonious, compassionate to the poor, and loving to the elderly and the young." She only portrayed Qin Keqing as a "perfect woman." The more perfect she is, the more tragic her ending will be, the more she can embody the "unlucky fate of a beauty" and the "defeat" of Jia's family. The way of describing female characters in our classical novels has turned a corner here, which has greatly promoted literary creation. It is a milestone "unexpected surprise".

Therefore, some people commented, "With just this change, it can equal the first half of "The Plum in the Golden Ping"." Not even one of them can be compared with it. "A Dream of Red Mansions" should be listed separately, and "The Plum in the Golden Vase" should be included to make up some kind of four masterpieces."

Although the evaluation is biased, it is enough to prove the "great significance" of this paragraph in the history of literature. Therefore, when we evaluate "Qin Keqing", we must also understand this. She is a character who has made great contributions to our modern novels and literature!
  I believe that after reading this, everyone should understand the contradictions and complexity of "Qin Keqing". In Cao Xueqin's writing, this character has caused "conflict" whether in the world of Red Mansions or outside the world of Red Mansions. It's natural that some plots don't match up. For example, Qin Ye's transformation from a "political upstart" to a "poor official" is a typical example.

Therefore, some readers discuss "Qin Mansion is very poor" and "Qin Mansion is very rich". In fact, both of these statements are correct. I'm just referring to the original point of view. Because "the Qin government is rich" is more reasonable for this "political marriage".

Okay, so much about "Qin Keqing".

Again, since when Cao Xueqin wrote The Red Mansion, he had a Godly perspective of "compassion and mercy".

Then, as later generations, we should also read the characters in the story with this kind of "sympathy". Don't judge simply by "good" or "bad". Every character has "complexity". The more "complex" it is, the more "complete" it is. I hope everyone will stop making facial expressions.

Thank you again for your votes and rewards. Perhaps as the story develops and I catch up on reading, it actually gave me a third-round recommendation. Thank you again, I have read all your comments. I hope everyone will speak enthusiastically, especially if you praise me a lot, it will "increase" my performance.

——The cute new author·Mo Jian Chang'an.

(End of this chapter)