4 Stories of Chinese Society

This report will depict some of the social relationships and family structures in traditional Confucian-oriented Chinese society through the presentation of the following stories: "My Old Home," by Lu Hsnn, "The Lamp," by Shen Ts'ung-wen, "A Slave-Mother," by Jou Shih, and "Hsiao-hsiao," by Shen Ts'ung-wen. These stories were written in the period between 1919 and 1949, a transitional period in China, when the inhumane nature of traditional values was being challenged.

"My Old Home" was written by Lu Hsnn in 1921. The story was about a trip back to his old home and the difficulty he faced in communicating with his childhood friend. Not having seen his friend for more than 30 years, he found the intimacy of childhood had faded away. Jun-tu addressed his old buddy, not by his name, but by the term "master." The gap between the two men was more than a difference of class: they were, in fact, strangers to each other. They had nothing in common. Lu Hsnn and Jun-tu's backgrounds were very different: the educated intellectual versus the ordinary illiterate. The only thing they could do was cherish each memory of the time they had spent together before things had changed. At the end of the story, their two children, Hung-erh and Shi-sheng, were getting along well and becoming friends. The author hoped that, if there were a reunion of the two children, they would not be betrayed by time and still could maintain their friendship.

Under Confucianism, there are five ar

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er on completion of her period of service." The "mother" was more than a servant; she was sold on a contract as a concubine, or a plaything for the rich man. It was common to borrow a woman for a couple of years and return her when the contract was over. For example, the following statements provide the names of the witnesses who were made responsible for the contract: The woman whose person is being sold, Chien-Sheng. The seller of the woman, her mistress, Seven Daughter. The seller of the woman, her master, Han Yuan-ting. A relative by marriage, who has participated in the discussion, Fu-chen. A witness, Monk Chou-ta, of the Pao-en Monastery A witness, Monk lo Hsian, Master in the Law and the Discipline, Lung-hsing Monastery. However, most of the time, the trading of a woman, such as the Mother in "A Slave-Mother," did not even require a legal statement of the transfer of ownership. The oral agreement made by her husband was sufficient to trade a woman's life for just a little money. The Mother's status at her new home might have been strengthened when she gave birth to a son. If she had "played" more carefully without showing any trace of concern for her own family, the rich man might have let her stay.

Category: Literature - 4