Novel 'Jin Ping Mei'

Introduction

"Jin Ping Mei" (known in English as "The Plum in the Golden Vase" or "The Golden Lotus") is China's first modern style novel. In this case the word modern is used to describe the fact that this is an original work, Unlike "Journey to The West" and "Water Margin" (novels that were written before "Jin Ping Mei") which were largely based on folk tales and oral stories which had been around for centuries. The "Jin Ping Mei" is a stand alone novel and a work in and of itself. It has an original story line that follows a plot. This plot follows the rise and fall patterns of what we consider to be a novel. It has all the other elements that make up a modern novel, such as written dialogue and plot devices. All the separate parts of this book tie into the main plot, much like how there are often subplots and a main plot in what modern readers enjoy.

Jin Ping Mei takes its name from the three central female characters -Pan Jinlian (潘金蓮, whose given name means "Golden Lotus"); Li Ping'er (李瓶兒, given name literally means, "Little Vase"), a concubine of Ximen Qing; and Pang Chunmei (龐春梅, "Spring plum blossoms"), a young maid who rose to power within the family.[2] According to some Chinese critics, each of the three Chinese characters in its title symbolizes an aspect about human nature, such as mei (梅), plum blossoms, is metaphoric for sexuality. Because of how this title is built, there is no direct translation.

Plot

Simply put, this is the story of Ximen Qing's family and how it falls apart in one hundred chapters.

The Jin Ping Mei describes in "naturalistic detail the life of the family of a well-to-do businessman, Ximen Qing, who has acquired his wealth largely through dishonest means and who devotes himself to the pursuit of carnal pleasure and heavy drinking." To these ends he acquires six wives and numerous maidservants and concubines. Not even satisfied with these women, he spends most of his time seeking the pleasures of entertainment areas. For much of the book, the "action" in the family centers on the rivalry of his wives Pan Jinlian and Li Ping'er . They are both competing for the affection of their husband who, on the other hand, is out on the town with his friends almost every day. He should be more concerned with his family and having more kids, but, he is only interested in having a good time. Ximen and his fifth wife, Pan Jinlian, whom he has acquired by poisoning her first husband, nearly succeed in corrupting the entire household and eventually lead to its entire downfall. Ximen ends up poisening himself by using too many drugs at the age of thirty-three. The first wife, however, remains virtuous and in the end bears a son who becomes a Buddhist monk to atone for his father’s sins. She gives up her son to a monastery and adopts one of the other characters as Ximen's "son". She lives to be 69 years old. Little Vase slowly bleeds to death after her son dies. Golden Lotus meets up with her first husbands brother, the tiger killer from the first of the book. He is out to avenge his brother's death. The debauchery of Ximen is related in vivid detail, leading many readers to dismiss the novel as pornography. Others, however, regard the erotic passages as central to the author’s moral purpose of exposing the vanity of pleasure.(Britannica)

No, they do not "all live happily ever after," but they do teach that kindness and goodness is rewarded, while the opposite is punished.

Historical Background

This novel was probably written during the middle of Wangli's reign, between 1573 and 1620 AD. This book, or parts of it at least,is first mentioned, in the 1590's. The first mention of the entire book comes somewhere around 1606. The Golden Lotus was first released in 1610 as a wood block stamped form. Earlier versions where handwritten.

The Mid Ming Dynasty was full of social and moral issues. The officials and merchants where all to often corrupt and power hungry. To understand fully why this novel came about it is important to look at the history of the Ming Dynasty. Founded by Zhu Yuanzhang, a man of humble origins who later assumed the name Emperor Hongwu, the Ming became known as not only one of the most stable dynasties, but also one of the most autocratic(Britannica: Ming Dynasty).

The novel is obviously a cultural satire of the situation of China at this point in time. It is filled with allusions to the social constructs and problems of the times. The story is set in the end of the Song Dynasty, but the society it reveals is pure mid Ming dynasty. This is one of the reasons the author remained anonymous. The novel is filled with things that could have angered rulers of the day or members of society. It is often seen as a commentary of the lifestyle of the time, displaying the problems of society for all to see. The anonymity of the author can also probably be attributed to the explicit nature of the novel and how many would react to such a thing. Through describing the main character and his actions in the Song Dynasty, the novel reflects the real life of the mid-Ming Dynasty, when power-wielding officials and merchants came together to oppress and exploit the people and to gain for themselves through illegal means(Cultural China).

The Author

The author of "Jin Ping Mei" decided to remain anonymous, instead using Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng (蘭陵笑笑生), the "Scoffing Scholar of Lanling" and a blatant pseudonym. Lanling is somewhere within present-day Zaozhuang City of Shandong Province. Presumably, the author was from Shandong. Lanling is somewhere within present-day Zaozhuang City of Shandong Province. Presumably, the author was from Shandong.

Xu Wei

It is possible that he could have been one of the main writers of the day, but no one knows who he was. The probable reason for this is his commentary on the social standings of the time. In the 1590's some of the better known writers were passing parts of the novel around to each other so they could be copied. The author was probably one of these men, but no one ever said which one it was. Arthur Waley, a British Chinese scholar, in his Introduction to the 1947 New York edition translated by Miall, suggests that at the author being an important poet during this time; Xu Wei. Xu Wei was a renowned painter and a well-known member of the "realistic" Gong-an school of writers. Waley objected to the to the traditional attribution to Wang Shih-Chêng, on the grounds of the latter's totally different and more traditional artistic nature. Waley also suggests a comparison of the several poems present in the "Jin Ping Mei" to the poetic production of Xu Wei, drawing attention to the fact that the circulation of the work from Soochow in the 18th century began from the only known complete copy of a manuscript in the possession of the Xu family, attributed to a scholar of the Jiajing period; which could perfectly fit Xu Wei himself(Waley 1947).

Writing Style: Poetry

While the "Jin Ping Mei" is considered to be the first modern novel in China, it still has a different style then most novels. Poetry has played an interval part in Chinese Literature, so it only makes sense that "Jin Ping Mei" would be written with with poetry to describe the most intimate and emotional parts of the novel. While reading, it seems that the beautiful language of poetry helps amplify the emotions and visuals. The poetry is an excellent way to really allow the story to be shown instead of told.

"Before long Ch'en Ching-chi showed up and bowed to each member of the party before taking a seat next to Hsi-men Ta-chieh. Yüeh-niang ordered Hsiao-yü to provide him with a place setting. Now that the whole family was assembled:

Animal-shaped briquettes replenished golden braziers;

The finest wine of Yang-kao vintage was decanted.

As they enjoyed the wine, Hsi-men Ch'ing glanced outside the rolled-up bamboo blinds and saw that the snow was falling heavily. It looked just like:

Shredded cotton wadding, or

Wildly dancing pear blossoms.

Truly, it was a magnificent snow.

Behold:

Initially resembling willow catkins,

Gradually it turns into goose down.

Scarcely audible, it reminds one of crabs

moving across the sand;

In rich profusion, it is like shattered alabaster

piled on the pavement.

With every move one makes,

One's clothes catch six-pointed stars;

At every other moment,

One must brush away the bee's whiskers.

Now it flurries, now it stops;

The Dragon Lord is yet rehearsing

the steps of his dance.

The power of spring remains weak;

The Jade Maiden is still entranced

producing her whirlwind.

Enhancing jasper terraces,

Jade dragon's-scales appear to

pervade the firmament.

Brushing powdered foreheads,

White crane's-feathers seem to

settle gently to earth.

Truly:

Congealing upon "towers of jade,"

its cold raises goose bumps;

Wavering before "silver seas,"

its dazzle creates a blur.

Such long form descriptive poetry is found through out the work. I have found while reading this work that the poetry is used to describe things that would sound very ordinary and plain without the addition of poetry.

Writing Style: Vernacular

Chinese written vernacular (Chinese: 白话; Mandarin Pinyin: báihuà; Jyutping: baak waa) was used to craft the Jin Ping Mei. During the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC), Old Chinese was the spoken and written form of Chinese, and was used to write classical Chinese texts. Starting from the Qin Dynasty (221 BC), spoken Chinese began to evolve faster than the evolution of written Chinese and this difference gradually grew larger with the passage of time. By the time of the Tang and Song dynasties (618–1279), people began to write in their vernacular dialects in the form of bianwen (simplified Chinese: 变文; traditional Chinese: 變文; pinyin: biànwén; literally "altered language") and yulu (simplified Chinese: 语录; traditional Chinese: 語錄; pinyin: yǔlù; literally "language record"), and the spoken language was completely distinct from the still-maintained written standard of classical Chinese. Those not educated in classical Chinese—almost the entirety of the population—could understand only very little of written or printed texts. During the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1912), vernacular language began to be used in novels, but formal writing continued to use classical Chinese.

Jianghuai Mandarin and later Beijing Mandarin formed the standard for written vernacular Chinese before and during the Qing dynasty up until its replacement by early 20th century modern Standard Chinese. This Baihua was used by writers all over China regardless of the dialect they spoke. Chinese writers who spoke other dialects had to use the grammar and vocabulary of Jianghuai and Beijing Mandarin in order for the majority of Chinese to understand their writing. After the May Fourth Movement, Baihua became the normal written form of Chinese. While the phonology of Modern Standard Chinese is based on that of Beijing, its grammar is officially based on the exemplary works of the vernacular literature.(Ramsey, Luo, Ping Chen)

What this means for the "Jin Ping Mei" is that it was written in a way that even the more common people of the day would have been able to read and understand it. The author wrote it to be read by others in the situations he was commenting on.

Main Characters

• Ximen Qing (西門慶 ) He is a rich, ex military official turned merchant. He owns a pharmaceutical warehouse that seems to be very lucrative that was inherited from his father. At first, he holds a minor political post and later he is promoted. If he had a personal motto in life, it would probably be "Wine Women and Song". He and his good friends are constantly out visiting the town's "entertainment" areas. He chose women who would bring him money, such as the third and fourth wives who where very rich widows. There have been many portrayals of his doings in film, art, and literature.

• Wu Yueh Niang “Moon Lady”. She is Ximen's first wife and she is not a very "strong" person. As long as there is peace in the house, she is happy.

• Pan Jinlian (潘金蓮)“Golden Lotus”. For most of the story she is Ximen's fifth wife. She is constantly fighting with the sixth wife. She is the "Jin" of the title.

• Li Ping'er (李瓶兒) "Little Vase". She is Ximen Qing's sixth wife, and she is his favorite. She is also the mother of his only son. She is the "Ping" (or "Vase") of the title. This name may be in relation to her beautiful body shape.

• Pang Chunmei (龐春梅,) "Spring plum blossoms”. She is the servant, and partner in crime, of Pan Jinlian. She is the "Mei" (or "plum")of the title. Her name alludes to the idea of carnal sexuality.

Secondary Characters

• Ximen Qing's Other Wives:

-Second wife, Li, who is called "fat." She was a prostitute before their marriage, a profession she returned to after Ximen's demise and then remarried. Ximen rarely visited her.

-Third wife, Ming, who was ignored after the first two weeks of marriage. Was a widow of a wealthy cloth merchant. Remarried after Ximen's death.

-Fourth wife,Sun, who is more of a servant to Ximen then a wife. He beats her. She is having an affair with a servant who is tries to run away with. She is caught and sold as a maid.

• Other servants (Such as Heart's Desire, the nurse of Ximen's little boy)
• Townspeople
• Assorted prostitutes entertainers and others
• Various nobles and rich people
• Religious figures
• Ximen's only son who later becomes a monk to atone for his fathers failures
• the list goes on- over 70 pages in one English translation.

The author does an amazing job of using all of these characters. No one is forgotten even later in the story. When the story leaves one of these secondary characters, it comes back to them later and they are still in the same place where they were left. There are always the same shopkeepers or other such characters.

Social Commentary or A Simple Story?

There are some scholars who are of the opinion that Jin Ping Mei is an elaborate allegory. Some have even said that Ximen represents the emperor and his wives are the squabbling ministers. It is more likely that it offers commentary of lifestyles and social issues as a whole that the author was not proud of. It also provides insite into how women of the day where viewed and treated. The women characters have various aspects. Some are strong and willful, while others are weak and submissive. Eventually all of them submit to the will of the man. It also carries the theme of sexual politics and human corruption. No matter how one reads this work, it can be seen that the author intended for social satire to help the audience gain an appreciation for the problems of the day. He was seeking a form of social change.

An example of this satire is found in the wives gift giving. While this giving was a social norm, the copious amounts in which the wives give is commentary on the socially elite of the day and their wasteful ways. The author is also showing how social manipulation was common, as such gifts where used to control one another in the government(Vučinić-Nešković).

Pornographic or A Classic?

JinPingMei

There have been many criticisms concerning the explicit nature of the Jin Ping Mei. Ximen himself has six wives and concubines. The work has seventy-one explicit encounters often portrayed through poetry. Having spent most of its life as a banned book, it was not until the Qing Dynasty that the work was accepted as a work of literature of any worth. Being full of classic poetry, beautifully crafted satire, and allegory, the novel is obviously more then just base minded pornography. Some critics have argued that the highly sexual descriptions are essential, and have exerted what has been termed a "liberating" influence on other Chinese novels that deal with sexuality, most notably the Dream of the Red Chamber(He 2007).

Another other question is if this book the 5th Classic, the greatest novel of the Ming Dynasty? Or is it just another "dirty" book?" There is a great deal of sex in this book, just about every kind you can think of, and the sexual encounters are describe with the same attention to detail that every other scene is. (The first English translator, felt so uncomfortable with all the very explicit sex scenes that he translated those parts into Latin. Later editions are translated entirely into English, even the sexually explicit scenes.)

In spite of the explicit sex scenes, I do not believe that this book is designed to force the reader, to wallow in the cesspool of Ximen's life. The author seems to be just "telling it like it is". According to this novel, in his society, explicit sex seems to be a perfectly acceptable topic of everyday conversations.

Author Li Yu called it one of the Four Marvelous Masterpieces (四大奇書), along with along with Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, and Journey to the West. Acclaimed Qing critic Zhang Zhupo described it as "the most incredible book existing under the heavens" (第一奇書)(as quoted in He 2007), and in the 20th century, influential author Lu Xun also held it in great esteem(He 2007).

References

Chang, Kang-I & Owen, Stephen. "The Cambridge History of Chinese Literature Volume Two From 1375". New York, Cambridge University Press, 2010.

Ping Chen. Modern Chinese: history and sociolinguistics (illustrated ed.). Cambridge University Press. 1999

Norman, Jerry. Chinese. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1988.

Ramsey, S. Robert. The Languages of China. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 1987.

Luo, Jing. Over a Cup of Tea: An Introduction to Chinese Life and Culture. University Press of America. 2004.

Roy, David Tod.Translator. The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei: Volume Two: The Rivals. Princeton University Press. 2001.

Encyclopædia Britannica. "Jinpingmei." www.britannica.com. Web. 9 April 2013

Encyclopædia Britannica. "Ming Dynasty." www.britannica.com. Web. 9 April 2013

Cultural China. "Jin Ping Mei: The Fifth Great Classic or Just A Twisted Story?" history.cultural-china.com. Web. 8 April 2013

Jianjun He. "Burning Incense at Night: A Reading of Wu Yueniang in 'Jin Ping Mei'".Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews (CLEAR) , Vol. 29, (Dec., 2007).

Vesna Vučinić-Nešković. "Social Exchange and Power Relations in Jin Ping Mei: An Analysis of a Classic Chinese Novel." Antropologija 12. 2012.

Various English translations of "Jin Ping Mei" all accessed online.

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