“Remember that we are not gods who can fashion events to our desires. We are mere mortals who must learn not to contend with life but to yield to it.”
Born into a wealthy family, the House of Chang, the protagonist has lived a rather privileged life that seemed untouchable by the world outside it. At the core of the narrative, the changing political climate is threatening this way of life by rendering the traditions obsolete. Established tradition is facing extinction with the rise of Christianity and Chinese Communism. Therefore, the assertion hits home as the influential families are gradually losing the sway they had in Imperial China.
“The Hanlin named his granddaughter Lustrous Jade, for jade was the fairest of stones and possessed five virtues: charity, for its luster; rectitude, for its translucence; wisdom, for its purity of sound when struck; equity, for its sharp edges that injure none; courage, for it can be broken but not bent.”
The statement highlights the significance of Chinese tradition in the family from the moment of birth for any individual. The individual’s name is a mark of who they are and to an extent obliged to adopt the tradition. The narrative explores the conflict that arises due to two identities which breed identity crisis over time. The protagonist is a victim of this dynamic, torn between her cultural identities and also the past and present. Her upbringing into the traditional identity is furthermore challenged with the shifting politics in China which poses further confusion.
