Examine the role of money in the story. Does it have a consistent role? Does it shift throughout the story? What does it tell us about the characters? The society in which they live?

How do Li Jia and Du Tenth either conform to or break from traditional gender roles?

How is jewelry used as a metaphor in the story?

What is the effect of the poetry interspersed with the narrative?

What does the story say about class and class distinctions?