Respond to one of the following questions by commenting on this post. You may also feel free to respond to comments posted by your classmates!
-What’s the connection between the broad historical material about the Ming Dynasty that begins the story and the narrative about Du Tenth and Li Jia’s relationship that follows?
-What kind of person is Li Jia? Does his behavior at the end of the story come as a surprise? Why or why not?
-How are courtesans represented in the story? Why do you think Feng Menglong chooses to depict them this way?
-Money plays a central role in the story. What does “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” seem to be saying about the relationship between money and love?
-Feng Menglong was interested in using literature to teach morality. What lesson is being imparted by this text?
Question #2: What kind of person is Li Jia? Does his behavior at the end of the story come as a surprise? Why or why not?
In the beginning of the of “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger,” Menglong states that Li Jia is a big spender. Li was so in love with Tenth that he wasted all of his money on her. Besides this, Li feared his father and desperately wanted his approval; therefore, coming home with no money as well as Tenth as his wife would bring shame. Li’s conversation with Sun Fu confirmed his fears, so the want to trade (well sell) Tenth was not at all surprising. Sun Fu was promising Li somewhat of a better life which involved his father’s approval and more money. Li is the type of person that looks for the easy way out. Notice how he gave up trying to look for money after the third day, he never looked for the money it was given to him by Liu Yuchun and Tenth. Any sort of money that was given to him, he immediately spent it; therefore, if Tenth could produce a profit why wouldn’t he take up the opportunity?
Question 4; Money plays a central role in the story. What does “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” seem to be saying about the relationship between money and love?
“Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” seems to be saying that when one prioritizes the love for money over the love for an individual, the true love between both people eventually collapses. This is seen when Li Jia chose to sell Tenth to Sun Fu. When speaking about the offer to Tenth, Li said, “With that thousand tales I will have a pretext on which to call on my parents, and you, my dear benefactress, will also have someone to rely on”( 514). In this quote, Li is prioritizing money over his love for Tenth. Although he believes that this deal benefits them both, he fails to realize that he betrayed true love for a materialistic love. Money is a materialistic object which is here today yet can be gone tomorrow. Love for an individual, however, is considered true love because it lasts regardless of external circumstances. Thus, prioritizing a temporary object over an eternal feeling is seen as disloyalty and will destruct a relationship between the people.
For Tenth, the greatest importance was her love for Li Jia. As Liu Yochun said to Tenth, “You were stirred to true love for your favorite, and did not change your feelings on account of poverty”(501). This quote means that Tenth didn’t mind giving up her wealth for Li. All that mattered for her was being together with him and everything else would ultimately figure itself out. Yet because of such contrasting priorities as well as definitions of love between Tenth and Li, all the ties between them broke.
Question #2:-What kind of person is Li Jia? Does his behavior at the end of the story come as a surprise? Why or why not?
In “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger”, it is depicted that Li Jia is impressionable. Throughout the story, he is swayed by his lover. He gave up everything- his family, image, and money. He chose her over everything and did everything he could to stay with Du Tenth. It was basically a forbidden love in which they wanted to be with each other no matter what.
Towards the end of the story, when they were leaving on the ship, he is convinced by Sun Fu that if Li Jia traded Du Tenth for a thousand taels, he could bring that money home and be approved of his father again. His fear of his father shifted his mindset and allowed Sun Fu to easily persuade him. Li Jia wasn’t thinking for himself and what he truly wanted.
His behavior at the end in which he agreed with Sun Fu wasn’t surprising because that was his character throughout the story. He agreed with suggestions that were given to him. He also chose what was convenient in transitioning to his home. It seemed like Du Tenth tested his love for her and it was pointed out that he chose money and his pride over his love for her. Being easily convinced and choosing the easiest way out led to his downfall.
Question 3: How are courtesans represented in the story? Why do you think Feng Menglong chooses to depict them this way?
In this story, courtesans depicted as women of low born and social status that had limited freedom of choice and mobility. Accordingly, characterized as naive souls, desire to live a genuine life and treated equally [despised by many noble families and sometimes by slaves themself]. Whereas they were born or signed up into being courtesans until their last breath; at the same time, they have usually had some feature (voice, beauty, ability to sing or play on an instrument) that made them unique and famous among nobleman that preferred to spent their time and money in their pleasure. Moreover, the type of job they were doing was a determined fact that distinguished them from either slaves or nobles; meaning that at that time prostitution was indeed legal, but the view on this position remained the same which was socially and morally abusive. In other words, the courtesans viewed as a virtuously inadequate and deficient of a modest reputation.
In this manner, I believe that Feng Menglong depicts them this way to portray pity as some courtesans forced to perform such jobs under the influence of the elders as well as social class. In other words, some girls of the lowest birth (peasants or slaves) chose to implement their lives in incompetent states for the thought of a better future and to be relatively affluent and viewed as alike the nobles. Moreover, he depicts the fact of a social difference among different classes of the ancient empires governed through monarchy and aristocracy; as well as their belief in divine laws that are absolute. The shreds of evidence that establish such liabilities shown throughout the story by the thought and conversations with Li Jia regarding disclosure of his marriage to a courtesan Du Tenth to his family that would detest it. Whereby, noble families view courtesans as the residues of the society; thus, creating the belief that marriage to such a person would bring nothing but dishonor and humiliation.
What kind of person is Li Jia? Does his behavior at the end of the story come as a surprise? Why or why not?
Li Jia is a person who does not understand the value of things. He grew up being handed everything in his life and never faced hardships so he does not understand the value of money or of a person. This could be seen in the way he spends his money. He does not think twice when using his money because he’s always been given money so he assumes he will never go broke because his father will always assist him.
Li Jia is also a very selfish person. Towards the end of the story when Sun Fu put ideas into Li Jia’s head about Du Tenth, Li Jia cried because he realized he could not have everything he wanted. He felt like he was the victim in the situation because he could not have it all. He did not think once about how Du Tenth would feel being treated as property.
Li Jia’s behavior at the end does not come as a surprise because he had been fearful of his father since the beginning of the story. At the end of the day, Li Jia cared most about what his dad thought of him so he would do anything to make sure he didn’t go home with his father angry at him.
Question 3:
Money plays a central role in the story. What does “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” seem to be saying about the relationship between money and love?
Love can’t be purchased is a constant motif in Feng Menglong’s classical story “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger”. Li Jia’s infatuation with Du Tenth is remotely because he appreciated her real womanly charms, and she reciprocates back love because he was sincere and earnest with her. Her love for him carries through even after he squandered his money and became broke. In fact, money and love should not at all mix because money corrupts as it does with all things. For example, Li Jia’s financial incompetence became his own downfall. This is shown when Li Jia agrees to Sun Fu’s purchasing of Du Feng. This broke Du Tenth’s heart hence why she threw all the jewelry away and jumped to her death.
The story suggests that money is a disposable object that can be exchanged for temporary happiness, but love is earned and gained.
Question 2: What kind of person is Li Jia? Does his behavior at the end of the story come as a surprise? Why or why not?
Lia Jia is a selfish, unexperienced and greedy person. Since the beginning we could see how his father bought him a spot at the academy because he could not do it by himself. In order to free Du Tenth Lia Jia had to pay for her, buy her, but he couldn’t get the money so a friend gave him half and Du Tenth gave the other half. Lia Jia’s behavior at the end of the story does not come to a surprise because he was a stranger and with strangers anything could happen, either bad or good. Also, he fears his father and he knew he would not be happy knowing his son was with a prostitute.
Thanks God Du Tenth didn’t trust Lia Jia with her savings, maybe she was more than excited to get out of the whore house but still she was wise and kind of test Lia Jia, it was the best she could do.
How are courtesans represented in the story? Why do you think Feng Menglong chooses to depict them this way?
In this story courtesans are represented by women that lack a future due to the absence of opportunities presented to them at the time. They are shown to be nothing more than possessions, as we can see from when Du Tenth was purchased similar to a slave near the end of the story. These women are stuck forever selling their bodies for sexual performances to customers in exchange for money until they are sold off by their owner. Truly a tragic life that sadly resembles to what reality used to be like back during the Ming Dynasty.
I believe Feng Menglong chose to depict courtesans this way because their lives in the story are based off what a courtesan’s life really was like back during his time period. Perhaps he wished to inform his readers on the perspective of a life belonging to a courtesan.
What kind of person is Li Jia? Does his behavior at the end of the story come as a surprise? Why or why not?
When I first read “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger”, I thought Li Jia was someone who was naive and gullible. In the beginning, we learn of him and how he easily gained a position in the imperial academy by having his father pay for him to get inside. Because Li was raised a spoiled person, he had no prior experience of working for the things he wanted. In page 501, we find out that Li is a big spender and quick to say the “right thing”. Li Jia’s reputation as a big spender proves how weak he is when faced doing greater tasks. An example of this is when he tried to raise the 300 taels of silver to go away with Du Tenth. He was unable to get anything from his friends and relatives and had to rely on Du Tenth’s quilt and his acquaintance Liu Yuchun to complete the debt.
In class, we argued whether Li Jia was either the victim or the villain in this story. In my personal opinion, I lean towards Li being the victim. I feel that Li is naive not only because of how he struggled to raise 300 taels of silver but also how he fell for Sun Fu’s attempt to trick him into selling Du Tenth. Furthermore, I also believe if Li’s intimidating father had raised him differently, he wouldn’t have devoted his love to Du Tenth in the first place. By the end of the story, his behavior should not come off as a surprise. By nearly giving away Du Tenth to Sun Fu and showing how terrible he is in raising money, Li’s personality show us how his actions foreshadow the end of the story.
Question #2: What kind of person is Li Jia? Does his behavior at the end of the story come as a surprise? Why or why not?
In the story, “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” Lia Jia is a character who can hardly think for himself since his mind seems weak and immature to reason. The Character is seen to agree with what everyone tells him to do. In my opinion, his belief in everything other people say shows his lack of independence and confidence in himself, making it easy for other people to manipulate him. Throughout the story he is always thinking about how other people perceive him and where he comes from. For example, when information gets to his father about his relationship with Du Tenth, he does not focus on himself or on Du tenth, but prefer to pay all his attention on what his father think. For sure, Master Li is constantly shown as an immature individual, who has no confidence, is dependent and can be easily manipulate.
Li Jias behavior at the end of the story does not come as a surprise as his character has been reflected and show in the story since the beginning. It could be expected as Li jia all along was immature and dependent. For example, when he spends all his money and has no more money left and Du tenth comes through for him, but he still feels insecure as he believes what other people are saying It can be seen from the start that he wants so much to be with Du Tenth, but his weaknesses exceeded his will. Agreeably, Li Jia’s traits justify his character at the end of the story as it was expected and could be anticipated
Question #4: Money plays a central role in the story. What does “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” seem to be saying about the relationship between money and love?
After reading “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger,” the only thing that could be said about the relationship between money and love is imaginary. From the start, we find out that Master Li and Du Tenth fall in “love” over all the wrong reasons. Master Li “never before encountered real womanly charms” and Du Tenth “was inclined to throw in the lot with him.” We then learn that Master Li comes from a high class family and is constantly in need of money because he is an uncontrollable spender. When Master Li was offered money for Du Tenth, the woman he says he loves, he accepts the offer. This showed how much Master Li really loved Du Tenth and proved the point that love cannot be established over something monetary, but has to be genuine and earned. On the contrary, Du Tenth really did love Li and would have given up all her riches to be with him.
What I thought to be iconic was that Du Tenth had thousands of taels in jewelry saved that could have been Li’s but were thrown out into the river along side Du Tenth: she killed herself and took the money with her.
“Du Tenth Sinks the jewel Box in Anger” seems to be saying about the relationship between money and love is that money is more powerful than love. The reason why I think that money was powerful than Li and Du Tenth love because at the end of the story , Li sold Du Tenth to Sun Fu for one thousand Taels and the reason why Du Tenth agrees with Li because Du Tenth loves Li a lot and was ready to do anything for his happiness. Overall, we can say that when money comes in between love than money is going to win. Money can ruin friendship of years in seconds.
Q2) what kind of person is Li Jia? Does his behavior at the end of story come as a surprise ? Why or why not?
I think that in the beginning of the story Li Jia was a immature child of rich father because he was very irresponsible and he always try to find out easy ways to solve his problem with money . When he fall in love with Du tenth he has to choose one love or statue in his family and he choose love “Du tenth”. At the end of the story it surprised me because he sold Du tenth for 1000 tales. It is hard to think because they have gone through a lot. We know he is child of rich father and for money people can do anything similarly Li Jia choose money instead of his love. I think he choose wrong direction in his life.
-What kind of person is Li Jia? Does his behavior at the end of the story come as a surprise? Why or why not?
When I read “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger”, I thought of Li Jia as someone who was naive and gullible. I also thought tat Li Jia was a person who does not understand the value of things as in the beginning, we learn of him and how he easily gained a position in the imperial academy by having his father pay for him to get inside. Li Jia was raised in a spoiled fashion and has no prior experience of working for the things he wanted, he grew up being handed everything in his life and never faced hardships so he does not understand the value of money or the value of other people. This could be seen in the way he spends his money. He does not have to think twice when using “his” money because he’s always been handed money so he assumes he will never go broke because his father will always assist him. Li Jia’s behavior at the end of the story does not come as a surprise to me because through out the story he seems to have been somewhat fearful of his father and he knew he would not be happy knowing his son was with a prostitute
4. It is important not to be fooled by money for it is something that comes and goes, something superficial which doesn’t hold any everlasting joyful quality. Pure love is unconditional and lasts forever, and should therefore never be replaced by money. Love wins in the long run, money doesn’t.
4. Money plays a central role in the story. What does “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” seem to be saying about the relationship between money and love?
The story, “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger”, shows us that money is more important than everything. When Sun Fu occurs at the end of the story, he reminds Li that it is shameful to go home with a prostitute and no money left in his pocket. Li Jia is the type of guy that afraid of his father. In his heart, he looks down at Du Tenth. He believes that his father will never accept this prostitute to be his son’s wife. Therefore, when Sun asks to use one thousand tiles to “buy” tenth, Li agrees to it. This shows that Li chooses money instead of love. In addition, Du Tenth is rich. But she never tells Li about it. She wants to give herself an “in case”; in case Li will leave her. On the other hand, Du Tenth may not really fall in love with Li. She uses him as a tool to free herself since she cannot be free without another owner to buy her from her madam.