In the drama "Parents' Love", Zhang Guilan is the woman abandoned by Jiang Defu. Jiang Defu admitted frankly in the play that Zhang Guilan was the product of his parents' arranged marriage, and he had never had feelings for Zhang Guilan, so he left home for five or six years without any news. Just like Jiang Dehua's husband, he disappeared from people's sight.
In the original work, Jiang Changyi revealed Zhang Guilan's past to Jiang Defu's youngest daughter. After Zhang Guilan married Jiang Defu, due to the departure of her husband, she began a long life of staying behind. She took on the responsibility of farm work and taking care of her in-laws, and waited alone for her husband's return. During that time, her living conditions were the same as Jiang Dehua's, and she was charged with Kefu and was suppressed and discriminated against by her mother-in-law. They were just one of the many rural left-behind women of that era.
When Jiang Defu found out that Zhang Guilan was pregnant and asked the child's father, Zhang Guilan resolutely refused to reveal the truth. Unable to determine who the child's father was, Jiang Defu decided to send her back to her parents' home, leaving not even a letter of resignation. Zhang Guilan gave birth to Jiang Changyi in her mother's family, raised him with hard work, and insisted on not remarrying. In the countryside of that era, she and Jiang Changyi became the objects of ridicule and contempt.
Although Zhang Guilan hated Jiang Defu, when she was dying, she decided to let Jiang Changyi recognize Jiang Defu as her father, instead of the biological father who worked silently in the countryside. In her heart, this may be for the sake of Jiang Changyi's future. In this way, she hopes to open a door to the city and a better life for her son. But at the same time, she also hopes that Jiang Defu can feel a trace of guilt and pain in his heart while enjoying the joy of family.
This work profoundly reflects the sadness and helplessness of that era. It reveals the suffering and injustice of left-behind women in rural areas, as well as the indifference and discrimination against them by society. At the same time, it also presents a striking contrast to the comfort and harmony of urban middle-class families. In this context, the grievances and hatred between Zhang Guilan and Jiang Defu have become a microcosm of the times. In 1992, a work won the "Selected Chinese Literature Award", which profoundly reflects the changes of the times.
The character of Zhang Guilan in this work is heart-wrenching, but as the old saying goes, "the poor must have something to hate." Her biggest mistake was to have emotional entanglements with Jiang Defu's eldest brother. This can't help but remind people of the sentence that Jiang Defu's youngest daughter questioned Jiang Changyi in the original book: "Your mother asked for herself, who made her not abide by women's morals!."”
At this time, Jiang Changyi, who was already in the position of general manager and chairman, responded to this: "Yes, my mother asked for herself, who let her not abide by women's morals, and actually had a personal affair with the eldest brother!."But if she keeps the woman's way and is not with my father, won't your father divorce her when he returns?Would your father take a peasant woman with small feet and no big characters into the city?You say, will it?The answer is clearly no.
When the author Liu Jing wrote "Parental Love", she was full of sympathy for the rural people of that era. Although Lao Ding and Wang Xiu'e do not exist in the book, she does not give a direct answer to this question, but readers can feel her point of view from between the lines. Liu Jing's creative inspiration is based on reality, such as a couple who disappeared during the war years on the Internet some time ago and saw each other again: "I have never married, but after 54 years, I am waiting for your children and grandchildren."
At that time, rural couples like Zhang Guilan and Jiang Defu had no emotional foundation, and their husbands had not been heard from for five years, and Zhang Guilan was more pitiful than widows. However, Zhang Guilan's predicament does not justify her mistakes, so she becomes a sinner in marriage. Jiang Defu, on the other hand, can stand on the moral high ground and continue to marry and have children. But is it really not wrong for him to disappear for four or five years, without any news and without visiting relatives?
An Jie, an urban woman, looks down on Zhang Guilan and her hillbilly husband, and this attitude makes people think deeply. The author, Liu Jing, is clearly from the perspective of rural women, because in her life experience, rural women are a vulnerable group. There is a sentence in the original book: "Urban women are really amazing, they look down on rural people, and call rural people hillbillies, but once these hillbilly men get ahead, urban women refuse to let them go, and they flock to capture them all." "This reveals the complexity in human nature and the cruelty of reality. The reworded text reads as follows:
An Jie, the daughter of the capitalist, initially had strong opposition to her marriage to Jiang Defu. In her eyes, this man seems to be a dirt bun, with a hillbilly obsession with the bus, who can sit on a blind date for the first time, with dirt hidden in his fingernails, and a pen that may not be used. Her dislike for him was so obvious, however, she unexpectedly married him, and no one forced or urged her.
The book does not describe how Jiang Defu's speech convinced An Jie, and An Jie's reason for choosing Jiang Defu is very realistic - his identity and status. Although she looked down on him in her heart, the sense of superiority brought about by the rich life and identity change after marriage gave her great satisfaction. The transformation from a capitalist to an officer's wife allowed An Jie to learn to reconcile with his heart in marriage. She comforted herself and said: What else do I want, isn't the highest state of life psychological pleasure?
As Jiang Changyi said, An Jie is vain, although she looks down on rural men, she enjoys the spiritual satisfaction they bring. At the end of the story, Jiang Defu and An Jie's love has undergone a qualitative change, but initially their union is not worthy of our praise. An Jie looked at Jiang Changyi like a thief who stole her glory as the wife of the main house.
As a woman who values spiritual enjoyment, An Jie indulges in the vanity and satisfaction that comes with titles. So she couldn't accept Jiang Changyi's existence, even at the beginning of her marriage, she already knew that Jiang Defu was a second-married man. For Jiang Changyi and Zhang Guilan, An Jie is the city woman who stole everything from them. In their eyes, Anjie stole everything that belonged to them.
Although Jiang Changyi's approach was despicable, he said confidently: "I know it's despicable, but without the despicability at that time, how could I be where I am today?"This conversation took place between him and Jiang Defu's youngest daughter. At the end of the conversation, Jiang Defu's youngest daughter only felt ashamed.
In Liu Jing's pen, An Jie does not only represent herself, but a representative of a type of person - a city woman. In her opinion, this group of women is a betrayal for rural women. It is precisely because of this that Jiang Changyi's actions are considered despicable. But as he himself said, without the meanness of that time, how could there be everything today?This perspective reflects the complexity of social reality and the multifaceted nature of human nature.
She sat there and felt a strange feeling, as if she was undergoing a silent trial, not only for her mother, but also for the city women who had taken happiness away from the rural women. In the book, An Jie and Zhang Guilan do not just represent themselves, they each represent a kind of group. It's like the only indirect meeting between the two in the TV series, their worlds are simply worlds apart. The confrontation between rural women and urban women cannot be described with simple tricks.
Zhang Guilan is pitiful, but this pity has nothing to do with Jiang Defu and An Jie. Zhang Guilan, Jiang Defu and An Jie, these three people who have no intersection in the eyes of the public, have been tightly together because of the tragedy of the times. Is Zhang Guilan wrong?In the context of that particular era, she faced so many dilemmas and uncertainties. Just like Jiang Dehua, her husband is gone, she waits hard, what if her husband comes back after remarrying?For a newlywed woman, what she needs is her husband's companionship and security, and all this may be given by another man. Her choice seems understandable.
So is Jiang Defu wrong?As a man, he worked hard outside, but he failed to fulfill his duties as a husband. He ignored Zhang Guilan because he didn't love her, and he didn't hear from her for four or five years. However, who can ask a young lad to take care of his family extremely?Jiang Defu also seems to be innocent, and even he is a victim.
So what about An Jie, is she wrong?Although the author Liu Jing criticizes urban women in the book, believing that they are vain and selfish, possessing rural men but looking down on them. But that doesn't mean AnJie is wrong. She just went with the flow and chose a man who pursued her. She paid the price for her romantic pursuits and an ideal life. She, too, is not wrong.
All three paid a heavy price in this marriage. Zhang Guilan lives in the countryside, is blamed by others, and lives a bleak life;Jiang Defu in the original book was deceived by Jiang Changyi for more than ten years and has been kept in the dark;And An Jie, looking at the frank man sleeping next to him, spent his life to reconcile. I think their sorrow is caused by the special context of the times.
As beautiful as the series "Parental Love" is, the plot in the original book is brutal and heartbreaking. We should recognize that in those days, such stories could have abounded. They reflect the injustices of society and the complexity of human nature. This work is a profound reflection on that era, reminding us to cherish the happiness and peace of the present.
In one corner of the world, there is a group of people, and they are not all beautiful. In the cold and ruthless reality, they hide deep regret and helplessness in their hearts. However, the truth is often realistic and cruel, it may pierce our hearts, but it can also make us more sober and rational to face the truth of life.
Although this group of people has an imperfect past, they are also striving to grow and change. Their stories may be full of pain and frustration, but it is these experiences that make them more resilient and courageous.
Let's walk into their world together, feel their joys, sorrows, and sorrows, and understand their distress and helplessness. Perhaps, after learning about their stories, we will cherish our lives more and move more firmly into the future.