There are multiple reasons why Xiangling became the first of the twelve hairpins in Jinling. First of all, Xiangling shows the most pitiful side of her daughter's fate in the story. She was separated from her parents when she was young and experienced life and death, which is a pitiful episode. Secondly, after marrying a wife, Xiangling suffered abuse from her husband's unfriendly and in-laws, and she was unable to have children, which made her life even more unfortunate. These two extreme life experiences encompass almost all the sorrows of the woman at that time, and make the reader feel deep sympathy and pity for her. Xiangling's fate makes her a representative of the fate of her entire daughter, causing people to think deeply about the situation of women.
In addition, the relationship between Xiangling and Jia Baoyu is also one of the important factors for Xiangling to rank first in the sub-book. Xiangling is Jia Baoyu's cousin's concubine, and her status is higher than that of other maids such as Ping'er, and she is also Xue Baochai's sister-in-law, which makes her relatively high status in Jia Baoyu's heart. Although Xiangling's background status is not higher than that of Xia Jingui and others, she is closer to Jia Baoyu. Xia Jingui has a poor personality and is not the main character, so he did not grab the first place in Xiangling's second book. Xiangling's background is also better than others, she is the daughter of Gusu Zhen Shiyin, and Lin Daiyu and Miaoyu are fellow villagers, and her family background is not inferior to others. To sum up, Xiangling has a special status and significance in Jia Baoyu's heart, so she is arranged at the top of the sub-book.
In addition to Xiangling, there are many other outstanding women who have also been included in the sub-book of the Twelve Hairpins of Jinling. These women are all from Jia Baoyu's relatives' families, and the minimum standard is concubines. They include Ping'er, Xue Baoqin, Xing Xiuyan, Li Wen, Li Qi, Xia Jingui, Fu Qiufang, Xiluan, Fourth Sister, Second Sister You and Third Sister You. Everyone's identity and status are different, but they are all excellent daughters from Jinling. In this era, people paid great attention to their place of origin, and men were mainly from their place of origin, while women were at home with their fathers and married from their husbands. As a result, the place of origin of these women has an important impact on their identity and status.
Xiangling and her role positioning in the Twelve Hairpins of Jinling not only reflect the tragedy of her daughter's fate, but also have a certain symbolic meaning. Xiangling, as the first woman to appear in "Dream of Red Mansions", set the tone for the pitiful fate of the entire group of daughters. Her name Zhen Yinglian is a homonym for "really pity", symbolizing the pitiful situation of her daughter in that era. Whether the ending is good or bad, Xiangling's fate represents the fate of the woman in the Red Mansion, and her story has become the epitome of the fate of her entire daughter.
In addition, Xiangling also has the effect of alluding to Lin Daiyu. The life experience of Zhen Shiyin's family of three is similar to the plot of Bao Daichai's three. Xiangling, together with the hibiscus flower god Qingwen and the lord of flowers Lin Daiyu, jointly lead the "pitiful" fate of all women. This insinuation deepens the reader's understanding and resonance with Lin Daiyu's fate.
On the whole, the depiction of women's fate in "Dream of Red Mansions" is very profound and touching. Xiangling, as the head of the Jinling Twelve Hairpins, represents the pitiful fate of all women, fully demonstrating the sorrow and helplessness of women at that time. Through the portrayal of Xiangling, Cao Xueqin successfully set the tone for the fate of her entire daughter, and through her fate, people thought about the situation of women.
As a follower and researcher of Dream of Red Mansions, I was deeply moved by the stories in it. This ** not only reveals the plight of women in feudal society, but also conveys warmth and sympathy. Through the depiction of the fate of women, Cao Xueqin makes readers pay more attention to and care for the disadvantaged, and calls for social progress and change. In contemporary society, we should also draw strength from this and make efforts to achieve gender equality and women's rights.
In short, Xiangling, as the first of the twelve hairpins of Jinling, has profound significance and rich connotation. Her fate is not only sentimental, but also provokes readers to think about the fate of women. Through the role of Xiangling, Dream of Red Mansions vividly shows the tragedy of women's fate and is thought-provoking. Xiangling's story should resonate and pay attention to us, prompting us to think about and explore the issues of women's rights and gender equality. Only in a fair and equal society can the fate of women be truly changed and not repeat the mistakes of Xiangling.