"Dream of Red Mansions" is full of second masters, and continuations abound, what is the hidden meaning?In Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the four great literary masterpieces of ancient China, a unique and thought-provoking social and cultural phenomenon quietly emerges in front of the reader's eyes, that is, many male characters are dubbed "second masters".
This seemingly ordinary phenomenon actually contains Cao Xueqin's exquisite insight and in-depth analysis of the feudal social order, family ethics and the fate of the characters.
In the grand narrative picture scroll of "Dream of Red Mansions", whether it is Jia Qiang, Jia Yun, Fu Xian, or Drunken King Kong Ni.
Second, the supporting roles of Lin Zhixiao and Lai Er are still the protagonists Jia Baoyu and Jia Lian, although their identities and statuses have their own merits, they share the title of "second master".
Taking Jia Baoyu as an example, because he was the second son after Jia Zhu in the Rongguo Mansion, he followed the strict principle of order between the elder and the youngest in ancient China, so he was named "Bao Erye", which not only reflects the rigor of the traditional patriarchal concept of the ordering of family members, but also reveals the specific identity pressure and expectations he faces as the second son.
Although Jia Lian is the only son of Jia Yu, he is still called "Second Master Lian", which may imply the complex adjustment of power relations within Jiafu, or a subtle challenge or adaptation to the traditional hierarchy of concubines and elders.
Liu Xianglian is called "Liu Erlang" with his image of a young man, which highlights his uncertainty in his youth and his unstable social position.
The uniqueness of the title "second master" lies in the fact that it does not directly reflect authority and maturity like "uncle", and is different from other serial titles, and is often suitable for those roles whose status has yet to be established, who are younger or in the transitional stage.
Through nuanced depictions of life, Cao Xueqin skillfully combines this everyday title with the complex structure of the feudal social order, showing the chaos and absence hidden under orthodoxy, thus leading the reader to think about the diversity and contradiction of the internal rules of feudal society.
Further in-depth analysis shows that the two ladies of the Changfang in "A Dream of Red Mansions" in Ningguo Mansion and Rongguo Mansion - Lady Xing and You Shi, they are both step-families rather than original partners, although they have the honorable title of Mrs. Decree, but they are extremely isolated and helpless in the huge Jia Mansion.
Due to the lack of support for children, coupled with the emotional indifference and alienation of their husbands, their status in the family is precarious, and they have to rely on their husbands, and even acquiesce and even endure their absurd behaviors.
This series of episodes vividly portrays the unfortunate fate of women in the feudal era and their weak position in the family structure, while also revealing how the imbalance in the relationship between husband and wife can be an important factor in the decline of the family.
From the dialogue between Shi Xiangyun and Cui Wei and the twists and turns of the fate of many characters, we can capture the author's emphasis on the importance of family harmony and social stability through the concept of yin and yang harmony.
When the book mentions the concept of "a good woman is rich for three generations", it highlights the central role and long-term influence of women in maintaining family ethics and social progress.
The description of the phenomenon of "second master" in Dream of Red Mansions is not a simple narrative technique, but Cao Xueqin's delicate and sharp and profound examination and criticism of the family structure and ethical order at the micro level of feudal society.
He used this phenomenon to reveal the inherent contradictions and conflicts of feudal etiquette and the potential crisis of the order of the elders and children, while not forgetting to emphasize the decisive role of women in the construction of family ethics.
Through the Rongning Erfu behind the prosperity, we see that the feudal ritual system is like an underground river with an undercurrent, and its internal contradictions and crises are quietly accumulating, and finally become an important cause of the inevitable decline of the Jia family.
This artistic presentation undoubtedly allows readers to deeply understand the intricate relationship between the deep mechanism of feudal society and the fate of individuals while lamenting the impermanence of the world.