“Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” is a love story written by Feng Menglong. The story is set in the twentieth year of the Wanli period, which is the year 1592. Around this time period, society was drastically changed compared to the earlier Ming Dynasty. It was more economically prosperous and socially open. In this era of change, Feng Menglong skillfully weaves his reflections on these transformations into the narrative of “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger.” A key item in the narrative is the jewel box. In this essay, I'll go over the economic societal backgrounds that help us understand this tragic love tale, the romantic relationship between Du Tenth and Li Jia and the jewel box's purpose. The following exploration seeks to unravel the interactions between economic shifts and individual relationships in order to offer a comprehensive understanding of "Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger" within the context of late Ming Dynasty transformations.

Before and after the late Ming Dynasty, merchants' social status experienced significant transformation. In the imperial era of China, society was structured into four primary classes— scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants— where scholars were thought to be the best position while merchants were seen as the worst occupations. This classification was rooted in the prevailing beliefs held by scholars and officials of the early time, who viewed commerce with disdain. Indeed, this negative attitude towards merchants arose out of the thought that crafts and commerce “produce[d] extravagant goods and services, and the satisfaction of such extravagant desires were deemed to be inversely proportional to the satisfaction of the basic material needs of food and clothing” (Tam, 15-16). Scholars argued that merchants, unlike farmers, did not contribute to the production of tangible goods essential for sustaining the basic needs of society. In the eyes of traditionalists, merchants dealt in luxury items that brought no real value to society. The prevailing mindset reflected a concern about resource allocation. Scholars feared that an increase in the number of merchants could divert manpower and resources away from essential agricultural production. This deeply ingrained bias against merchants persisted for a considerable duration, shaping social attitudes and contributing to the hierarchical structure of imperial Chinese society.

However, significant shifts in economic dynamics and social structures in the late Ming Dynasty began to challenge and reshape these traditional beliefs. One influential factor in this transformation was the acceptance of Wang Yangming's theory over Zhu Xi's ideology. According to Zhu Xi, human desires beyond basic needs would hinder virtuous behavior. Zhu Xi advocated for "preserving heavenly principle and eliminating human selfish desires" (Hsu, 116), emphasizing a stricter approach to controlling human desires. By contrast, Wang's theory emphasized the innate sense of right and wrong ("Liang Zhi") within people's minds, allowing for a more lenient view on human desires (Hsu, 120). Unlike Zhu Xi, Wang Yangming argued that innate moral senses and desires could coexist. The acceptance of Wang Yangming's theory marked a departure from the stringent constraints imposed by Zhu Xi's ideology, particularly concerning the evaluation of human desires. Additionally, Wang Yangming suggests that “the four estates of people have had different occupations but the same principle” which distinctly acknowledges the importance of merchants in society (Xu, 5). This shift contributed to a more open and accepting view of commerce and the merchant class in the late Ming society. As the social status of merchants increased, commerce naturally prospered even more compared with earlier times.

The narrative structure of "Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger" follows a familiar pattern in Chinese literature, featuring the traditional theme of love between a courtesan and a scholar. The central characters, Du Tenth and Li Jia, embody this classic motif. The tale revolves around Du Tenth, a courtesan with womanly charm (Owen, 837), and Li Jia, a scholar. Du Tenth, seeking equal and genuine love, contributes a substantial sum of money to help Li Jia buy her freedom. However, societal pressures, financial stress and the influence of others lead Li Jia to betray Du Tenth, resulting in a tragic turn of events. A betrayed Du Tenth opens the jewel box and casts all valuable treasures inside into the river before tragically ending her own life. After her suicide, Du Tenth returns as a ghost and seeks retribution against Li Jia and the merchant, Sun Fu, who had sought to purchase her. Yet Du Tenth's ghostly presence doesn't merely seek revenge. She also rewards Liu Yuchun, a character who had aided her in the past.

The narrative structure of "Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger" adheres to the conventions of traditional love stories between a courtesan and a scholar, exploring the complexities of societal expectations, personal desires, and the conflicts arising from the clash between love and societal norms. In many love stories, the central themes often revolve around the challenges posed by differences in social status and the societal expectations that shape the characters' choices. The introduction of valuable items in love stories often carries symbolic weight, representing tokens of affection and commitment without necessarily emphasizing their monetary value. In "Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger," however, the introduction of a seemingly ordinary yet symbolically rich object—the jewel box—injects a unique and profound layer into the narrative, pushing it beyond the confines of the conventional genre. This deviation from the norm can be attributed to the impact of the evolving commodity economy on traditional values, with the concept of money overshadowing even the revered notion of social status (Zhou, 149). As the economy developed, money played a more important role in the late Ming Dynasty compared to previous times. The jewel box serves as a multi-dimensional symbol, carrying various meanings and functions throughout the narrative.

Initially, the jewel box serves as a token of Du Tenth's sacrifice and commitment to her relationship with Li Jia. The jewel box represents not only material wealth but also the emotional investment and trust she places in their love. Despite her profession as a courtesan, Du Tenth yearns for more than the conventional relationships associated with her occupation. Du Tenth’s marriage concept is described as “emphasizing the autonomy of marriage and equality and mutual respect between men and women” (Zhou, 148). In embracing these principles, Du Tenth, following her redemption, considers herself the rightful wife of Li Jia. This conceptualization of marriage aligns with her vision of a union founded on equality and mutual respect. In the narrative, Du Tenth explicitly addresses Li Jia as "my husband" (Owen, 843). Du Tenth's actions go beyond mere declarations. She assumes the duties of a supportive wife, persuading Li Jia to mend his strained relationship with his father (Owen, 844). This portrayal adds depth to Du Tenth's character, illustrating her commitment not only to the romantic aspects of their relationship but also to the familial and societal obligations associated with being a wife. Her endeavors to reconcile Li Jia with his father exemplify a sense of responsibility and a desire for a harmonious family life. The jewel box also helps Du Tenth to fulfill the duty of a wife. When Li Jia lacks the funds for travel, Du Tenth takes money from the jewel box as the household expense (Owen, 845). Du Tenth fulfills the role of a good wife, but Li Jia still considers social status is much more important than genuine emotions. Despite Du Tenth's genuine expressions of love and commitment, Li Jia remains tethered to ingrained beliefs that assign greater importance to external markers of status. His inability to view Du Tenth as an equal person, beyond the confines of her societal role, becomes a profound source of conflict and finally leads to the tragic end.

Du Tenth's dramatic act of tossing the jewel box into the river not only symbolizes the abandonment of her love, but also serves as a deliberate and powerful expression of her rejection of being treated as mere property by Li Jia and Sun Fu. Feng Menglong describes the valuable objects inside the jewel box in detail. There are three drawers of the box. Each drawer contains one kind of valuables. The first drawer is adorned with "kingfisher feathers and bright pendants, jade hair pins and jeweled earrings" (Owen, 853). These items symbolize feminine extravagance and are traditionally associated with women's beauty and adornment. The second drawer houses historical treasures that appeal to scholars and carry masculine values. The last drawer holds pure jewels with "no guessing at their worth" (Owen, 853), emphasizing their value beyond societal perceptions. By showing the valuables inside the box, Du Tenth not only satirizes Li Jia's short-sightedness but also underscores the idea that she cannot be defined by secular values alone. The act of casting away the jewel box becomes a powerful assertion of Du Tenth's individuality, rejecting societal expectations and asserting her intrinsic worth beyond material possessions.

In conclusion, the jewel box in "Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger" emerges as a symbol embodying both emotional and monetary values, serving as a powerful vehicle through which Feng Menglong critiques prevailing societal concepts, that includes the importance placed on social status or the predominance of the monetary value system. Feng Menglong's intention is to underscore the importance of understanding one's inner instinctual value in a time marked by complex transformations in values.

Bibliography

Feng Menglong, “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” trans. Robert Ashmore, in Owen, 835-855.

Tam, Kat Tai. The Social Status and Thought of Merchants in Ming China, 1368-1644: A Foray in Clarifying the Social Effects of the Commercialization of Ming China. Diss. Queen's University, 2009.

Kwon, Hyuk-Chan. Feng Menglong's Re-Creation of" Du Shiniang Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger" and His Treatment of Qing. University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 1999.

Hsu, Pi-ching. Celebrating the emotional self: Feng Meng-lung and late Ming ethics and aesthetics. University of Minnesota, 1994, pp. 98 - 132.

Zhou, Haotong 周灏桐. “Qianxi ‘Huo Xiaoyu Chuan’ yu ‘Du Shinian Nu Chen Baibaoxiang’ zhong nu zhuren gong de aiqing beiju” 浅析《霍小玉传》与《杜十娘怒沉百宝箱》中女主人 公的爱情悲剧. [A Brief Analysis of the Tragic Love of the Female Protagonists in 'The Biography of Huo Xiaoyu' and 'Du Shiniang's Rage and the Sinking of the Treasure Box]. Qingnian wenxue jia 青年文学家 [Youth Literature] .27(2023):147-149. doi:CNKI:SUN:QNWJ.0.2023-27-083.

Xu, Guoli 徐国利.”Yangming xin xue de shisuhua lunli guan yu Ming Qing Hui shang lunli sixiang de zhuanhuan he jiangou” 阳明心学的世俗化伦理观与明清徽商伦理思想的转换和建 构. [On the secular ethics in Yangming’s theory of the Mind and its influences to the transformation and construction of Huizhou merchants’ ethical ideas in the Ming and Qing Dynasties] Anhui shixue 安徽史学 [The Center for Hui Studies] .04(2009):116-123. doi:CNKI:SUN:AFSX.0.2009-04-016.