Pa
Chin’s Family evokes a strong element
of conflict among the younger and older generations of Chinese families,
especially within the Kao family. At the
heart of this conflict is a struggle against the old Confucian ideas of the
elders in the wake of the end of the Qing Dynasty. Young people had a desire for individualism
that was shown through their rebellion against the old ways and the rejection
of Confucian ideals and rituals. The
young people of the Kao family, especially Chueh-hui, fought against this with
new ideas and condemnations of practices that were seen as doing more harm than
good. Students like Chueh-hui in the May
4th Movement sought the self analysis and revolutionary thought that they felt
was lacking in China. This fight also included
a desire for individuality that was in direct contrast to the old Confucian
values that stressed relationship obligations and stifled the individual. In
the end the novel gives justification to the youth by showing the sad
consequences that they interpret as symptoms of Confucianism.
The
head of the Kao family, Yeh-yeh, is
seen as a “crusty Confucian moralist” (65) by his grandsons, and displays his
dedication to Confucianism in a number of ways.
In an effort to dissuade them from attending school outside the compound
he tells Chueh-hui and Chueh-min, "Look at your
uncle Ke-ting. He never went to school, he only studied at home with a
tutor. But he reads the classics very well, and he writes better than any
of you" (67). His emphasis to the
boys is on the classics, as well as shielding them from any outside ideas they
may gain from their schooling. Master
Kao wants to keep the boys and the rest of the family submissive, and to have
no question to his patriarchal authority.
In a display of his absolute authority he forces Ke-ting, who has acted
in a way that shames the family by incurring gambling debts and consorting with
prostitutes, to kneel at the ground before him and repeatedly slap his own
face. He continues to stress the way his
family should behave according to Confucian relationships with his anger at
Chueh-hsin. His attempts to speak to his
grandfather on Chueh-min’s behalf infuriate the old man: "The patriarch
was furious. He knew only that his authority had been attacked and stern
measures were needed to restore it” (269).
In
the middle of the conflict between young and old stands Chueh-hsin, the older
brother who has felt pain inflicted by the Confucian system, but is forced to
continue and reinforce it by taking his place in the family. His individualism has been stifled. In his experience, he has been forced into
his role and forced into a marriage he did not want. Wanting to marry cousin Mei, he is instead
forced to marry Jui-Chueh through an arranged marriage which he has no say
in. Although in disagreement with Master
Kao, he generally does everything that is asked of him to maintain the status
quo. He sympathizes with his younger
brothers, but is unable to help them. He
fears Master Kao and the rest of the Venerable Masters, but is not strong
enough to go against this river of tradition, which makes him unable to act on
behalf of his brothers or their ideals.
Going
further in opinion from Master Kao and Chueh-hsin are the brothers Chueh-min
and Chueh-hui. Chueh-hui, the most
active and rebellious of the two, takes part in the movement of the students
and is confined at home by Master Kao because their ideas clash with Confucian
values. He shows his frustration often,
and takes to writing articles for the magazine he founded with his fellow
students and friends. Mistress Chen asks
him “Where's your sense of duty!" (286), as he
refuses to open the door for the witch doctor that has come to attempt to drive
away evil spirits. He does not see
embracing superstition as a demonstration of duty, and feels that his elders'
concept of duty requires ridiculous actions..
He also rejects the class system, saying he wants to marry
Ming-feng. She tells him "You
have to uphold your dignity as one of the masters" (75). Chueh-hui, however, has no desire to keep his
position in the Kao family when others like Ming-feng live in a system that
only sees them as servants. His brother Chueh-min also feels that his choice of marriage
should be his own, and decides to take the initiative in choosing his partner: "In
contrast to the older generation, Chueh-min took active measures concerning his
marriage. Without the least shyness, he made inquiries about the proposed
match” (254).
The
narration stresses the desire for individualism in the young characters. One of
the strongest representations of individualism is represented by Chueh-hui: "Ever
since childhood, he had been consumed by a
craving to be entirely different from the men of his elder generation. As
a boy, he had travelled a great deal with his county prefect father, and had
seen many odd things. He often dreamed of running away to distant exotic lands, of
pursuing unusual careers" (95). He
wants to travel his own path, one that is not decided by his elders. The girls of Chin’s school show their desire
to be able to make their own choices when many of them adopt short
haircuts. This is all happening at a
time when the male school that Chueh-hui and Chueh-min attend is considering
allowing girls as well. These girls want
what the boys are allowed to have, a future and an education. With these things they could have a chance of
standing on their own and not being dependent on others.
The old ways of Confucianism have many negative results
which help to reinforce the young people’s opinion of the ways of their
elders. Chueh-hsin loses the two women
in the world that he loves, one's death is due to the Confucian system and the
other's death is made more tragic by its rules.
When cousin Mei’s husband dies she is thought to be useless, she has
nowhere to turn and can make nothing of herself. The novel to connects this to her cause of
death, as she is slowly wasting away and spiraling down into depression. The second woman, Chueh-hsin’s wife, is
forced to leave the compound while she gives birth due to the superstition of
the “blood glow” that was believed to harm the body of the deceased Master
Kao. They are forced to keep separate
and Chueh-hsin sits helpless on the other side of the door as his wife dies in
childbirth.
The old ways have many detrimental effects for women,
materializing especially in Ming-feng's
suicide. Unable to deal with the stress
of becoming a concubine for Master Feng, she decides instead to drown
herself. Unfortunately, Chueh-hui and
Ming-feng are not the only victims, as Wan-erh is taken in her place to suffer
the fate of a concubine. Arrangement of
marriage robs an individual of choice, and concubines reinforce and exercise
the patriarchal control of society. They
serve to hurt the lower class in cases like Ming-feng. Chin’s mother later brings up the idea of
arranging a marriage for Chin, prompting her to think negatively on the subject:
"It became clear to her that this road was built thousands of years ago;
the earth on the road was saturated with the blood and tears of those women”
(202). The "road" she contemplates is Chinese tradition that placed
little power in the hands of women, forcing them into undesirable situations
like the many tragic women of Family.
The Confucian ideals that stressed a class based and
patriarchal system became heavily scrutinized during Pa Chin's life. After the
end of the Qing, many argued for reform as a way to bring China back to
greatness by helping all of its citizens and ending Western involvement. The younger generation's ideas of helping all
citizens, and not simply the upper class is stressed as Chueh-hui asks “Do you
really think enjoyment should be based on others' pain?" (140). Unfortunately,
Confucianism was a hindrance because it stifled change and reform by calling it
a violation of its teachings. Confucian
criticism and feelings like those of Master Kao had the effect of holding China
back and branding those who opposed the status quo as unpatriotic. As Chueh-hui
asks himself “Is love of country a crime?” (60), it becomes evident that the
intent of Chinese reformers is simply to work for an improved and recovered
China.
Works
Cited
Chin, Pa. Family. Long Grove: Waveland
Press, 1972. Print.
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