Differences Between Zheng And Li Wa

Love is often referred to as a defining characteristic of human nature. The ability to feel and act out of love is commonly believed to be what makes human beings distinct and separates them from a mere machine. Consequently, humans have attempted to document, interpret, and portray this emotion throughout their entire existence, resulting in a varying range of definitions. In doing so, one is often able to not only gain a sense of people’s personal interpretation of love, but also the values held by the society amongst which they lived. Prominent themes of genuine love as well as devotion and loyalty, often in contrast with shallow infatuation, are incorporated into the Tang romances. Among stories that specifically focus upon heterogeneous
It is made clear from the beginning that the feelings between Zheng and Li Wa are genuine and that Li Wa’s feelings grow increasingly deeper. This idea is supported through Li Wa’s act of taking Zheng in, even when he is destitute and has nothing left to offer. When Zheng and Li Wa meet again, Li Wa is remorseful and takes care of him, telling her madam that they have ruined his career and caused Zheng to lose everything. Through these events, Li Wa also undergoes a transformation due to her love for Zheng. She abandons her life of consorting with wealthy men as a courtesan, and it becomes her goal to help push Zheng back onto a path in which he pursues a career and honors that are worthy of his standing. At first depicted as a dangerous lover, Li Wa has grown to become a virtuous and devoted caregiver, and the woman that led to Zheng’s downfall becomes the guide to his redemption. The narrator states, “How amazing that a singsong girl should have shown a degree of constancy rarely surpassed by the heroines of old!” indicating that Li Wa’s loyalty to Zheng was truly astounding, and even legendary (Xingjian 86). Thus, while their love initially was hurried and rash, it is seen that as their love for one another develops and grows more sincere, Zheng’s life begins to improve and the
At the end of “Ren the Fox Fairy” the narrator says, “It is sad to think that a beast assuming human form should resist violation and remain chaste and faithful to her lord till death, while few women nowadays are equal to this...And what a pity that Zheng...simply appreciated her appearance” (Jiji 24). These words adequately summarize the relationship between Zheng and Ren. Ren, who abandoned her life as a spiritual animal in order to devote herself to Zheng, exhibited unprecedented loyalty and represents genuine and sincere love. Zheng, on the other hand, feels nothing but infatuation for Ren’s beauty and focused more upon his own desires than Ren herself. Consequently, the relationship between Zheng is Ren is destined for failure, with Ren passing away due to Zheng’s single minded concerns for his own wants and needs. In effect, the story conveys that men can be worse than animals, and one leaves with an understanding of the distinction between sincere and disingenuous love. In the “Eternal Prisoner”, a story of two lovers is told in the similar context of love between a man and an animal spirit, with a man named Hsu Hsuan falling in love with a white snake spirit who concealed herself as a beautiful woman referred to as the “white lady”. In this story, Hsu is immediately captivated by the white lady’s beauty,