The Trafficked Girl
Zhen Yinglian, or Xiangling, is one of the most memorable characters in all of Chinese literature. You’ll never forget the haunting story of the innocent young girl who was kidnapped in public and who winds up completely disconnected from her own family.
The author of Dream of the Red Chamber describes her character perfectly, in a way that is fully consistent with actual victims of human trafficking.
In my varied and somewhat unusual career, I’ve had the opportunity to work in the world of countering human trafficking. It is true that most victims of human trafficking are extremely reluctant to talk about their experiences, or to even identify themselves as victims. When Xiangling replies “I don’t remember” to all of Zhou Rui’s wife’s questions, she’s not suffering from amnesia. Rather, this is her way of saving face, of trying to distance herself from the pain of the past and the reality of what has happened to her.
This is far from the trope of the damsel in distress that is so common in the pages of world literature. Xiangling acts just like a real person, with her own pride and privacy, insisting on respect from others and refusing to allow herself to be in a subservient, victimized role.
Interestingly enough, her servant name was directly mentioned in the poem the crazy monk chanted at Zhen Shiyin back in chapter 1, trying to convince him to renounce all ties with his infant daughter:
慣養嬌生笑你痴
菱花空對雪澌澌
好防佳節元宵後
便是煙消火滅時
You fool, spoiling your pampered child,
Like a lotus facing the snow, doomed to wither.
Once the Lantern Festival is over,
Everything will vanish – smoke dispersing, flames extinguished.
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