Introduction
Plum in the Golden Vase or Chin Ping Mei is a five-volume series that is embedded on the Chinese culture through a scintillating look into the life of one wealthy man.
The man amasses a lot of wealth in highly mysterious ways. He uses the wealth to dazzle the society and does not fall short of racial and personal show off.
The work, which is a 16th century translation into English of a Chinese literary, reflects characteristically on this man. Being a merchant, highly corrupt, and subsequently successful, the man marries everywhere. This is meant to consolidate his grip on power and to stamp his authority in the immediate society he lives.
Marrying many wives is a show of might. He marries six wives on record and keeps numerous concubines off record. The book is a dramatic twist of sex, eroticism, corruption, power, and the focus on social interactions based on the life of this wealthy man.
This paper focuses on the first three volumes of this book with a broad interrogation of the major themes, discussions, and literary focus. This is intertwined with a broad analysis and consolidation of ideas with the aim of forming a single story.
Volume One Analysis: The Gathering
This volume focuses on the initial rise of Ximen Qing. As a 28 year old, in the 12th century china, Ximen Qing meteoric rise into stardom is clearly outlined. He marries Jinlian at an early age before he has any influence, either monetary or social.
However, in a quick and dramatic twist of events, he is soon established as the cock of the walk in the rural area of Qinghe. This change of events culminates in him marrying four other wives. He is soon connected in the political, judicial, and business arenas.
Because of these connections, Ximen Qing can easily bribe his way into favors and cozy positions. Ximen Qing quickly amasses a lot of wealth in the 12th century china.
He engages in the business of shipping merchandise across the seas and is involved in the business of trafficking illegal goods such as smuggled expensive metals too.
The metals may range from diamonds to gold, platinum to copper. Ximen Qing does this business so blatantly that he oppresses the native and landless Chinese. However, he is always getting away with it considering his immense network in the powerful circles.
Ximen Qing’s rise to power is therefore uninterrupted in this environment. He soon has too much to handle and is getting old. However, the first wife who is considerably in a better position to bear him an heir is unable to do so. Ximen Qing is uncomfortable with this.
In the meantime, he is greatly involved in many sex scenes with daughters of his business partners, the house cleaners, and workers.
The drama is also centered upon the inherent discomfort that Ximen Qing suffers when he finds out about the ensuing relationships and affairs happening between the members of society, his workers and his wives and concubines. Using his local government connections, he results upon great punishment to those involved.
After marrying the sixth and fifth wife, Ximen Qing’s dreams of having an heir to his immense wealth is finally realized. The sixth wife bears him a son. He is highly elated and he constantly holds parties to celebrate.
He obsesses over the sixth wife w here he now constantly spends. The book describes great sex scenes in which he is involved with the sixth wife. In the meantime, he leaves wide open the door for possible manipulation of sex hunger the other women experiences.
During his time with the sixth wife, the other wives are engaged in affairs with members of society, Ximen Qing’s workers, and even local government official whom he buys. The dramatic twists unfold to a point where it seems he is the only one in the dark. It happens right in front of his nose as he goes about his business.
There is also the drama that surrounds the fact that his first wife Jinlian insists on been referred to as the first lady. This is despite the fact that she is unable to bear Ximen Qing’s heir. This insistence rubs some people the wrong way including Jinlian’s own sisters. The sisters envy her.
They think that she is painstakingly proud and arrogant. Through many attempts at getting to pay back her arrogant nature, they resort to other plans. This includes a one sided attempt to gain favors from Ximen Qing behind Jinlian’s back. These favors are purported to have entered into erotic grounds.
The only person who knows about one of the sister’s involvements with Ximen Qing is a house cleaner who works for Jinlian. However, Jinlian treats the house cleaner badly and she finds hard to tell her about the affair happening right in front of her nose.
This volume forms the basis of the other volumes, which describe other interactions between Ximen Qing, his first wife Jinlian, the affairs, the power, and the money. It also describes the eventual ending of Ximen Qing’s perceived dynasty.
The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P’ing Mei: Volume 2: The Rivals
In this part, there is rivalry in all corners. The rivalry unfolds where more sex scenes are described. This is the case where more and more power plays of Ximen Qing are described in more detail. Additionally, there is more sex with very different partners. Jinlian continues to stamp her authority in Ximen Qing’s dynasty.
She punishes anyone who steps into her shoes. In one instance, Jinlian punishes one of her workers for a missing shoe. Ximen Qing defends the worker and Jinlian accuses him of having affair with her.
The shoe is finally found and the trouble cools down. However, the damage is done and Jinlian does not apologize. This is what characterizes the family.
In the business world, Ximen Qing is involved with more and more shady deals. These deals affect his relationships adversely and the people who are engaged with him in business seek to exact revenge.
However, because of Ximen Qing’s connections, they can do little. Their plans keep being discovered. When their plans are laid open, more and more punishment is exacted on people.
This volume is a characteristic power play that shows the rot in 12th century Chinese society. Although there is an established local government and a thriving class of business people who have the ability to hold accountable the local government, they use it to their advantage.
This culminates in a vicious cycle that serves to entrench the power of few people in society. Such people are in the class of Ximen Qing. However, even in that class there is notable rivalry that threatens the peace of Qinghe. The top class has an insatiable desire to control resources of Qinghe.
These resources include rocks with potential for producing valuable metals, the human resources including slaves, the local government. The latter is considered a resource since with little bribery and blatant corruption a person like Ximen Qing can own it and use it to advance special interests.
Hence, without having considerable amounts of wealth and resources another person form your class can outdo you bid. This creates enmity and sometimes may culminate in fierce fights.
The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P’ing Mei: Volume 3: The Aphrodisiac
This is a 16th century set up. It focuses on themes manifested quite largely in the other volumes too. However, this one is more erotic and dotted with hot sex scenes and romance. The broad theme about this volume is sex, wealth, and how to use the latter to obtain the former, without struggle. Ximen Qing is already dead.
However, his dynasty lives on with all the wealth. The inheritors of Ximen Qing’s wealth use it to stamp their power and manipulate the government. However, at this stage the manipulation is at a lower level compared to Ximen Qing’s days.
The family is greatly intertwined. There is no way to find out who belongs to which family. Additionally, there is no way of finding out who inherited what.
The above case presents a warm situation that is prone to manipulation and great metamorphosis. The power and money breeds hatred and grandstanding from among the heirs. They seek to control the best interests at the expense of anyone who comes in their way.
Additionally, the thriving sex life of the heirs, which knows no boundaries, is a characteristic that draws great interest from the author. The author depicts a situation where there is blatant disregard for familial ties when it comes to the need for sex and money.
The affairs are between nieces and uncles, neighbors, fathers and unknown sisters and brothers. These affairs breed killings as is depicted by P’an Chin-lien and Wu Sung.
In the end of this volume, the author depicts a situation where the once insurmountable Ximen Qing dynasty of 12th century quickly crumbles. There is no definitive heir as was the desire of Ximen Qing. However, it is also important to note that this crisis started in 12th century.
Ximen Qing had so many wives and concubines. This formed a situation where every one of the wives and concubines’ children felt they deserved a stake at the big cake.
As it became clear that this stake could not be peacefully taken, the whole family engaged in personal and familial hatred, which spawned deaths and the quick crumble of Ximen Qing’s wealth. Additionally, as opposed to 12th century, this was 16th century and many things had changed.
The people that Ximen Qing would blatantly bribe had gone. There were new generations with little stronger institutions. The slave trade and valuable rocks that dotted the Qinghe area had quickly reduced.
The population had increased. Hence, to gain a favor effectively, you had to own everyone. This intricate and sophisticated society ensured you had to minimally bribe or play a fair game. This Ximen Qing’s family had not been used to.