After reading it seven or eight times, Jiang Ling finally understood why this film would become a classic ten years later.
There was no other reason than its profound content.
Set against the backdrop of the Republic of China, the film superficially depicted several influential figures suspecting, doubting, hating, and covertly competing with each other for decades over the death of a white moonlight, Hai Long. In the end, due to the invasion of their relatively prosperous dog of a neighbor, they were forced to set aside personal grievances and unite to defend their homeland.
In reality, it revealed the devastation of human nature by the remnants of traditional feudal thought, through the rise and fall of several major families. It showed how new productive forces spurred new systems, and how decadent and backward old systems were inevitably doomed to perish.
From the script, Jiang Ling saw the shadow of "Dream of the Red Chamber."
Why is "Dream of the Red Chamber" considered "yyds" (eternal god)?
Because its application of traditional culture reached a peak of unimaginable mastery.
Many people said that "The Legend of Pure Yuan and Musk" had the core of "Dream of the Red Chamber," but in fact, it didn't even learn the superficial aspects.
Although the character dialogues in "The Legend of Pure Yuan and Musk" were full of metaphors, they were too shallow.
The most remarkable textual technique in "Dream of the Red Chamber" was "one throat, two songs," which "The Legend of Pure Yuan and Musk" failed to grasp.
Take the male protagonist, Jia Baoyu, for example.
According to the interpretation of hidden meanings, "Red Chamber" is a lament for the Ming Dynasty, and Jia Baoyu is the Imperial Seal of Succession.
Jia Baoyu's chief maid, Xiren, when her name is deconstructed, becomes "dragon robe person," someone who wears royal clothing.
Jia Baoyu's good friend is Jiang Yuhan, which means "jade box," a container for jade.
What kind of jade requires being kept in a precious wooden box and guarded by a person in a dragon robe?
The answer is obvious: the Imperial Seal of Succession.
The spoiler for the ending of "Red Chamber" also states that Xiren will eventually marry Jiang Yuhan and, after the Jia family's decline, they will protect Jia Baoyu together.
Anyone with a basic understanding of history knows that the Imperial Seal of Succession was made from the Bian He jade, discovered by Bian He of Chu.
The Bian He jade, along with another treasured item, the Marquis of Sui's pearl, were collectively known as the "Two Treasures of the Spring and Autumn Periods."
The idiom "a match made in heaven" (珠联璧合) refers to the Marquis of Sui's pearl, and the "bi" (璧) refers to the Bian He jade.
When the Marquis of Sui's pearl was at its peak fame, the Bian He jade was still just a stone. Only after the mysterious disappearance of the Marquis of Sui's pearl did the Bian He jade shine, becoming an invaluable treasure.
These two treasures belonged to the "king sees no king" era.
Coincidentally, Jia Baoyu has an elder brother named Jia Zhu.
As the eldest legitimate son, Jia Zhu was the hope of the entire family when he was alive. It was only after his death that Jia Baoyu gradually became the apple of everyone's eye.
This also greatly resembles the historical parallel between the Marquis of Sui's pearl and the Bian He jade.
Jia Zhu is the disappeared Marquis of Sui's pearl, and Jia Baoyu is the Bian He jade.
When Qin Shi Huang unified the six states, the Bian He jade became the emperor's seal, passed down through generations and becoming a symbol of imperial power.
The Imperial Seal of Succession reached the Song Dynasty, which was destroyed by the Mongols. The Imperial Seal of Succession then completely disappeared from history.
According to unofficial historical accounts, this jade had a spirit and had returned to being a large stone, going back to the place where Bian He of Chu first discovered it.
The Imperial Seal of Succession was a precious jade. The Ming Dynasty did not obtain it, so Zhu Yuanzhang forged one himself, which became the false (Jia) Baoyu.
In the late Western Han Dynasty, Wang Mang usurped the Han throne and demanded the Imperial Seal of Succession from Empress Dowager Wang Zhengjun. Wang Zhengjun refused and angrily threw the seal.
As a result, the seal hit a table and chipped a corner. Wang Mang ordered craftsmen to mend it with gold.
In "Dream of the Red Chamber," Aunt Xue publicly teased Lin Daiyu, saying, "If your Sister Lin marries Brother Bao, wouldn't the four corners be complete?"