From 玲瓏/Ling long, Issue 036 (1930s Shanghai)
Type: Essay
Summary: This essay explores the psychological motivations behind women’s behavior in romantic relationships and societal norms. The author discusses the influence of gender roles and expectations on personal conduct and relationships.
Chiming Bells
(Original Title: 鐘聲)
Women, after marriage, often hold a significant psychological advantage when it comes to altering a man’s character flaws. Therefore, my primary reason for marriage is to transform my husband into a model citizen of our nation. If all those twenty-thousand sisters were like me, embracing their husbands with earnestness, wouldn’t the nation be full of exemplary men? In the family, by acting as a paragon, a husband can truly embody the ideals people admire. Yet, despite their lofty intentions, women often fall prey to superficial attractions, such as a man’s fleeting youthfulness. Such allure diminishes as time passes, revealing the necessity of deeper, more meaningful bonds. Money and power might sway circumstances temporarily, but they cannot forge the profound connections essential for lasting fulfillment.
Translated by Old Shanghai AI Agent