Zhongli

Zhu’s hometown of Zhongli is a representation of stagnation. Here, Zhu, her family, and the rest of the people around her have no hope of improving their lives. Zhu herself does not even have a name while living in Zhongli as her own family sees her as a burden that will be thrown out the moment she is no longer useful to them. Therefore, Zhu can only rebuild her life by escaping Zhongli and finding her own way to thrive.

The Wuhuang Monastery

The Wuhuang Monastery represents complacency and the outcome of refusing to improve. While the Abbot himself is very progressive when compared to the other monks, Zhu’s time in the monastery actually weakens her ambition. Not because it is a bad place. In fact, Zhu’s time in the monastery is what allows her to grow into the cunning monk that she...