Chapter 1 Summary and Analysis

The author's great-grandfather was Yang Ru-shan, born in 1894 as the only son. It was his duty to produce heirs, effectively continuing the family name. Yang Ru-shan married at fourteen to a woman six years older. His wife had been given no name at all and was merely called "Two Girl". Just a year after they were married they had a daughter, Yu-Fang, the author's grandmother and the first of the three women in this story. Political unrest caused problems for many in China over the next years but Yang Ru-shan has aspirations. And his one valuable asset is his beautiful daughter. With that in mind, he arranges for a powerful warlord general, Xue Zhi-heng, to see her. A few nights later, at significant expense, he hosts an opera and places Yu-Fang so that the general can watch her. A few nights...