How's this for romance??

You're a hopeless romantic Anne.

Personally I'da bin more impressed if he'd got a job that fed me on better than grass that I had to hike up and down a mountain for, and arranged better accommodation than a cave! To me his carving those steps smacks of blokes who buy their wives a new mop for Christmas.

Why did he think she needed to clamber up and down a damned mountain when he could have done something about moving her to a better location? They musta both been mad. That's a very strange way of 'loving', more like possessing at any cost.

Or is that just me being cynically twisted again?
 
Last edited:
I'd say that was very thoughtful and romantic Anne. They were happy just to be together, and he was considerate enough to work so hard to make the stairs for her. :love_heart:
 

Diwundrin said:
Or is that just me being cynically twisted again?
Click to expand...

Yes. :D

China is a very strange place, and we shouldn't always judge the people's actions by our own standards and traditions.

At one point, long before this event took place, China actually supported younger man / older woman relationships, as well as older man / younger woman ones. They even encouraged them, and doctors would prescribe a younger mate for certain low-energy conditions. There was no social stigma, no shunning by the townspeople. It was an accepted way of life.

Then the Communists took over. At the time of these two getting together China was undergoing massive social reform and many of the traditional ways were being not only discarded but outlawed. They couldn't go into town to work because they would have either been arrested or executed. When you have nowhere left to go, you do the best you can.

His action of carving those steps was an offering when he didn't have anything to offer. He gave his time, his effort and his health in carving those steps. He did what he could in that very limited situation to show true love.

It isn't always about comfort or money, at least it wasn't in traditional China. It was about honor and respect and yes, love. A simple and unmeaningful act to us, perhaps, but to them it spoke volumes.
 
I loved that story, about as romantic as it gets, and my questions were answered my Phil's knowledgeable post. Widowed mom makes ya wonder about the child(ren) living those conditions tho. Even so, it was a very touching story and I enjoyed reading it.
 
Phil...You're so right about judging other's culture from the standpoint of our customs and experiences. That was a good insight on the political and social conditions in China.

His action of carving those steps was an offering when he didn't have anything to offer.
Click to expand...

Very poignant, heartfelt statement.
 
Diwundrin, in our world, yes, I'd agree that I'd just like a modest place to live; but as Phil says (and I did not know all that, either) it was so much different there. It makes the story even more romantic....and I'm not that romantic. :p

I do think love is still alive, but hard to see sometimes with all the other 'stuff' we have to think about - we still don't always realize what we have until it's gone.
 
... of course, being China, if they had another kid and it was a girl they probably would have tossed it down a well.

Ah ... true love! :rolleyes:
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top