It's A Man's World After All

漢樂府 〈上山採蘼蕪〉

上山採蘼蕪，下山遇故夫。長跪問故夫：「新人復何如？」
「新人雖言好，未若故人姝，顏色類相似，手爪不相如。」
「新人從門入，故人從閣去。」 「新人工織縑，故人工織素。
織縑日一疋，織素五丈餘。將縑來 比素，新人不如故。」

I came across this poem a few times in the past, and each time after
reading it, I feel the need to say something and “打抱不平” for the
woman in the poem.

The women in ancient Chinese culture had tough life. They were
humbled and often humiliated before men. They were told to follow
the Confucius rule, “三從 四德 “.

As you can see in this ancient Chinese classical poem, this woman was
likely “divorced” or “休了” by her husband and became a “ 棄婦 “,
due to the fact that she was unable to bear an offspring for him.
Sadly enough, she was still trying to seek the “fertility” remedy
“ 蘼蕪 “in the mountain in order to become a “real woman” and thus
to be accepted by the society again.

More sadly, when she happened to bump into her ex-husband (故夫)
on her way home (冤家路狹), she even had to “ 長跪 “ in front of him,
and humbly asked about his “ 新人 “. And this man, who had
obviously treated his spouses like slave labers and indulged his
selfish “pride”, and compared their work skills and work products
instead of thinking about their souls and feelings.

The following are my suggestions to the woman in the poem:

1). There was no need for her to make effort to “上山“ for the purpose
of seeking “ 蘼蕪 “.

2). She could have just avoided the direct contact with him, or simply
said “ Hi “ to him as a courtesy.

Or

3). She could, like some of the modern women nowadays, slap his face
( 嘗個大巴掌 ) and teach him a lesson. “長跪問” 不如 “賞巴掌”


After all, in the ancient man’s world,

“ 但見新人笑，哪聞舊人哭。”

It was a man's man's world after all.

It was a sad culture then !


Yeh Tze