Discussion Questions for Imperial
Woman
1.
Discuss the Imperial Woman’s names that
evolved/changed through the story.
(Orchid, Yehonala (p, 7), Tzu Hsi) Do you recall if they had any
significance? How did Imperial Woman
personally change, if at all?
2.
In Pearl S. Buck’s foreword, she described the
Imperial Woman possessing good and evil that mingled in her while still holding
a heroic demeanor. Would you agree that
she “wrestled” with good and evil? Was
there anything else you think she may have wrestled with?
3.
The Imperial color was described as yellow. Name some other colors that were commonly
used as either symbolisms, used often to describe the scenery, and/or used within
the names of places. (pgs. 24, 139, 143,
156, 159, 176, 183, 306-7, 330, 333)
4.
The process of choosing a spouse for people in
power varied from entailed to casual selection from another. (P. 223, 275) How might this have been useful/damaging
during the Qing dynasty?
5.
In Chapter 6, there is mentioned of Yehonala
acquiring a little dog to ease her loneliness.
Discuss her dogs and pets (p. 88) and what they might have contributed
to her throughout her life and what they contributed to you as the reader.
6.
Early in the story Tzu Hsi had in interest in
painting (p. 21), reading literature, studying maps, wood cuts, etc. Many of her talents grew to impressive
levels. How might these talents have
contributed to her accomplishments in other areas? How might they have failed her in important
moments?
7.
Sakota was first to conceive the Emperor’s first
child (p. 41) However, Yehonala supposedly conceived the Emperor’s second. Gossip stirred (Ch. 7) not long after she had
her son. Discuss how might the author
came to this conclusion so confidently.
8.
How might Pearl S. Buck have come across enough
details for her to “portray Tzu Hsi as accurately as possible from available
resources and my own memories of how the Chinese whom I knew in my childhood
felt about her.”?
9.
Jung Lu evolved subtly throughout the
story. At first, he seemed to have
possessed less resistance towards Tzu Hsi (giving in to her “nightly call” (p.
37)) but then it appeared that he became the stronger of the two in flesh (and
maybe even mind?). Compare your first
impression of Jung Lu (p. 4) and how you came to know him to be during his last
days with Tzu Hsi (p. 202. 341).
10.
In what ways did Jung Lu (p. 202, 293-295, 311,
313, 315) influence Imperial Woman?
11.
Compare and contrast the Manchu and the Chinese
(pgs. 21, 47)
12.
Discuss European Imperialism and what role it
played over Imperial Woman life span.
13.
In the beginning of the book, Li Lien-ying,
originally assigned as her tutor (later became her faithful Eunuch and then
lastly her Chief Eunuch), had a premonition and wrote the lines for Yehonala to
read; “The Dragon awakes again, The day of the Phoenix has come.” (p. 23).
How possibly could he have known (or maybe he truly did not) that
Yehonala held so much potential?
14.
(p. 24) Yehonala refused to see the Emperor when
summoned to his bed chamber without her little dog. Le Lean Ling described her “mind more
stubborn than a stone”. Recollect other
examples of where Yehonala’s temper made an appearance. (pgs. 6, 162, 185)
15.
It became known that the Emperor was commonly
treated with opium by his own eunuchs. Sakota
died from opium poisoning (p. 271). Concubine
Pearl died from swallowing a deathly dose of opium (p. 307). Opium trade caused a serious social and
economic disruption within China. Discuss
the Opium Wars (1 and 2) and how they affected Tzu Hsi’s life and the Qing
dynasty.
16.
(p. 46-49, 130, 149) At one point, Yehonala
insisted that she was informed of her present “foes”. Throughout the story, she acquired many
enemies. Talk about these foes she
frequently encountered.
17.
(p. 65, 71, 256, 261, 298) Discuss the
themes; POWER, LOVE, WISDOM and how they presented themselves in Imperial
Woman.
18.
(p. 75) Tzi Hsi understood that “she must
first rule herself if she would rule others” (she read this in the Analects)
and towards the end of the story, after the enemy had won, it dawns on her that
“she would not shape the times but be shaped by them” (p. 328). Did Tzu Hsi utterly understand and apply
these lessons? When and when not?
19.
Compare the original Dowager Mother to the latter
Tzu Hsi, Dowager Mother.
20.
(p. 63) “For it was this woman’s power that
she could be almost what she feigned and planned to be, and so she became
nearly what she would be, at any moment and in any place. She was not deceiving, for she deceived
herself as much as the person before whom she appeared.” Should we give much acknowledgement to Tzu
Hsi’s “power”? Give an example of where
she might have abused her use of power (p. 214)
21.
(p. 63) In Chinese culture, Emperors were
believed to have descended from dragons.
Do you recall mention of dragons within the Buck’s novel?
22.
(p. 74) While discussing the intruding English
with his viceroy, the Emperor agreed; “We cannot indeed allow strangers from
other countries the freedom of our streets.”
Compare their governing to our present one (without getting too
off-topic!).
23.
Prince Kung had come home from after collecting
taxes and his wife had commented that she wished they had been born poor (p
203, 205). Would you agree with her
feelings about their hierarchy status in comparison to the poor class?
24.
(p. 77, 240, 241) At one point, Tzu Hsi had a
dream about her mother and was overcome with loneliness as she described to the
Son of Heaven. She longed for her
mother, yet she did not know why. Do you
suspect otherwise? Or did the longing
for her mother represent longing for something else (past, choice, regret?)?
25.
(p. 82) Describe what realities Tzu Hsi met
while visiting her childhood home and family.
26.
(p. 193) Tzu Hsi had a unique relationship with
her son, the heir. (p. 235) She believed
“she had given up all her womanhood for him, she had made his destiny her own”
Do you agree? From the limited time she
had while he was young, to the controlling and contradicting nature she applied
during his adolescence, and the authoritarian role she played when choosing his
wife, discuss the timeline and certain moments that were more vivid to you than
others. Do you believe Imperial Woman
caused her son’s death?
27.
Aside from Jung Lu, talk about Tzu Hsi’s
relationship (trusting and distrusting) of other men (eunuchs included). Discuss the role eunuchs played within the Qing
dynasty. Why did Jung Lu possess a
dislike for eunuchs? (p. 279)
28.
There was mention of Buddhism in the latter half
of the story. (p. 149, 160, 197, 199,
218) Why do you suppose religion was not mentioned prior?
29.
Could you find any relation to Tzu Hsi when she
arranged a marriage between Jung Lu and Mei?
How did you think she would react when discovering Jung Lu with his
concubine (p. 266)?
30.
(p. 217) “As usual, she ignored what she could
not solve.” Has this approach always
served her well?
31.
(p. 217) Discuss the philosophical approach of
limiting exposure to outside culture and influences that China practiced with
other nations. Discuss the pros and cons of a leader applying nationalism while
ruling a nation.
32.
(p. 226, 299, 306, 307) Imperial Mother comments
to her ladies; “You see how loving kindness conquers fear, even in
animals. Let this lesson be engraved
upon your hearts.” Tzu Hsi waivered much
between being kind and ruthless. What
was her true nature?
33.
(p. 236) Buck writes; There is no end to the
sorrows that children bring to their parents in palace or in hovel. To what might this concept be applied in
the book? Do you agree with Buck’s
assessment?
34.
(p. 241) Jung Lu responds to Tzu Hsi’s
questioning, “I have no true sons”. What
does he mean by this?
35.
(p. 309) Consider Imperial Woman’s quote; “Does
any nation give something, anything, for nothing?”
36.
(p. 328) Imperial Woman realizes she must leave
the Forbidden City and flee. In her
overwhelming state, she opens her book and her eyes fell upon the words; “For
lack of a broad mind and true understanding, a great purpose has been lost.”
What does this mean to you and how would this be applied to her circumstance?
37.
Do you agree that Tzu His eventually experienced
a revelation? (p. 341)
38.
(p. 346) Do you believe Tzu Hsi’s acquired
nickname, Old Buddha, was a fitting one?
Do you have another that would have fit her better?
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