Tales from a Chinese Studio: World of Denial

World of Denial

No matter how hard we may try, we will never be able to completely run away from our fears. This is a bitter truth that the protagonist of Lotus Flower, Sang, discovers through his constant denial of the fact that Lotus Fragrance is a fox-spirit and Li is a ghost. Sang, who is gravely afraid of spirits, is warned may times by both women of the true nature of the other woman. Sang is able to ignore his fears and see both women continuously because he allows himself to live in denial by making Li and Lotus Fragrance dismiss warnings about themselves.

It is clear from the beginning of the story that Sang is very scared of spirits. When sang’s neighbor jokingly asks Sang whether he is afraid of spirits because he lives alone, Sang diverts the question, saying that if a male spirit showed up at his door he would kill him with his “sharp sword,” and if a female did he would “invite the young lady in.” (211) In an attempt to call Sang’s bluff, “the neighbor went home and plotted with his friends,” to have a sing-song girl pretend to be a ghost in order to scare Sang. (211) The moment the sing-song girl says she is a ghost, Sang has the “fright of his life, and his teeth started chattering in his head.” (212)

        This practical joke has a profound effect on Sang. It spurs him to ignore his fears in an attempt not to be cast as a fool once more. Hence, the next time a girl knocks at Sang’s door, Sang lets her in without batting an eye because he is “confident” that is another of his neighbor’s “pranks.” (212) Sang is so determined to avoid being fooled again that he simply does not have any qualms about letting a complete stranger into his house. Whereas before, Sang is scared for his life the instant the sing-song girl says she is a “ghost.” (211). All of this goes to show the lengths Sang will go to in order to avoid being the butt of a joke.

        To this end, it seems logical that Sang would let Lotus Fragrance into his home once in order to stifle his neighbor’s joke. However, Lotus Fragrance returns to “visit him every few nights.” (212) Moreover, Sang acquires another sexual partner, Li. The instant Sang meets Li he has “misgivings that she [is] a fox-spirit.” (213) At the mere thought of that possibility Sang is once again “greatly afraid.” (213) Regardless of his fears, Sang feels “strongly drawn to her” and makes love to her. (213) Sang has yet to get over his fear of spirits; moreover he has a specific fear that Li is a fox-spirit. Even so, he  goes on to flatly ignore his instincts and has intimate relations with Li. Sang seemingly transforms overnight from a man who has the fright of his life at the mere mention of the word ghost, to someone who confidently invites women into his home.

        What could possibly drive Sang to ignore his great fear of, and his own warning against, spirits and spend many nights with both women? Sang is able to engineer a system whereby he is able to enjoy the company of both women but is also able to deny the dangers they pose to him.

        The very first warning Sang receives is from Li concerning the fact that Lotus Fragrance is a fox-spirit. Soon after Li sees Lotus Fragrance for the first time she describes her as “more beautiful than any woman on earth could ever be,” and that as a result “she is definitely a fox spirit.” (215) Upon hearing these remarks Sang does not spring out of his heat and have the fright of his life, rather he passes off the warning off as mere “jealousy.” (215) Sang does this so he can momentarily stifle the warning. He does not want to have to confront the warning.