MovieChat Forums > Da hong denglong gaogao gua (1991) Discussion > Yan'er

Yan'er

posted 17 years ago by Stunner2020
15 replies | jump to latest

What do you all think of Yan'er in this film? She was by far my favourite character in this film.

Deep down, even though she was to blame for Songlian getting caught out by The Master, as well as cursing Songlian and spitting in her clothes, I really felt sorry for her throughout the films entirety.

Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way, but perhaps Yan'er was the one we were truly meant to pity? Of all the characters, she is the one who truly dared to dream. It's such a shame that she suffered for it.

Also, the woman that played her, Lin Kong, and also Caifei He who played Meishan, were good actresses, why have the only done a few other roles since? It's a shame.

-Perry

[–] loyd-17 17 years ago

You're right, Yan'er represents everyone who wants to break from their "destiny", caste, class, or condition. Throughout the film Yan'er is reminded of her station in life, and the futility of changing it. She dares to buck the system, much like Songlian and pays the price for it. Contrast with Aunt Cao, who accepted her role as a servant.

Interesting to me is the decor in each of the mistresses' rooms. Songlian's room is spare, even austere. She brought nothing from her former life; contrast with Meishan's room with all the opera masks and dresses, and the richly decorated Zhuoyan's room.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] mango63632 15 years ago

I couldn't stand Yan'er and wanted to slap her.

[–] Neko1980 15 years ago

seconded

[–] karnewest 15 years ago

this.

[–] rosarypliers 15 years ago

Of course she was stupid. She practiced superstition. She actually believed the master would take her as the fourth mistress. It did not occur that her that someone might easily find the lanterns in her unlocked (!) room.
The irony is that Songlian, who was was admired for having attended university by many secondary characters, behaved equally stupid as the illiterate peasant girl.

[–] wilsonandrewc 14 years ago

Yan'er was jealous of Songlian.

[–] Star_blazer_9000 14 years ago

I liked. I mean she broke the rules with the lanterns in her home but can anyone blame her for having dreams? The voodoo doll was somewhat of a punching bag and makes sense since Songlian treated her so poorly even for a maid. She was living such an unfair life and her tragic end was just so damn sad.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] trisul 12 years ago

You say Songlian treated her poorly, yet she was nice on arrival but was dissed by the maid. She remained spiteful towards Songlian the whole time, even after Songlian forgave her. The voodoo doll is just a punching bag to you here and now, but was not viewed like that by the characters, and Songlian did suffer.

[–] FranLovesBetteD 9 years ago

You say Songlian treated her poorly, yet she was nice on arrival but was dissed by the maid. She remained spiteful towards Songlian the whole time, even after Songlian forgave her.

Very true. That's why I couldn't stand her.

Animal crackers in my soup
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop

[–] wilsonandrewc 14 years ago

In the beginning the first time Songlian and Yan'er met, Yan'er was rude to Songlian and gave her an attitude by pulling the water bowl away from her when she was washing her hands in it when she finds out she is going to be the fourth mistress.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] rzajac 8 years ago

I think you should take as a given that this is a tragedy, and the tragic crux is that there is no redemption. In other words, there are no heros.

In light of that, neither Yan'er nor any other woman in that household (or anyone else in that flick) is deserving of being parsed as being some kind of moral center against which the others can be judged. Yan'er is simply another species of perverse response to a system that squeezes the humanity out of people.

And that informs how I see all the concubines in that flick: Each is rendered merely another kind of psychological mutation of what might have otherwise been decent and laudable models of womankind.

I remember that, when the flick ended, I turned to my wife and said, "The women in this flick are meant to be seen as parts of one oppressed woman in modern times."

In any case, Yan'er is simply drawn into this.

--
And I'd like that. But that 5h1t ain't the truth. --Jules Winnfield

[–] to-071322 8 years ago

I didn't feel sorry for her. I found her extremely sour and she wasn't terribly bright either (tattling on Songlian even though Songlian was keeping her secret about her lighted lanterns). I thought her stupidity was her downfall.