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Blood Coagulates, Blood Scatters: The Reality Beneath the "Blood" Imagery in Chronicle of a Blood Merchant

Author(s)

Xiyi Chen

Affiliation(s)

Hamilton College, Clinton, USA

Abstract

Set against the backdrop of profound social transformations from the 1950s through the 1980s, Yu Hua’s Chronicle of a Blood Merchant unfolds the poignant narrative of Xu Sanguan, a man of humble origins who sustains his family through the sacrificial act of selling his blood, revealing the harsh realities of life in impoverished times. This paper centers on the omnipresent motif of “blood” that permeates the entire text, employing close textual analysis and symbolic interpretation to examine how it simultaneously embodies themes of survival, emotional turmoil, and resistance through symbolism, suggestion, and connotation. The ebb and flow of blood vividly mirror the arduous struggle of the underprivileged class to exchange their own bodies for livelihood amid destitution; the distortion of blood kinship under economic strain reflects the alienation and fracture of familial bonds; meanwhile, acts of “yi xue huan xue (blood-debt repayment, lit. blood for blood)” manifest a powerless defiance constrained by corporeal limitations and systemic oppression. As a pivotal emblem, blood not only structures the novel’s narrative framework but also offers a vital lens through which to comprehend grassroots experiences and societal inequities.

Keywords

Yu Hua; Chronicle of a Blood Merchant; Blood Imagery; Grassroots Narrative; Existential Dilemma; Corporeal Politics

References

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