As the film adaptation gained its world-wide reputation, its original story, in turn, has been unveiled by public curiosity: the first story, a seemingly unattractive story in Eileen Chang's collection "Wang Ran Ji".
Before watching the film, I turned over the pages of the story. Such an ordinary movement is surprisingly strong enough to arouse my heavy bitterness.
The story and the film share the same plot, the same poignant plot: Sacrificing her honor and everything, the student Wang Jiazhi carries out the plan of assassinating Yi the national traitor, with determination. But how can things go on this way, beyond prediction? For her patriotic peers she is just a scapegoat, and she uncontrollably puts herself in an even more awkward position...
The story seems unattractive because most of the plot is spoken out in Jiazhi's recollection, except the crucial scene where she and her peers are about to kill Yi in the jewelry shop. On the contrary, it is interesting enough that the nature of relationship between Jiazhi and Yi is not made explicit. It is adultery undoubtedly, but only two or three sentence can be found in the story, subtle and suggestive. How can Li An be so imaginative and figure out sex scenes so passionate and violent in his film?
Can love be reciprocated in such a dangerous and forbidden relationship? The execution scene suggests the answer "No", but Yi's reflection suggests "Yes". As a middle-aged man, "he had never thought that he could have such a wonderful experience in this period of his life...", although he had met many prostitutes before and pleased them with his gifts. Such thoughts pop up in his mind when he buys Jiazhi the diamond ring.
Jiazhi is different, so different that he would not give up his possessiveness even after her death: "She must have hated him. ...No matter what feelings she had in her last seconds, such feelings are feelings – feelings for him, after all."
The reality is cruel enough, since it cannot tolerate any weakness or compromise, just like the motif – the deadly white color so emphasized through the rays of light and through the table cloth. However, for such an innocent woman who has seemingly lost everything, such an ending, ironically, may bring her a little solace.
(originally written by darkkurama@yahoo.com.hk)
For another review much better than mine, please visit this website:
http://mypaper.pchome.com.tw/news/smfelixy2k/ -《色︱戒》- 李安與張愛玲的交合
