Symbols & Motifs
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence and physical abuse.
Golden Lilies
The golden lilies, or bound feet, are the novel’s most central symbol, representing The Patriarchal Control of the Female Body. The process of footbinding is initially presented as an act of maternal love intended to secure a daughter’s future, with Little Flower’s mother describing it as a “priceless gift” that proves a girl’s goodness through her endurance of pain (3). This reframing of mutilation as a gift illustrates how patriarchal values are internalized and enforced by women themselves, who come to equate suffering with social and economic value. Over the course of the novel, the bound foot becomes a physical commodity, the primary measure of a woman’s marriageability, discipline, and class status. It functions as the ultimate physical manifestation of the theme of patriarchal control, making the female body the central site of both a woman’s oppression and her potential for survival in a world that denies her other forms of agency. The symbol is further complicated by concurrent imagery of the ornate lotus shoes, which represent the aesthetic ideal that masks the physical reality. These beautiful objects, which are fitted over “crushed bones and rotting skin” (60), conceal the suffering required for social acceptance, demonstrating how the patriarchal system beautifies and rewards female subjugation.
Embroidery
The recurring motif of embroidery represents the theme of Craft and Labor as Pathways to Autonomy. While this form of female creativity and expression are constrained by a patriarchal society, the art form also provides Little Flower opportunities for distinguishment and freedom in a world that otherwise strips her of her humanity. At the same time, embroidery is a valued domestic skill used as a constant measure of a woman’s discipline and worth, reinforcing her confinement to the women’s realm. Because of Little Flower’s marked embroidery skill, the needlework chamber becomes an arena for competition and jealousy, most notably between Linjing and Little Flower. Lady Fong’s praise for Little Flower’s talent fuels Linjing’s resentment, as she complains that if she doesn’t improve, “people might think you’re the muizai” (13). This rivalry disrupts Little Flower’s ability to use her talent to secure a good match and leave the Fongs behind. Even still, Little Flower relies on her embroidery talents to maintain a semblance of freedom. For her, embroidery offers near constant opportunities to work with others, communicate ideas, and make changes in her otherwise stifling circumstances. Her invention of needle painting elevates her craft into a unique art form, offering her the hope of a good marriage—and later an entrepreneurial gateway out of the Celibate Sisterhood—based on talent rather than the status of bound feet. Little Flower’s path to freedom thus originates from within—from her courage, determination, and innate artistic capacities—and not from abiding by strict external systems of control.
The Chatelaine of Keys
The chatelaine of keys is a symbol of domestic authority and the precarious nature of female power within the patriarchal household. Worn by the first wife, it represents her control over the women’s realm, making it a tangible marker of status in the rigid hierarchy explored in the theme of female relationships. The chatelaine is not a source of absolute power but rather a conditional privilege granted by the male head of the family and his mother. Its fragility is evident when Dowager Lady Fong (Maa Maa) weaponizes it to enforce obedience, threatening Lady Fong, “If you cannot tame [Second Aa Noeng (Peony)], I’ll seize your chatelaine and give it to your sister-wife” (19). This threat underscores that a woman’s authority is dependent on her adherence to patriarchal expectations, such as taming a “wayward” daughter or producing a male heir. The symbol’s ultimate meaning is realized when the chatelaine is stripped from Lady Fong following the revelation of Linjing’s true parentage. Its transfer to Peony signifies the complete and brutal collapse of Lady Fong’s identity and status as first wife. The chatelaine thus illustrates the illusory nature of autonomy during the Qing dynasty, revealing that any power a woman wields within the home is merely borrowed and can be revoked at any moment.
Unlock the meaning behind every key symbol & motif
See how recurring imagery, objects, and ideas shape the narrative.
- Explore how the author builds meaning through symbolism
- Understand what symbols & motifs represent in the text
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