40 However, since one character may have several meanings, nu shu can
cause misinterpreting in meaning. One must look at the context to get the meaning. See wrote that
Men’s writing takes a lifetime to learn and understand. Women’s writing is something we pick up as girls, and we rely on context to coax meaning
p. 201.
This becomes a crucial thing that affects the relationship between Lily and Snow Flower. Lily misinterpreted what Snow Flower wanted to say in the fan. Due to
that, Lily embarrassed Snow Flower in front of many people. If it is said that nu shu will secure them, it is not exactly right. Nu shu, the thing that makes them
become one, makes them apart. However, referring to the function, nu shu is the connection tool to keep the users in with their family or their friends.
2. The Development of Footbinding and Women’s Secret Writing as
Described in the Novel Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
In this section, the writer presents two points of the development of footbinding and women’s secret writing in the novel. The first is to discover the
legendary development of those two things as told in the novel. The second is to explore whether or not the development of footbinding and women’s secret
writing in the novel is described all along. It means that whether or not from the beginning of the story, footbinding is described along with nu shu.
The history of footbinding is not clearly known. There are multiple theories tried to explain the origin of footbinding. Nevertheless, footbinding in the
novel Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is explained as a tradition for girls in some
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41 provinces. Hunan province, where Lily lived, obliged the girls to bind their feet. It
is also explained that the girls in cities bound their feet when they were three years old, especially for girls from the high class—much earlier when girls from Lily’s
so-so county started binding their feet at age six or seven. Meanwhile, in some provinces, girls only bound their feet temporarily to look more beautiful to their
future husbands. The bones were not broken and after marriage, their feet were set free again so that they could help their husbands in the fields.
Unlike the footbinding, the legendary nu shu was clearer. See mentioned in the novel that nu shu is invented by Yuxiu in Song dynasty. At that time, the
Emperor took her to be his new concubine because of her beauty, smartness, and behavior. Sadly, living in the imperial palace was not as beautiful as she thought.
Although she was given many gifts from the Emperor, she was not allowed to meet her family at all. Her life went to misery because she did not have someone
to talk to and share with. Yuxiu was actually able to write men’s writing, she learned it from her
father. But Yuxiu did not want to send a letter to her natal family. It was too dangerous. What she did was changing it into a better form. The characters were
narrower and more feminine. This becomes the secret code that she invented to keep in touch with her natal family.
Footbinding is described from the beginning of the novel. Lily and Snow Flower bind their feet when they are seven years old. Lily’s feet are bound on the
morning of the twenty-fourth day of the eighth lunar month. In another place,
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42 Snow Flower’s footbinding process is done on the same day as Lily’s. That is one
of several reasons why they are matched as a laotong. Both Lily and Snow Flower are together to endure the great pain caused by
their footbinding. Although they are already given some things that will help them to lessen the pain, it does not work. The one thing that makes them still able to
endure it is that the reward they will get later. The toes are broken a few days later after the footbinding process. To break them, the girls have ten round-trips back
and forth across upstairs chamber. The toes’ breaking, of course, makes them bleed.
Furthermore, footbinding is also described till the end of the novel. The time goes by; both Lily and Snow Flower have daughters. As an ancient tradition
they had to perpetuate the tradition of footbinding. However, as mothers, they expect a good future for their daughters.
Meanwhile, nu shu is acknowledged in the novel also of the beginning in the novel. Lily begins to be taught nu shu before she got her footbinding. Aunt
teaches her very well. “Aunt instructed me in the special rules that govern nu shu” See, p. 30. From Aunt, Lily learns all about nu shu as both her mother and
grandmother are illiterate in nu shu. On the other hand, as mentioned before, Snow Flower learns nu shu from her mother since they formerly are rich people
that let them to be literate. Nu shu then becomes a communication tool between Lily and Snow
Flower. At first, Snow Flower introduces herself to Lily through a silk fan with nu shu on it. Through nu shu they become one and by nu shu they are torn apart.
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43 Their silk fan, which notes down both the happy and sad stories, is retired when
Snow Flower dies. After Snow Flower died, Lily’s life is full of regret since she has already hurt the one she loves most in the world. In her sitting quietly phase,
Lily is still teaching nu shu in her women’s chamber and reading nu shu for some people who want to listen to her stories. Besides, till the end of the story, nu shu is
not known about by the men. Thus, it is clear that footbinding is described throughout the novel just as
women’s secret is. Footbinding and nu shu are the ancient heritage that they should be concerned about and perpetuate so that it will remain to their
descendents later. May no Chinese not fully understand with the tradition that Chinese had. Chinese people maintained this just for the sake of marriage and
tradition.
3. The Importance of Footbinding and Women’s Secret Writing for
