The Ring, the Dragon, and Jia Baoyu

Fairy tales can look different depending on where we hear them.

G.K. Chesterton once said:
“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.”

In much of the Western tradition, stories don’t just stop at admitting the dragon is real. They make sure someone, often an unlikely hero, picks up a sword to face it.

Yes, dragons can be slain, and slain by us. No matter how small or insignificant we may seem.

That’s why the One Ring is destroyed by Frodo, the Witch-king of Angmar is killed by Éowyn (with Merry’s help). Evil is defeated because it’s fighting with good people.

In this worldview, the goal of ordinary people is the ultimate purpose of life: to live it well. The Dark Lord will not win; the Ring will be destroyed.

The main objective of all human existence revolves around playing. — — Chesterton

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Now, let’s look East

The traditional purpose of life throughout much of Eastern culture is quite different. It focused on preserving family continuity and maintaining unbroken ancestral incense flames.

The social order established clear responsibilities:

• parents to be kind and children to be respectful
• wives to show gentleness
• subjects maintained loyalty to their rulers.

Individual meaning was expected to be embedded within the social structure; otherwise, one will be a kite with a cut string — drifting, unacceptable.

So in Chinese stories, we rarely see a lone “dragon-slayer” , and dragon are not meant to be slain. Some people might believe the purpose of life is “to have fun,” but that idea usually popped up as a sigh when one’s government offical career hit a dead end.

Dream of the Red Chamber is a perfect example. The “proper” goals of life are mocked, while true “idleness”, such as pursuing extramarital affairs, abusing power, or bungling official duties, is seen as entirely normal. The family is the stage for the individual; society is the stage for the family. — -

If Jia Baoyu met Frodo

It would be an awkward encounter: one busy chasing his cousin Lin Daiyu, the other busy throwing a ring into a volcano. Neither would quite understand the other’s life mission.

Back home, Jia Baoyu would excitedly tell Lin Daiyu: “I met someone who’s a ring-stupid!”

Daiyu frowns:“Ring-stupid? Is that a new poetry club?”

Baoyu shakes his head: “No, a strange little fellow who says he’s going to throw a ring into a volcano. I told him, if he doesn’t want to wear it, just give it to someone else!”

Meanwhile, somewhere in Middle-earth…
Frodo says to Sam: “Hey Sam, I met this strange person. He doesn’t do anything useful. All he wants to do is play with the girls in his family.”

Sam scratches his head:“That’s… different.”