51 pages 1 hour read

Eileen Chang, Transl. Karen S. Kingsbury

Love in a Fallen City

Fiction | Short Story Collection | Adult | Published in 1943

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

“Red Rose, White Rose”Chapter Summaries & Analyses

“Red Rose, White Rose” Summary

Zhenbao has two women in his life: his wife, whom he calls his “white rose,” and his mistress, whom he calls his “red rose.” Zhenbao is a typical, successful Chinese man. He has a degree from a Western university and works in management at a textile company. His wife is educated and from a good family, and they have a nine-year-old daughter. He is a hard worker and, by all appearances, lives a typical life. He came from a poor family and worked his way up in the world.

The first woman Zhenbao had sex with was a sex worker in Paris. While studying in Edinburgh, Scotland (which the text incorrectly identifies as in England), he takes a trip to Paris on his own. While walking down the street, he comes across a sex worker in a red slip. He goes with her and feels ashamed about it. While she is getting ready to leave him, he sees her face in the mirror: It looks like “the face of an ancient warrior” (259). When he gets older, he thinks back to how he didn’t know then how to get what he wanted from a sex worker.

While in Edinburgh studying textile manufacturing, Zhenbao begins dating a half-Chinese, half-English girl named Rose.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 51 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,500+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools