The House Of Hwang Analysis

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The House of Hwang is the residence of the wealthiest family in the northern town, Anhwei, with the Old Lord and the Old Mistress being the highest figures. Before their ultimate fall, those below the status of the House of Hwang envied, yet worshipped the family’s wealth, labeling them as the definition of being rich and prosperous. An example of their great thoughts on the House can be found from Wang Lung’s wedding day, when he approaches the gates, and is “seized with terror” at the prospect of entering the great House alone without another to witness their wealth within. After returning from his trip to the South, Wang Lung learns of how the House of Hwang had been reduced to a lowly state because of bandits robbing the last of their wealth. Wang Lung purchases their last pieces of land, and the House of Hwang soon falls entirely, becoming inhabited by common folk from the town. Soon, he purchases the once great House himself, and allows his eldest son to renovate their new home from its previous state, calling “carpenters and clever masons and they repaired the rooms and the moon gates between the courts that the common people had ruined with their coarse ways of living”, proceeding to build pools of beautiful fish in their courts as well. Nung En decorates their estate with luxuries …show more content…

Since his time as a young man, Wang Lung dreams of earning the power and wealth that the House of Hwang possesses, and with his dedicated work towards caring for his land, he is able to reach their level of power after returning from the South, all while retaining to traditional values regarding the land. In his older years, his name becomes associated with the concept of the House of Hwang, even before purchasing the residence, and is regarded as “Wang The Rich Man” or “Wang The Big Man” (Page 309) once he rises to the status of a wealthy

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