I love watching Hong Kong cinema for the complex characters, the amazing cinematography, the beautiful costumes. The conflicts are larger than life: brother against brother, man against country, love against the most impossible of odds. Anything can happen, as long as in the end…everybody dies.
Well, not everybody. Some secondary character can live to tell the tragic tale and remind us that in the end, all we are is dust.
That’s how I was starting to feel about these movies. The ones that have made the American market are only the tip of the iceberg. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The House of Flying Daggers. Hero. Watch an Asian movie and unless Jackie Chan is in it, there will be no happy ending.
Of course I know there are happy Asian movies out there, but the scale seems to tip toward tragedy. There are important messages in sadness and despair, I know. And I do like to get my heart wrenched open once in a while. I love a good cry, but I want my happy endings too!
It’s not just for the fantasy, the warm fuzzy glossing over of the hardships of life. There is empowerment in “happily ever after”. It’s a message of hope. Love and family are worth fighting for. Conflict and struggle can earn you happiness.
Happiness is a worthy goal. Happiness is just as poignant and validating and revealing of the human spirit as tragedy. Happiness is not a “cop out” or an illusion.
I want my happy endings, and that’s why I write what I write.
Jeannie Lin writes historical romantic adventures set in Tang Dynasty China. Her short story, The Taming of Mei Lin from Harlequin Historical Undone is available September 1. Her award-winning debut novel, Butterfly Swords, will be released October 1, also from Harlequin Historical. Join the launch celebration at http://www.butterfly-swords.com for giveaways and special features. Visit Jeannie online at: http://www.jeannielin.com
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Faced with a proposal from a man she despises, impetuous Mei Lin makes a daring declaration: she will only marry the man who can defeat her in a sword fight. She has bested everyone who has so far tried to teach her a lesson…until a handsome stranger comes to her village. In captivating swordsman Shen Leung , Mei Lin finally sees a man she wants to marry. A man she’s willing to surrender to in every way….
Excerpt:
Tang Dynasty China, 710 A.D.
Mei Lin could feel the strands of hair slipping from her knot, tickling against her neck. Uncle made her stand outside during the hottest part of the afternoon, even when there were no customers. She wiped her brow and looked over at Chang’s tofu stand at the end of the street with envy. He at least had the shade of a tree to duck under.
If she planted a seed today, she reckoned she’d still be here selling noodles by the time the tree grew tall enough to provide shelter. And Uncle would still be growing fat, napping in the shade.
A tingle of awareness pricked against her neck. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see someone had stopped just beyond the line of the wooden benches. The stranger wore a gray robe, but that was the only thing plain about him. He had the high cheekbones of the people of the north and stood with his shoulders back, lean and tall. Unfortunately the town riffraff stood just behind him, grinning and poking at each other over some boyish joke only they found humorous. Mei Lin ignored them as she always did.
“Little Cho.”
The boy came eagerly running at her call. Her little cousin was not yet corrupted by his father’s laziness.
“Fetch the tea,” she said and he went running to the stove.
She turned back to the intriguing man. He remained at the perimeter watching her. He had a pleasant expression and seemed particularly still, as if supremely comfortable in this heat and in this world. She stood there with sweat pouring down her back wishing her hair wouldn’t keep falling over her face like it did. It was so rare that strangers came to their village.
He bowed. “Wu Mei Lin,” he greeted formally.
Even rarer that strangers came who knew her name. The smile she was about to give him faded into a frown.
“Little Cho.”
He had just returned with the teapot.
She blew a strand of hair away from her face impatiently. “Fetch my swords.”
Copyright © 2010 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Copyright © 2010 by Jeannie Lin
Permissions to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A. Cover art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. ® and ™ are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited and/or its affiliated companies, used under license.
The Taming of Mei Lin
Harlequin Historical Undone
ISBN-13: 9781426852923
Available Now from eHarlequin, Amazon, B&N.com
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Journey to the very edge of honor, loyalty . . . and love
During China’s infamous Tang Dynasty, a time awash with luxury, yet littered with deadly intrigues and fallen royalty, betrayed Princess Ai Li flees before her wedding.
Miles from home, with only her delicate butterfly swords for a defense, she enlists the reluctant protection of a blue-eyed warrior…
Battle-scarred, embittered Ryam has always held his own life at cheap value. Ai Li’s innocent trust in him and honorable, stubborn nature make him desperate to protect her – which means not seducing the first woman he has ever truly wanted….
Honorary Mention of Book Sluts 'R' Us Blogger Awards by 
RR@H Novel Thoughts & Book Talk 
[…] has an interview up where I talk about my thoughts regarding negative reviews. Also blogging at Novel Thoughts on Monday about the Not-So-Happy endings in Asian […]
Either everybody dies, or somebody has to Get Married After Much Lulz. I also note that if a movie has big sweeping declarations of love (or in the case of Jingle Ma’s Mulan, BURNING LOVE TENSIONS) the chances of the lovers getting together are nil unless it involves death.
Sometimes, though, it feels like the endings are there as if to say “well folks, that was just a slice o’ life!”
Beautiful covers! Books are worth reading when you know the characters had to get through obstacles in their lives, whether fighting internal demons or fix misunderstandings to get to their HEAs. Always want to read a HEA!
Amen! Everyone is entitled to their own preferences, but IMHO those who publicly sneer at happy endings are probably wrong about other important things as well.
Though on occasion I am willing to appreciate a well written tragedy, my preference is for happy endings, as well,…
which is one more indication that I will probably like your writing once I get the opportunity to try it.
@Jha – I love the observation that the changes of a happy ending are inversely proportional to how passionate the declarations of love are. It really does feel like a cautionary tale sometimes — “Life is pain, get used to it”
@Colleen – I agree. It’s not like there is no tragedy in romance. They just make the triumph in the end more worthwhile.
@Fred – I do like a good cry once in a while, but a little sweet with the bitter is called for. I hope you do enjoy when you get the chance
A friend of mine pointed out that it’s not just movies, but Chinese storytelling in general, hitting at something I was thinking about earlier but wasn’t sure how to articulate, about how in life everyone suffers and dies and yet still love and find joy.
In contrast to Western stories which kind of give the impression that there is this Great Life Goal! This High Point in Life! And the story ends there on the high note, whether it’s a comedy or tragedy, whereas in Chinese storytelling, it’s like “yeap, you got up there, and now you come back down, up and down, until you die, then it’s someone else’s turn.”
This is exactly why I don’t watch Korean dramas anymore. I like getting my heart torn out of my chest and ground to dust as much as the next person, but where’s my happily ever after?!? That’s ultimately what I’m looking for, because tragic endings leave my feeling utterly wretched.
@Jha – I like this comment. I think the tradition of these tragic endings is supposed to make us reflect on the impermanence of life, how all things pass, good and bad, and how the only guarantee is death.
@Julie – I was just watching a Korean film about the intrigues in the Korean imperial palace. It went paranormal at some point and quite bloody! It’s nice to things end well, once in a while. Surely love can triumph some of the time. 😉
It’s why I try to make sure I have tissue handy if I’m going to watch one of these dramas… last one I watched was so sad. You go through the family’s entire life in China, both children end up dead at some point, and the end is just bittersweet. I was in tears and my dad thought I had lost it, lol
Yes, definitely need those tissues. I do admit, I like the ones that do it well, but sometimes I feel the sad ending is just put in for shock value. Then I feel robbed! Don’t play with my heart like that…
I don’t like sad endings too. I know it is a part of life but I don’t feel the urge to read it in books as well. It is enough to experience it in life!
Jeannie, I’m thrilled to “meet” you and learn about your books–I’ve always wanted more books set in historical China–definitely adding yours to my TBB! And yes, I LOVE HEAs. I want what I read to remind me that there is hope and that love can triumph over the tragedies that life sometimes presents.
@Tamara & @Fedora: I agree it’s nice to have books that can balance out tragedy with some HEA.
@Fedora – Nice to “meet” you as well. 🙂
Love the Butterfly Swords cover! I don’t really like sad endings. It’s hard enough to cope with in real life. . . they don’t have to be “happy ever after” all the time. They just have to have hope of peace, resolution or contentment.
“Hope” and “peace” – wonderful way to put it. I may not always want the fairytale, but a sense of peace is important to balance out tragedy.