张公权和张君劢对徐志摩的“幻想”是徐张联姻的原因,非但如此,张君劢在得知徐志摩提出离婚后,认为“张家失去了徐志摩,如丧考妣”(第127页),实在令人咋舌。张邦梅的爷爷(张嘉铸)还参加了徐志摩和陆小曼的婚礼,或许是当时也为新月诗社奔走的缘故,对徐志摩的个人魅力似乎认可有加。张嘉铸在年纪很大的时候都会挑战张幼仪权威,二人之间似乎也有种生分。他非但认为梁启超在婚礼上批驳徐陆二人是为了给张家面子,临终前还要求张邦梅写徐志摩的时候“to be kind”,要求在丧礼上读徐志摩的诗(第176-7页),说起来张家这几个兄弟跟徐志摩的感情,还真是深厚。
张家的兄弟出于自己对徐志摩性格中激进的那部分的欣赏,用了老式婚姻这套枷锁,把自己妹妹硬送到了徐家,来获得姻亲关系。说起来,有没有这层姻亲真的很重要么?是妹妹嫁过去,又不是徐志摩入赘张家,如果只是要维系友谊,方法有太多种,偏要用自己妹妹的人生作为纽带,名义上还是为妹妹找了好人家。开篇里张幼仪对张邦梅说的那句,“在中国,女人什么都不是。”(In China, a woman is nothing, p.6)不知道是不是也有对兄长们的埋怨呢?
A riveting book about Zhang Youyi. It wouldn't be fair to just refer to her as "Xu Zhimo's first wife," because she is so much more: a filial daughter, a kind daughter-in-law, a loving mother, a successful business woman, a first female Chinese banker, but... above all, a courageously independent woman who takes responsibility for not only herself but her entire little world. It is fascinating to see her struggles for her own education her whole life, her resilience after one and another of life's merciless tricks, and her humility and righteousness in every choice she's made. The book also offers a glimpse into the traditional Chinese thinking that many Chinese people today may not know.
The only regret is the author's attempt of a dual biography didn't really come through; the juxtaposition seems awkward, and the bits and pieces of the author's early life did not really lend the reader any more insight into how different Youyi's generation was or how much Youyi has influenced a much younger generation.
Nevertheless, this is absolutely a worthy read and a story that will stay in your memory for years to come.
繁华落尽,轻狂岁月不再,年华堆积成了皱褶,那个坚强隐忍的女子最终淡淡的说,“也许,在他此生经历的所有女人中,我是至爱他的那一个”(Maybe, out of all the women in his life, I loved him the most.)她恨林徽因,当年是为了成全他们,她才选择放手的吧,可是,她的牺牲没有帮徐志摩抱得美人归,原来那样痛苦的忍让退出,除了在历史上博个第一的名号,是那么的无用,她惊恐的接触到事实,即便,没有林徽因,也许他也会和她离婚。她怎能不借林徽因来恨呢。。。。。。她是真的在用一生去爱那个男人,那个只是在婚礼上才第一次看个明白的良人。只是,他没有爱过她。