After learning Peacock Flying Southeast, all the students around me felt that Jiao Zhongqing was too weak and stupid: he dared not challenge the feudal patriarchal system for love, and even let his beloved wife "hang herself by the pool" or even "hang herself by the southeast"! I think these students' views are biased. This view ignores Jiao Zhongqing's social background, lacks the viewpoint of historical analysis, and only starts from our modern values. Jiao Zhongqing lived in the Eastern Han Dynasty about two thousand years ago. At that time, his values and morality forced him to retire from Liu Lanzhi.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Confucianism prevailed, which was the orthodox thought advocated by feudal rulers. Most officials are Confucian scholars deeply influenced by Confucianism. "Filial piety" was regarded by Confucius as the basis of "benevolence", which was even more respected in the Han Dynasty and gradually formed a complete system of filial piety. One of them is "filial piety to parents, not against their wishes." Although Jiao Mu asked him to divorce his wife, Jiao Zhongqing also strongly opposed it and expressed his determination to "never do it again", but under the pressure of strong public opinion and the absolute authority of his parents, he could only make concessions very reluctantly. But this does not mean that Jiao Zhongqing completely succumbed to his mother and the society at that time. He asked Liu Lanzhi to go back to her family first, and vowed to "swear that God will not deny it". Although this sounds like empty talk, it also shows that Jiao Zhongqing has not given up his feelings with Liu Lanzhi, and he is actively fighting for it. And if he insists on not getting married, I don't think Jiao Mu can beat him, and their reunion is not completely hopeless. So I don't think this can show Jiao Zhongqing's cowardice. He just adopted a "delaying tactic" to avoid a strong direct conflict with the overly powerful feudal ethics and patriarchal clan system.

Later, Jiao Zhongqing and his wife had no hope of getting back together, so they both fell in love. This reflects Jiao Zhongqing's strongest protest against feudal ethics. Because filial piety advocates "being cautious in the end", that is, dying for parents' pension, Jiao Zhongqing abandoned such a great responsibility for "children's affair". In addition, the status of men in ancient society is much higher than that of women, and it is unheard of for men to die for women in ancient society. I want to ask, if it is not a man who is affectionate, righteous and full of resistance, how can he do such a "big rebellion"?

We should look at Jiao Zhongqing from the social background and value orientation at that time. He is really not a coward.