Daughter of the Moon Goddess

In the initial exposition, Tan asserts her take on the Chang’e myth—that she drinks the elixir to save her child, rather than out of greed or desperation as in traditional versions of the myth. By having Chang’e drink the elixir for a safe childbirth, she is presented as a loving mother, and though she admits she, too, did not want to die, this serves to humanize her rather than condemn her. By making Xingyin the protagonist, Tan expands the world beyond the limitations of just the moon and the mythos, exploring what happens beyond the original story. This also provides the groundwork for incorporating other mythological figures, such as the Celestial royals.

Xingyin’s sheltered childhood in a loving and supportive home means she is curious about the world, but naive. She makes mistakes due to ignorance and is unfamiliar with the antagonistic aspects of court life and the importance of pedigree. Her secrecy about her heritage earns her the derision of Meiling’s other maids, and though she suffers their bullying with head held high, she seeks justice when given the opportunity via Liwei.

Xingyin’s time at the Golden Lotus Mansion introduces the theme of Honesty, Loyalty, and Honor in Interpersonal Relationships. Xingyin refuses to sink to the maids’ level and tries to be as honest as possible, keeping her outspoken personality and refusing to be punished for infractions she didn’t commit. At the same time, Xingyin remains loyal to her mother’s request for secrecy—it is her one lie for the majority of the novel, and she dislikes it (42). Xingyin’s upbringing on the moon allows her to be both candid and merciful. Despite Meiling’s poor treatment of her, Xingyin requests that Meiling keep her competition invitation as long as Xingyin gets one, too, which wins her Liwei’s friendship.

Though her education on the moon prepares her for some aspects of courtly life, Xingyin’s most formative experiences occur during her time as a servant. During this period, she learns resourcefulness and independence, while also becoming aware of the complexities and shallowness of politicking and pedigree. With no connections or allies at Golden Lotus Mansion, Xingyin must fend for herself to achieve her goals, be it returning home or improving her quality of life. This is most evident when she requests a competition invitation after her surprise encounter with Prince Liwei, rather than simply allowing him to punish Meiling by rescinding hers. Xingyin also finds a loophole in the competition rules in order to use her flute rather than settling for her second choice instrument, thereby winning the contest and escaping the toxic environment of the Golden Lotus Mansion.

Though Xingyin’s proficiency with music was mentioned in Chapter 1, the symbolism of the flute and qin are more evident in Chapter 4 during the music competition. Lady Lianbao is proficient at the qin, better than Xingyin—making the qin Xingyin’s second choice for musical instruments. However, Xingyin manages to use her first-choice instrument, the flute; as a result, Lianbao comes in second to Xingyin in the competition. The flute’s symbology begins to take shape at this point in the novel, coming to symbolize Xingyin and Liwei’s relationship.

Xingyin is also Liwei’s first choice for companion, in clear opposition to his mother, the Empress (62). Over time, he will become more closely associated with the flute, symbolizing him as Xingyin’s first choice of companion (as opposed to her second love interest, who is associated with the qin). These overlapping conflicts also set the stage for future character interactions later in the novel as the exposition and plot grow more complex.