Ding Dang (simplified: 丁璫, traditional: 丁璫, pinyin: Dīng Dāng, jyutping: ding1 dong1), also known as Ding Ding Dang Dang (叮叮当当), was the granddaughter of Ding Busan and the lover of Shi Zhongyu. She was beautiful, clever, and mischievous, and she initially mistook Shi Potian for her beloved, leading to a complex web of mistaken identity and deception.
Biography
Early relationship with Shi Zhongyu
Ding Dang was in love with Shi Zhongyu, the son of Shi Qing and Min Rou. She was attracted to his charming personality and sweet words, despite knowing his true character. The two had a passionate relationship, and Ding Dang was devoted to him.
Mistaking Shi Potian for Shi Zhongyu
When Shi Potian was mistaken for Shi Zhongyu and made leader of the Changle Guild, Ding Dang also mistook him for her beloved. She helped Shi Potian on several occasions, even though she noticed he seemed different—more honest and less charming than she remembered.
Marriage to Shi Potian
Ding Dang married Shi Potian in a ceremony, believing him to be Shi Zhongyu. However, when the truth was revealed and she discovered that Shi Potian was not Shi Zhongyu, she felt betrayed and angry.
The deception
When the real Shi Zhongyu was found, Ding Dang conspired with him to deceive Shi Potian. They tricked the honest and naive Shi Potian into switching places with Shi Zhongyu, allowing Shi Zhongyu to escape while Shi Potian was taken to Lingxiao City in his place.
This deception demonstrated Ding Dang’s willingness to manipulate others for Shi Zhongyu’s benefit, even at the expense of someone who had been kind to her.
Final choice
After the deception was revealed, Ding Dang had to choose between Shi Potian, who was honest and virtuous, and Shi Zhongyu, who was charming but manipulative. Despite Shi Potian’s kindness, Ding Dang chose to remain with Shi Zhongyu, demonstrating her preference for superficial charm over genuine virtue.
Personality and characteristics
Clever and mischievous
Ding Dang was intelligent and resourceful, able to think quickly and adapt to situations. Her cleverness was evident in her ability to help Shi Potian (whom she thought was Shi Zhongyu) escape from various dangers.
Attracted to charm over virtue
Ding Dang’s character demonstrated how superficial charm could be more appealing than genuine virtue. Despite knowing Shi Zhongyu’s true character, she preferred his sweet words and charming personality over Shi Potian’s honest but simple nature.
Willing to deceive
Ding Dang’s willingness to deceive Shi Potian, who had been kind to her, showed that her loyalty to Shi Zhongyu outweighed her sense of justice. She was willing to manipulate others for the benefit of her beloved, even when it meant harming innocent people.
Contrast with Bai Axiu
Ding Dang’s character served as a contrast to Bai Axiu, who recognised Shi Potian’s true nature through intuition. While Bai Axiu valued genuine virtue, Ding Dang was attracted to superficial charm, highlighting the novel’s themes about the nature of true love and understanding.
Martial arts abilities
Ding Dang was skilled in the Ding Family Capture Hand (丁家擒拿手), a technique passed down through her family. She was a capable martial artist, though her true strength lay in her cleverness and resourcefulness rather than raw power.
Behind the scenes
Ding Dang represents the appeal of superficial charm over genuine virtue. Her character demonstrates how people can be attracted to manipulative personalities, even when they know the truth about their character. Her choice to remain with Shi Zhongyu despite his flaws highlights the complexity of human attraction and the power of charm over virtue.
The character’s name, ‘Ding Dang’ (丁璫), meaning ‘Jade Pendant’, and her nickname ‘Ding Ding Dang Dang’ (叮叮当当), meaning ‘Tinkling’, reflect her lively and charming personality. Her role in the mistaken identity plot serves to highlight the differences between Shi Potian and Shi Zhongyu, showing how identical appearances can conceal completely different characters.