Food and clothing are a motif that develops the theme of Political Systems and Class Divides by illustrating the differences between wealth and poverty. When Fugui is young and wealthy, he wears silk clothing, drinks excessive amounts of alcohol, and eats meat every night. However, after losing his family fortune and moving into a hut, he begins to wear durable sack clothing that can withstand work in the fields, and food becomes something that is worked for rather than given. In this way, food and clothing become symbolic of wealth, and the lack of these things symbolizes poverty.

At the beginning of the novel, Fugui’s father tells him, “A long time ago, our Xu family ancestors raised but a single chicken. When that chicken grew up it turned into a goose, the goose in turn grew into a lamb, and the lamb became an ox. This is how our family became rich” (36). Like access to good food and clothing, the ability to have livestock is representative of wealth, which is largely out of Fugui’s reach; the family keeps lambs for a time but ultimately must sell them to buy rice. It is not until the end of the novel, after