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Dream of the Red Chamber (Chinese: 紅樓夢; pinyin: hóng lóu mèng) or Chronicles of the Stone (Chinese: 石頭記; pinyin: shí tóu jì), written by Cao Xueqin, is considered by many to be one of the greatest masterpieces of Chinese fiction, written in the 18th century during the Qing Dynasty. The title of the novel has translated in a number of ways, with the word "mansion" or "room" (in singular or plural form) being substituted for "chamber," as in Dream of Red Mansions or Dream of Red Rooms.

While the book has a riveting and intricate plot featuring over 400 characters, it can also be read as a study of 18th-century Chinese manners, or as a Buddhist allegory. A lengthy work, the first 80 chapters were written by Cao and the remaining 40 chapters attributed to a Gao E, who published the combined version in 1792. Gao E claimed to have completed the work based on a manuscript by the author.

The novel is usually grouped with other pre-modern Chinese works of fiction, collectively known as the four Classics. Chinese fiction developed much differently from the West's; literature in general was considered more to encompass philosophy and poetry rather than fiction (known is Chinese as "minor speech"). The essence of this novel was arguably more realized after having come under scrutiny by scholars everywhere after China began adopting Western methods of writing fiction; coinciding approximately with the May 4th Movement.

A scene from the story, painted by Xu Bao (b.1810)
Other scenes

Sypnosis

The story orbits around a wealthy but declining family, the Jia clan, who occupies two large family compounds in the capital, Beijing. The main characters are the powerful family matriarch Grandmother Jia, the peculiar grandson Jia Baoyu (賈寶玉), who might actually be a stone brought to life, and his two female cousins, the socially graceful Xue Baochai (薛寶釵) and the temperamental, sickly and emotional Lin Daiyu (林黛玉). In fact, it would be more accurate to say the main character is the extended family itself: there are more than 400 named characters in the novel, including some 30 main characters, their servants, and various personalities who have interactions with the clan from all walks of life. Their mutual obligations and expectations, and the unfolding fate of each person are blended together in an episodic panaroma of eighteenth-century China.

Most scholars believe that the work is semi-autobiographical, based on Cao Xueqin's own family based in Nanjing before their decline.

Main characters

Template:Spoiler Jia Baoyu - The gifted, pampered young master of the Jia family, born with a jade in his mouth. He is also the protagonist of the novel. His relationships with the various characters of the book form the bulk of the novel.

Lin Daiyu - Jia Baoyu's female cousin, who is brought to the Jia clan after her parents passed away. Moody, sickly, temperamental, but with a keen intellect, she is the key love interest of the book for Baoyu.

Xue Baochai - Jia Baoyu's other female cousin, daughter of Aunt Xue. She is the epitome of social grace and consciousness in the novel, well loved by the various characters of the book, often to the detriment of Lin Daiyu. She eventually marries Jia Baoyu.

Grandmother Jia or Dowager Jia - the female matriach of the Jia clan, who adored and pampered all her grandchildren, in particular Jia Baoyu

Wang Xifeng - Wife to Jia Lian, who is Jia Baoyu's cousin and Dowager Jia's eldest grandchild. Pretty, clever and extremely competent, she runs the daily routines of the family, but can also be cunning and manipulative.

Jia Zheng - Younger son of Dowager Jia and Jia Baoyu's father, who is bestowed the rank of Assistant Secretary upon the death of his father. A strict Confucianist, he takes a very strict upbringing of his son Jia Baoyu.

Lady Wang - First wife to Jia Zheng and Jia Baoyu's mother. She is also the mother of Jia Zhu (deceased) and Yuan-chun.

The novel is graced with different styles of foreshadowing. Through all, the author reveals the reality of life amidst the "red dust" -- the grasping, yearning, opulent, and ultimately futile life of both peasant and elite in 18th-century China. Taoist and Buddhist themes are woven deeply into the structure of the novel and one of Cao Xueqin's aims is to reveal the emptiness and beauty of the aristocratic society he unveils for us.

Who wrote the last 40 chapters of Dream?

Prior to the first complete publication of Dream of the Red Chamber, the novel existed in only the incomplete 80-chapter versions. In 1792, Chen Weiyuan and Gao E brought together the first complete 120-chapter version of Dream, claiming to have completed them based on the author's manuscripts. Scholars since then have argued the extent to which Gao E had revised Cao's original intentions, or whether he did have any access to the extant manuscripts of the author in the first place. According to Hu Shi, who first put forth the theory that the last 40 chapters were a forgery by Gao E, the ending of the novel does not coincide with the various foreshadowings of the chief characters' fates in the prophetic poetic lines. Some scholars have contrary ideas, and feel very strongly that Gao E had at least a glimpse of Cao's rudimentary plans for the novel's last 40 chapters, or even that he was merely the acting editor for Cao's working papers. Others however think Chen Weiyuan and Gao E may have been duped into taking a forged continuation as the author's original work.

Family trees

The Jia clan

                                                    common ancestor               
                                                           |                      
               ,-------------------------------------------+----------------------------.
               |                                                                        |
            Jia Yan                                                                  Jia Yuan
        Duke of Ning-guo                                                         Duke of Rong-guo
               |                                                                        |
          Jia Dai-hua                                                              Jia Dai-Shan === Grandmother Jia (née Shi)
               |                                                                                 |
        ,------+-------.                                   ,-------------------------------------+---+------------------------------------------.
        |              |                                   |                                         |                                          |
      Jia Fu       Jia Jing                             Jia She === Lady Xing                    Jia Zheng === Lady Wang                     Jia Min === Lin Ru-hai
                       |                                         |                                          |                                         |
                ,------+-------.                           ,-----------.                    ,---------+-----+--+---------+----------.                 |
                |              |                           |           |                    |         |        |         |          |                 |
  You-shi === Cousin Zhen   Xi-chun   Wang Xi-feng === Jia Lian   Ying-chun*  Li Wan === Jia Zhu  Yuan-chun  Bao-yu  Tan-chun*  Jia Huan*        Lin Dai-yu
           |                                        |                                 |
      Jia Rong === Qin-shi                       Qiao-jie                          Jia Lan
                                                 ('baby')

 * denotes a child by a concubine

The Wang family

            ,--------------------+--------------+---------------------------------.
            |                    |              |                                 |
   Wang Xi-feng's father    Wang Zi-teng    Lady Wang === Jia Zheng       Aunt Xue (née Wang)
            |                                          |                          |
     ,------+--.                           ,-----------+--+--------.         ,----+---.
     |         |                           |              |        |         |        |
 Wang Ren  Xi-feng === Jia Lian   Jia Zhu === Li Wan  Yuan-chun  Bao-yu   Xue Pan  Bao-chai

External links

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''''Dream of the Red Chamber''''' ([[Chinese language|Chinese]]: &#32005;&#27155;&#22818;; [[pinyin]]: hóng lóu mèng) or '''''Chronicles of the Stone''''' (Chinese: &#30707;&#38957;&#35352;; pinyin: shí tóu jì), written by [[Cao Xueqin]], is one of the greatest masterpieces of [[Chinese literature|Chinese fiction]] and of the [[four Classics]], written in the 18th century during the [[Qing Dynasty]]. The title of the novel has translated in a number of ways, with the word "mansion" or "room" (in singular or plural form) being substituted for "chamber," as in '''''Dream of Red Mansions''''' or '''''Dream of Red Rooms'''''.
+'''''Dream of the Red Chamber''''' ([[Chinese language|Chinese]]: &#32005;&#27155;&#22818;; [[pinyin]]: hóng lóu mèng) or '''''Chronicles of the Stone''''' (Chinese: &#30707;&#38957;&#35352;; pinyin: shí tóu jì), written by [[Cao Xueqin]], is considered by many to be one of the greatest masterpieces of [[Chinese literature|Chinese fiction]], written in the 18th century during the [[Qing Dynasty]]. The title of the novel has translated in a number of ways, with the word "mansion" or "room" (in singular or plural form) being substituted for "chamber," as in '''''Dream of Red Mansions''''' or '''''Dream of Red Rooms'''''.
 While the book has a riveting and intricate plot featuring over 400 characters, it can also be read as a study of 18th-century Chinese manners, or as a [[Buddhist]] [[allegory]]. A lengthy work, the first 80 chapters were written by Cao and the remaining 40 chapters attributed to a [[Gao E]], who published the combined version in [[1792]]. Gao E claimed to have completed the work based on a manuscript by the author.
+The novel is usually grouped with other pre-modern Chinese works of fiction, collectively known as the [[four Classics]].  Chinese fiction developed much differently from the West's; literature in general was considered more to encompass philosophy and poetry rather than fiction (known is Chinese as "minor speech").  The essence of this novel was arguably more realized after having come under scrutiny by scholars everywhere ''after'' China began adopting Western methods of writing fiction; coinciding approximately with the [[May 4th Movement]].
 [[image:hongloumeng2.jpg|right|250px|thumb|A scene from the story, painted by Xu Bao (b.1810) <br> <center><small>[[:Image:hongloumeng3.jpg|Other scenes]]</small></center>]]