Book description
The Story of the Stone (c. 1760), also known as The Dream of the Red
Chamber, is one of the greatest novels of Chinese literature. The fifth
part of Cao Xueqin's magnificent saga, The Dreamer Awakes, was carefully
edited and completed by Gao E some decades later. It continues the story
of the changing fortunes of the Jia dynasty, focussing on Bao-yu, now
married to Bao-chai, after the tragic death of his beloved Dai-yu.
Against such worldly elements as death, financial ruin, marriage,
decadence and corruption, his karmic journey unfolds. Like a sleepwalker
through life, Bao-yu is finally awakened by a vision, which reveals to
him that life itself is merely a dream, 'as moonlight mirrored in the
water'. Cao Xueqin (?1715-63) was born into a family which for three
generations held the office of Commissioner of Imperial Textiles in
Nanking, a family so wealthy they were able to entertain the Emperor
four times. However, calamity overtook them and their property was
consfiscated. Cao Xueqin was living in poverty when he wrote his famous
novel The Story of the Stone.
