For some reason only the first 30 minutes or so of class made it onto the recording. It was written some time in the middle of the 18th century during the qing dynasty. Aug 30, 2012 cao xueqin was living in poverty when he wrote his famous novel the story of the stone. The story of the stone by cao xueqin overdrive rakuten. It is a fascinating story about the lives and even things beyond the earthly lives of the wealthy jia family and those that serve them or interact with them in some form or other. Iv by cao xueqin 1982, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. The fifth part of cao xueqins magnificent saga, the dreamer awakes, was carefully edited and completed by gao e some decades later. Top 10 books by cao xueqin best book recommendations, best. The story of the stone wikisource, the free online library. Divided into five volumes, the story of the stone charts the glory and decline of the illustrious jia family. The book was left unfinished by the author cao xueqin at his death in 1763 and was eventually published in 1792, with an added. His ancestors distinguished themselves through military service in the plain white banner of the eight banners and subsequently held posts as officials which brought both prestige and wealth. Considered one of the greatest works of chinese literature, this fivepart story charts the changing fortunes of the jia family.
Cao xueqin considered one of the greatest works of chinese literature, this fivepart story charts the changing fortunes of the jia family. The story of the stone great works of literature ii. Another translation dream of red chamber by cao xueqin. Hongloumeng, composed by cao xueqin, is one of chinas four great classical novels. The first part of the story, the golden days, begins the tale of baoyu, a gentle young boy who prefers girls to confucian studies, and his two cousins. The fifth part of cao xueqin s magnificent saga, the dreamer awakes, was carefully edited and completed by gao e some decades later. Cao xueqin book was inscribed in the mid of the 18th century in the qing dynasty. Long considered a masterpiece of chinese literature, the novel is generally acknowledged to be the pinnacle of chinese fiction. The fifth part of cao xueqin s magnificent saga, the dreamer awakes, was carefully edited and completed by gao e some d. Cao xueqin writing styles in the story of the stone, or. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. It sets worldly events love affairs, sibling rivalries, even murder within the context of the buddhist understanding that karma determines the shape of our lives.
Cao xueqin writing styles in the story of the stone, or the dream of the red chamber. Dream of the red chamber was written sometime in the middle of the 18th century during the qing dynasty. The story line of the novel roughly parallels these predictions. Cao xueqin was born around 1715 and died 12 february 1763. Xueqin cao quotes author of dream of the red chamber. He came from a welltodo family on the decline like the jias, and a number of autobiographical elements are woven into his great work, the story of the stone.
First part of class discussion of cao xueqin s story of the stone. Every day was spent in the company of his maids and cousins in the most amiable and delightful occupations, such as. Life for baoyu after his removal into the garden became utterly and completely satisfying. Based on his own interpretation of the concepts of qi life force, energy and qing compassion, empathy, his psychology allowed for complex characters and his portrayal of women was quite a radical departure from. Although little is known of his personal life, cao xueqin or tsao hsuehchin is considered to be chinas greatest novelist, and hong lou meng a dream of red mansions sometimes the story of the stone is regarded as the greatest novel in the chinese language. The outward magnificence of the chia family cannot disguise its decline and deterioration forever. The story of the stone is full of personal narratives, third person description of others stories, and conversations. This book is first of a five volume english translation of a chinese classic, dream of the red chamber a. Cao xueqin was the son of either cao fu or cao yong.
Aug 29, 20 the story of the stone by cao xueqin is another instance for me of me and my big mouth, as bugs bunny frequently said the latter phrase, not the entire sentence. Cao xueqin can be considered a person who was well off at his time but the writer of his biography suggests that the demise of his familys possessions, including their mansion was confiscated probably due to political intrigues. It sets worldly events love affairs, sibling rivalries, even murder within the context of the buddhist understanding that karma determines the shape of. The story of the stone by cao xueqin is another instance for me of me and my big mouth, as bugs bunny frequently said the latter phrase, not the entire sentence. Dream of the red chamber or story of the stone by cao xueqin published in. Dream of the red chamber, also called the story of the stone, composed by cao xueqin, is one of chinas four great classical novels. Children and youth in history the story of the stone. Ii by cao xueqin and xueqin cao 1977, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. The story of the stone, also known by the title of the dream of the red chamber, is the great novel of manners in chinese literature. Cao xueqin was living in poverty when he wrote his famous novel the story of the stone. The story of the stone by cao xueqin eleven and a half. It is generally acknowledged as the highest peak of the classical chinese novels. I find it interesting that the ending to the story of the stone is still being changed today. The story of the stone also called a dream of red mansions is a novel written by cao xueqin in 18th century china.
The story of the stone a chinese novel by cao xueqin in five volumes volume 1 the golden days translated by david hawkes the story of the stone chapter 1 zhen shiyin makes the stones acquaintance in a dream and jia yucun finds that poverty is not incompatible with romantic feelings gentle reader, what, you may ask, was the origin of this book. This novel recreates the ritualized hurlyburly of chinese family life that would otherwise be lost. Cao xueqin, a member of an eminent family that had served the qing dynasty emperors but whose fortunes had begun to decline, began composing dream of the red chamber during the 1740s. Cao xueqin 1715 or 17241764 was a chinese writer during the qing dynasty. Chinese scholars like to compare cao xueqin to shakespeare and have subjected his novel to similarly intense analysis a field known as redology, but a. Top 10 books by cao xueqin best book recommendations. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Indeed, xueqin titled the first, eightychapter version of the novel the story of the stone, which shows the importance the author attached to this mythology. Even though the last 40 chapters are considered the works of a different author, they were written in a time period much more closely related to gao xueqin s original. Why is chinas greatest novel virtually unknown in the west. Apr 07, 2014 the story of the stone by cao xueqin, translated from chinese by wikisource dream of the red chamber also red chamber dream, hung lou meng, originally the story of the stone, is a masterpiece of chinese literature and one of the chinese four great classical novels. It looked interesting, and since it was old i figured i could get a free pdf copy for my kindle i have a kindle, but i only use it to read free books. The book is notable not only for its massive performers and psychosomatic possibility. One of the more popular vernacular forms of literature was cao xueqins, the story of the stone which is said to deal with issues concerning intellectual, artistic, and sexual aspirations in life. It continues the story of the changing fortunes of the jia dynasty, focussing on baoyu, now married to baochai, after the tragic. Like next on the programme was a wife eats husks, from the story of the lute. The golden days cao xueqin this study guide consists of approximately 44 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the story of the stone, or the dream of the red.
The story of the stone the dream of the red chamber. The story of the stone, or the dream of the red chamber, vol. The story of the stone presented by chenwen hong feb. He is best known as the author of dream of the red chamber, one of the four great classical novels of chinese literature. Vol 1, the golden days penguin classics 1 by xueqin, cao isbn. It was composed in the mid 18th century during the qing dynasty, attributed to cao xueqin. The chia family members are accustomed to living in luxury, and certain parasitic landowners such as chin sheh and chin chen are nothing but dissolute and dissipated people. This 63page guide for dream of the red chamber by cao xueqin includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 26 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. The first part of the story, the golden days, begins the tale of baoyu, a. About the story of the stone, volume i the story of the stone c. At this point of time, china did not have a traditional dramatic form of literature.
By the time of his death in 1763 or 1764, cao had completed the first 80 chapters of the novel and might possibly have drafted the remaining chapters. Cao xueqin was born to a han chinese clan that was brought into personal service as booi aha or bondservants of cigu niru to the manchu royalty in the late 1610s. Through the changing fortunes of the jia family, this rich, magical work sets. Dream of the red chamber, also called the story of the stone, or hongloumeng composed by cao xueqin, is one of chinas four great classical novels. Cao xueqin, as quoted in the introduction attributed to his younger brother cao tangcun to the first chapter of dream of the red chamber, present in the jiaxu 1754 version the earliestknown manuscript copy of the novel, translated by david hawkes in the story of the stone. It was written sometime in the middle of the 18th century during the qing dynasty. Divided into five volumes, of which the warning voice is the third, it charts the glory and decline of the illustrious jia family a story which closely accords with the fortunes of the authors own. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on the story of the stone, or the dream of the red chamber. Buy a cheap copy of the golden days book by xueqin cao. It generally considered as one of chinas four great classical novels. However, calamity overtook them and their property was consfiscated. This novel recreates the ritualized hurlyburly of chinese family life that would otherwise be lost and infuses it with affirming buddhist belief. The story of the stone, or the dream of the red chamber. Cao xueqin 171563 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.
Divided into five volumes, of which the warning voice is the third, it charts the glory and decline of the illustrious jia family a story which closely accords with the fortunes of the authors own family. As with the family portrayed in the novel, cao s own family fell from. The story of the stone is the first volume of a five volume series that tells the story of the prestigious chinese jia family. The book was dream of the red chamber, also known as the story of the stone, written by cao xueqin. It is known for certain that cao yongs only son was born posthumously in 1715. The story of the stone was never intended for publication. The story of the stone is a homage to the girls and women cao xueqin knew in his youth, but it is not a simple idealisation. Also known as the story of the stone, written by cao xueqin, is one of the best cao xueqin popular classical novels. Xueqin cao books list of books by author xueqin cao. Dream of the red chamber, also called the story of the stone, or hongloumeng, composed by cao xueqin, is one of chinas four great classical novels. Dream of the red chamber also red chamber dream, hung lou meng, originally the story of the stone, is a masterpiece of chinese literature and one of the chinese four great classical novels. An unconventional, versatile man, he came from an eminent and wealthy family which suffered a reversal of fortune in 1728 after the death of the kangxi emperor and a power struggle between his sons.
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