Quickly read the Dream of the Red Chamber

Author: (Qing) Cao Xueqin / (Qing) Gao E / Wu Meng adapted
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Regarding Dream of the Red Chamber, Mr. Lu Xun had two passages that were particularly insightful. In his preface to Introduction to the Red Chamber, he wrote: “Dream of the Red Chamber is a book known to many people in China, at least, the name is familiar. The meaning of it varies depending on the reader’s perspective: the Confucian scholars see the Book of Changes, the moralists see debauchery, the talented see tenderness, the revolutionaries see the suppression of the Manchus, and the gossips see the secrets of the imperial court.” In his Historical Evolution of Chinese Fiction, he said: “In short, ever since Dream of the Red Chamber appeared, traditional ideas and writing styles have been broken.” Mr. Lu Xun’s first passage reveals the encyclopedic nature of Dream of the Red Chamber. The author Cao Xueqin meticulously portrayed Jia Baoyu’s life from pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty to his eventual disillusionment. Although it was based on his own life experiences, the entire novel is not merely a self-pitying or a of romantic affairs, but rather delves into the rich accumulation of Chinese society, history, and culture over thousands of years, showcasing how the entire old regime—feudalism, rituals, social customs, and traditional notions—jointly crush human nature. Similarly, the novel vividly depicts the decline of the Jia family from prosperity to decay, a process that coincides with the decline and fall of feudal life, thus possessing high typicality and generality. In this way, Dream of the Red Chamber not only presents readers with a rich and vivid historical and life scene but also offers essential insights into observing the world: extremes must eventually decline, good times are fleeting, and “to lament the imperfections of the world.” But precisely because life is full of flaws, the pursuit of ideals and the struggle against fate are what are most precious and commendable. Therefore, the meaning () of Dream of the Red Chamber lies primarily in its panoramic view and dissection of life; it is not just a love story, a historical novel, a social novel, or a political novel, but also a valuable textbook for life. Mr. Lu Xun’s second passage summarizes the artistic achievements of Dream of the Red Chamber. This magnificent literary masterpiece features over 800 named characters, among whom more than forty or fifty are vividly portrayed with distinct personalities. To depict the vast population and activities within and outside the Jia family, the author attempted to begin from four different points—“Zhen Shiyin’s Dreams and Enlightenment,” “Leng Zixing’s Monologue on the Rongguo Mansion,” “The Blind Judge’s Judgment of the Case,” and “The Fairy’s Song Revealing the Red Chamber”—but none fully captured the essence. It was only through “Lao Lao’s First Visit to the Rongguo Mansion” that the author found the opportunity to begin the main narrative. For this, the work adopts a holographic, three-dimensional structure, interweaving numerous characters and plots into a grand and complex system, where they mutually constrain and correspond. It subtly recreates daily life details without any obvious artifice, yet uses typicalization to give them waves and changes, making the story both captivating and thought-provoking. The characters’ language is filled with the beauty of life, offering readers both visual and auditory pleasure. It is particularly noteworthy that the author, driven by philosophical reflection, intentionally employs a wealth of symbolism, hints, and puns in the novel, guiding readers to decipher the subtext and deeper meanings of the Red Chamber world. All of this elevates Dream of the Red Chamber to the pinnacle of Chinese classical literature and makes it a treasure in the treasure trove of human civilization. Precisely because of these features, this abridged edition differs from the other abridged novels in the “Quick Read” series, which merely retain the main plot. This book preserves all the original chapter titles, with two chapters per section, fully capturing the intended meaning, and includes supplementary reading materials when necessary. Although it compresses more than five-fourths of the original text, the plot, style, essence, and highlights of the original are largely preserved, and it is hoped that readers will appreciate it.
The Jia family of Jinling held hereditary titles as the Duke of Rongguo and the Duke of Ningguo, having been illustrious for nearly a century. At this time, a prince named Baoyu was born in the Rongguo Mansion, destined to be born with a jade pendant. By the time he was thirteen or fourteen, he was already handsome in appearance, extraordinary in talent, and deeply loved by his grandmother, Lady Jia, and his mother, Lady Wang. However, Baoyu detested the mundane world and scorned fame and fortune. Despite his father, Jia Zheng, imposing strict discipline and beating him, Baoyu remained unchanged. His cousin, Lin Daiyu, was beautiful, intelligent, and sensitive, having lost her parents and lived alone in the Jia mansion. She shared a deep bond with Baoyu, and their affections were mutual. At the time, the sister of Lady Wang, the Jinling Xue family, also temporarily resided in the mansion, bringing with her her daughter, Baochai, who excelled in womanly virtues and was well-liked by all.
Because the eldest daughter of the emperor, Princess Yuan Chun, came to visit the mansion, the Rongguo Mansion was lavishly rebuilt into the Grand View Garden. Baoyu spent his days among the sisters and maids, composing poetry and holding feasts, living in great joy. However, the two families lived in luxury and extravagance, indulging in debauchery, exploiting the people, exercising arbitrary power, and engaging in intrigue and corruption, even to the point of disregarding human lives for personal gain. As a result, their fortune waned, and misfortunes multiplied. Thus, Baoyu and Daiyu’s rebellious nature and their idealistic pursuit of love stood out even more, making them unacceptable to the family. Taking advantage of Baoyu’s collapse after losing his jade pendant, his aunt, Lady Wang Xifeng, proposed the “swap plan.” Lady Jia and Lady Wang forcibly married Baoyu to Baochai, leading to Daiyu’s heartbroken death. Later, when Princess Yuan passed away, the Jia family lost its power, was stripped of its titles, confiscated, and robbed. Baoyu’s close sisters and maids were either married off far away, died young, became nuns, or were driven out. Lady Jia and Lady Wang Xifeng, among others, ended their lives in sorrow. “When the false appears as true, the true becomes false; where there is nothing, there is something.” Baoyu thus saw through the illusions of the mortal world and, after passing the imperial examinations, followed a monk and a Taoist priest, forever leaving the Jia mansion.