Phonetic Colored Illustration Book of Chinese Classics, Issue 1 · Dream of the Red Chamber

Author: Li Yufu, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: A fresh approach to telling classic stories, unique illustrations that complement vivid text. Concise and elegant excerpts from the original work, with standard phonetic annotations suitable for teaching. Original illustrations crafted with artistic skill, taking children on a soul-stirring journey throughout their lives. Dream of the Red Chamber presents a vivid portrayal of social life in the late feudal society; the darkness of politics, corruption in the bureaucracy, moral decline, and the intricate web of conflicts and contradictions among father and son, brothers, wives, concubines, and master and servants in the aristocracy.
The intelligent and talented Jia Baoyu is the heir of the Jia family, entrusted with great hope. The learned, delicate Lin Daiyu is a frail girl who lives in the powerful Rongguo Mansion. These two people from different backgrounds weave a tragic love story. Love is beautiful, but reality determines that their romance is destined to end in tragedy. Lin Daiyu leaves this world with pure love, fulfilling her vow: "Born pure, return pure." Baoyu, on the other hand, rebels against the mortal world and can only return to the ethereal realm of the supernatural.
The author of Dream of the Red Chamber, Cao Xueqin, was a renowned novelist of the Qing Dynasty, known by the name Zhan and the courtesy name Mengruan, with the sobriquet Xueqin. Born into a noble family, Cao Xueqin grew up in wealth and luxury, skilled in poetry and painting. Later, due to his involvement in the internal struggles of the feudal ruling class, the Cao family's fortune declined. The sudden upheaval made Cao Xueqin keenly aware of the essence of the feudal social system. Thus, he devoted himself to writing, and with unwavering perseverance, he created Dream of the Red Chamber, a literary masterpiece that pushed Chinese classical fiction to its pinnacle.
The newly released Illustrated Classic of China is a series of books meticulously drawn based on the original work, specially dedicated to young readers. The exquisite illustrations by outstanding painters perfectly complement the text, vividly recreating the rich social life and profound artistic realm of the original. The expressive text, lifelike illustrations, and standard phonetic annotations aligned with elementary teaching standards will serve as a bridge for children to understand and appreciate the essence of traditional Chinese culture.