Mirror-Made Flowers

Author: (Qing) Li Ruzhen / Chen Yuchun (Annotations)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: A Dream of the Red Chamber is an excellent romantic novel with a certain folk inclination. The author Liu Ruzhen had a deep connection with Haizhou and maintained a close relationship with it. Liu Ruzhen was likely born after the 28th year of the Qianlong reign (1763) and died before the 10th year of the Daoguang reign (1820). In the 47th year of the Qianlong reign (1782), he moved to Banpu in Haizhou with his brother Liu Ruhuang. Liu Ruhuang served as the Assistant Magistrate of the Banpu Salt Tax Office until he retired and settled down in the 4th year of the Jiaqing reign (1799). It is certain that Liu Ruzhen lived in Haizhou in his later years.
The story of A Dream of the Red Chamber takes place during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian. It depicts the experiences of a hundred flower gods descending to the mortal world. Through the journeys of Tang Ao, Lin Zhiyang, Duo Jiugong, and others across the seas, they encounter many strange countries, eccentric people, mythical beasts, and divine birds. The novel uses these elements to express the author's views, critique contemporary issues, and also dedicates significant to describing various literary and artistic forms, scientific knowledge, entertainment activities, and practices related to medicine, divination, and astrology of that time.
Since the author spent most of his life in Haizhou, the scenery of the sea and Yuntai Mountain, as well as the local customs, traditions, and language, all became material for his creation of A Dream of the Red Chamber. This is evident in the book. For example, in the bamboo forest behind the Yinfu Temple in Donglei, an ancient cliff carving of "Little" still remains. In A Dream of the Red Chamber, Liu Ruzhen even depicts Little as the necessary gateway for ascending to the heavens from the mortal world. The mountains in the book are described as densely clustered, with dense pine forests, deep streams and gorges, and a thriving community of birds and animals. The scenery is strikingly similar to Yuntai Mountain, especially resembling Donglei in Yuntai Mountain.