Dream of the Red Chamber

Author: Cao Xueqin (Qing), Gao E, Zhang Guanggao (ed.)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-03-01
Features:
1. This book is based on the newly engraved complete illustrated Dream of the Red Chamber printed by Cheng Weiyuan and Gao E in the Qing Dynasty under the name of Cuishu Wenju in the year Long Ren (1792) using wooden movable type, which can be referred to as the "Cheng Yi Edition" for collation and organization.
2. The first 80 chapters of this book (excluding chapters 64 and 47) were mainly revised and edited by Gao E with the support of Cheng Weiyuan, based on Cao Xueqin's Dream of Stones. Overall, the achievements are predominant. However, many sentences were revised poorly, and a few were even wrongly corrected. During the organization process, such sentences were restored to the original form of Cao's work based on the Zhi edition system (the contributions of Gao E to the continuation of Dream of the Red Chamber are discussed in detail in the appendix of this book).
3. The last 40 chapters are based on the "Cheng Jia Edition" (Newly Engraved Complete Illustrated Dream of the Red Chamber) printed by Cheng Weiyuan and Gao E in the Xian Yi year of the Qianlong reign (1791), which was continued by Gao E.
4. All changes to the base text (Cheng Yi Edition) are clearly indicated, whether based on the Zhi edition system or the Cheng edition system, according to the version basis.
5. For plot descriptions where there are significant discrepancies between Cao and Gao, footnotes are appended based on the Zhi edition for reference. For obvious errors caused by copy or printing mistakes, direct corrections are made without annotations.