"Captivating Penwork Endures Through the Ages: On the Characters of Dream of the Red Chamber"

Author: Li Xifan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The eccentric and unconventional Jia Baoyu, the Jia Mu indulging in past memories, the Wang Xifeng attached to power and material desires, the Lin Daiyu tormented by love, and the Xue Baochai who defined herself as a virtuous wife and good mother. Dream of the Red Chamber portrays numerous vivid and distinct characters. This book is the final work of the renowned red scholar Li Xifan, who spent three years analyzing over sixty characters in Dream of the Red Chamber. It is another significant contribution to the century-old field of "red studies."
Someone told me that a prominent red scholar is opposing people from writing articles analyzing characters in Dream of the Red Chamber. I think such restrictions are as absurd and ridiculous as the exclusion of novel studies from "red studies." Because Dream of the Red Chamber is about people—even when it writes about gods, emotions, or landscapes, it is still about people; literature is the study of humanity. Even today, I still believe that using human nature and life will, cannot, be analyzed accurately and thoroughly without considering society and the era. As Aisin Gioro Yongzhong praised: "A masterful pen is enough to last for a thousand autumns." In Dream of the Red Chamber, even minor characters who appear only once possess irreplaceable personalized brilliance, leaving a deep impression on readers.
Jia Mu knows how to indulge in pleasure and revel in enjoyment. In chapters 40 and 41, when Liu Laolao visits the Grand View Garden, although the main focus is on shaping the complex and multifaceted image of the old village woman Liu Laolao, without this "grand grandmother" who constantly seeks novelty and entertainment, how could Fengjie organize such a vibrant performance? Moreover, it is precisely through Liu Laolao's eyes that the stark contrast between these two elderly women—whose wealth and status are worlds apart—becomes vivid, creating an artistic charm through their mutual reflection. Mr. Wang Kunlun praised this scene as: "The author has such skill that these two old women, though of similar age but vastly different status, can speak in such harmony and interest." In truth, reflecting the complexities of life and creating an artistic realm where elegance and vulgarity complement each other—this is precisely the charm of Cao Xueqin's portrayal.
In summary, around Jia Mu's activities, Cao Xueqin paints a series of scenes of leisure in noble households. Though they may involve birthday celebrations, watching opera, solving riddles, laughing, admiring flowers, or dining and touring gardens, they all embody rich life in delicate and lifelike detail, showcasing the author's unique artistic creativity. Even regarding the Grand View Garden, although Cao Xueqin intentionally arranged for Jia Zheng and others to take a thorough "tourist guide" tour in chapters 17 and 18, describing its picturesque scenery through their on-the-go comments, and later highlighted its grandeur during Yuanfei's return visit, it was still the royal elegance of a palace villa. It lacked the "natural painting" of the Fang Garden. Moreover, as the said, the author's intention in creating the Grand View Garden was to "use Yuanchun's name to rise and then use her name to calm the beauties." That is to say, the Grand View Garden was created for the "Twelve Beauties." Its lush and picturesque scenery can only reveal its charm as a "natural painting" when the "Twelve Beauties" are "at home" and active there.
After chapters 17 and 18 of Dream of the Red Chamber, the author frequently uses the protagonists, especially Baoyu and Daiyu, to create, making the scenes and charm more intimate and natural. However, the natural scenery of the Grand View Garden as a "home" gradually becomes richer and more vivid through Liu Laolao's eyes, as this "Two Feasts in the Grand View Garden." The author's "meaning beyond the image"—reflecting the extreme luxury and extravagance of life in the Grand View Garden—also relies on the contrast between these two women of vastly different wealth, leaving a strong impression on readers.
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