Cao Xueqin

Author: (Yuan) Wang Shifu, edited by Zhang Yanjin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1995-10-01
Features: Wang Shifu's Romance of the West Chamber has become a renowned masterpiece both in China and abroad due to its profound ideology and artistic perfection. Romance of the West Chamber celebrates love, and love is the pioneer of human liberation. On the path to pursuing freedom and equality, love is the first requirement raised, and the freedom of marriage. Love is always linked with freedom and equality, while being incompatible with tradition. The progressiveness of Romance of the West Chamber lies in its advocacy of the slogan: "May we never be separated, may we always stay together forever, may all those in love become couples." The foundation of marriage should be the sincere love between men and women, rather than the status of family background, the wealth, power, or appearance. The phrase "those in love" is the essence of the spirit of Romance of the West Chamber. It celebrates marriage based on love. What it expresses is not the voice of a particular historical period or social class, but the ideals and aspirations of people across generations. This is the thematic essence of Romance of the West Chamber, which not only surpasses the works of previous and contemporary marriage and love, but even the opera works of the Ming and Qing dynasties have not been able to surpass it. Romance of the West Chamber celebrates love, and also praises the spirit of fighting against feudal forces for the realization of ideals.