New Examination of Cao Xueqin's Family Background (Revised and Expanded Edition)

Author: Feng Qiyong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: What kind of characteristics did Cao Xueqin really have? Everyone wants to understand, and he had many extraordinary traits, truly unique. His relatives were from the Fuca family, and the Fuca family had close kinship ties with the Cao family. During his lifetime, Cao Xueqin served as a tutor for the Fuca family, essentially acting as a counselor. Yu Rui's close relatives were from the Fuca family, and they personally witnessed Cao Xueqin. Listen to how Yu Rui described Cao Xueqin—Yu Rui said, "His head was broad, his skull was large, and his complexion was dark." This is quite strange. Cao Xueqin did not resemble the character Jia Baoyu in the book, who was described as having a face like autumn moon and a complexion like spring flowers. Describing his complexion as dark might lead us to think that when Yu Rui's close relative saw Cao Xueqin, he was already impoverished and destitute, without clothes or food, and had likely been exposed to wind, frost, hunger, and starvation, which had darkened his skin. He was good at conversation and storytelling, and when he spoke, he could talk for the entire day in a smooth and engaging manner.