Cao Xueqin's Dream of the Red Chamber -- Basic Collection of Chinese Family Classics. Drama and Novel Volume

Author: Wang Shifu of the Yuan Dynasty, annotated by He Qiaosuo and Bai Songqing
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-06-01
Features: In terms of plot development alone, compared to our excellent operas, even across all of Europe, one might struggle to find a script as perfect as this. — [Russian] Vasilyev, Outlines of the History of Chinese Literature
It stands unparalleled in the annals of literature, with no predecessors to rival it and no successors to surpass it, thus achieving the pinnacle of timeless masterpieces. From nobles to scholars, from ladies of the court to commoners in the streets, all know of the existence of The Story of the Western Chamber. — Wang Boliang, New Annotations of the Ancient Story of the Western Chamber
The plot summary of The Story of the Western Chamber is as follows: The scholar Zhang Junru, on his way to the capital for the imperial examination, passes by the Pusuo Temple in Hezhong Prefecture (now Yongji, Shanxi), where he meets Cui Yingying, a former minister's daughter who has taken refuge there. The two fall in love at first sight and, breaking free from the constraints of propriety, compose poems and play the lute under the moonlight. However, at that moment, the bandit Sun Feihu, leading his troops, besieges the temple, intending to seize Cui Yingying as his wife. Forced to comply, the minister's wife publicly promises: whoever drives away the bandits will marry Cui Yingying. Zhang Junru seeks help from his friend, the White Horse General Du Que, and the siege is lifted. Yet after the incident is resolved, the minister's wife regrets the marriage and forces Cui and Zhang to address each other as siblings. Cui and Zhang are plunged into infinite sorrow. Cui Yingying's maid, Hongniang, out of righteous indignation, helps them pass letters, and Cui and Zhang finally break through all barriers and secretly marry. Confronted with the facts, the minister's wife is compelled to agree to the marriage but then uses the excuse of "not accepting a white-clothed son-in-law for three generations" to force Zhang Junru to return to the capital for the examination. Undaunted, Zhang Junru passes the exam with flying colors, returns in glory, and finally marries Cui Yingying, the lovers achieving their happy ending.
Due to its outstanding artistic achievements, The Story of the Western Chamber has been performed continuously for centuries, with operas, tales, and local plays all competing to stage it. After the liberation, playwrights such as Tian Han and Ma Shaobo adapted it into Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera. It has also been translated into languages like Japanese, English, and French, earning international acclaim. Wang Shifu, through The Story of the Western Chamber, holds a pivotal position in the history of Chinese literature, particularly in the history of theater.
In this edition of The Story of the Western Chamber, annotations follow each act to provide readers with a more comprehensive understanding of this great Yuan Dynasty work, while short reviews are included after each volume. The appendix features Tang Yuanzhen's The Story of Yingying, Song Zhao Lingzhi's Butterfly Lovers in the Shang Mode, Jin Dong Jieyuan's The Story of the Western Chamber in Zugu Opera, as well as "Major Editions of The Story of the Western Chamber," "Major Research Works on The Story of the Western Chamber," and "Famous Quotes from The Story of the Western Chamber."