Red Chamber Dream Plant Catalogue -- Literary Treasure

Author: Pan Fujun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: The lush world of flowers and plants in Dream of the Red Chamber is not merely decorative; it reflects the characters' personalities—Daiyu's Xianghuang Lodge and Baochai's Hongwu Courtyard. The origin of the Peach Blossom Poetry Society stems from the peach blossoms. The Dragon Boat Festival ceremony honoring the Flower Goddess features Daiyu's Burying the Flower Goddess. The Mid-Autumn Festival's odes to chrysanthemums include twelve variations on this theme. Xiangling and Fangguan engage in a game of grass, leading to the naming of plants like Guanyin Willow, Luohan Pine, Junzi Bamboo, and Beauty Banana. These plant names and their characteristics can only be imagined through the text. With this book, readers can enjoy literature while absorbing botanical knowledge—how delightful! Dream of the Red Chamber, as a timeless masterpiece, has become a must-read for almost every Chinese reader. Yet, it is easy to read but difficult to comprehend, making the study of Dream of the Red Chamber a lifelong mission for scholars throughout history. The author, Dr. Pan Fujun, combines expertise in botany with a passion for classical literature, attempting to use plant knowledge as a shortcut to understanding Dream of the Red Chamber. This book includes all 242 plants mentioned in the novel, analyzing each plant's role in the story concisely from the outline of each chapter. Over 800 stunning photographs vividly depict the rich and beautiful world of Dream of the Red Chamber. Through this book, readers can discover how Cao Xueqin uses plants to paint scenes, express emotions, and portray characters. Only by understanding the characteristics of the plants in the book can one fully appreciate Cao Xueqin's ingenuity and grasp the profound metaphors and meanings of Dream of the Red Chamber. This is the latest addition to the "Literary Treasures" series, following Poetry Plant Illustrated, Chu Ci Plant Illustrated, and Tang Poetry Plant Illustrated. Dream of the Red Chamber is a timeless masterpiece created by Cao Xueqin in the Qing Dynasty. Reading Dream of the Red Chamber is almost a mission for every Chinese reader. However, it is easy to read but difficult to understand, making the study of Dream of the Red Chamber a lifelong mission for scholars worldwide. Dr. Pan Fujun, with his dual expertise in botany and classical literature, attempts to use plant knowledge as a shortcut to understanding Dream of the Red Chamber, guiding readers to delve into Cao Xueqin's world through plant characteristics. This is a novel creation, the first of its kind in over two centuries to combine a plant illustrated guide with the chapter-by-chapter structure of Dream of the Red Chamber. Dream of the Red Chamber Plant Illustrated includes all 242 plants mentioned in the novel, analyzing each plant's role in the story concisely from the outline of each chapter, even tracing literary traditions back to the Book of Songs. Over 800 exquisite photographs and detailed illustrations vividly showcase the rich and beautiful world of Dream of the Red Chamber. Readers can refer directly to the chapters and follow the illustrations to read Dream of the Red Chamber with ease. Through this book, you can learn how Cao Xueqin uses plants to paint scenes, express emotions, and portray characters—for example, what flowers Daiyu buries in her flower-burying ritual, the symbolic plants that represent the personalities and destinies of the twelve beauties, and whether the thirty herbal formulas with elaborate names are real or not. Only by understanding the characteristics of the plants in the book can one fully appreciate Cao Xueqin's ingenuity and grasp the profound metaphors and meanings of Dream of the Red Chamber.