Re-examines The Story of the Stone

Author: Cao Xueqin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The Yizhai Studio was not the only person to comment on Dream of the Red Chamber. In addition to Yizhai, other commenters in the Yibei edition included Jixiesou, Xingzhai, and others. Later, popular versions during the author's lifetime also had comments from Mengjuezhuren and others. However, Yizhai was the earliest to comment and added comments multiple times, often hitting the mark with sharp insight. By carefully studying the content of the Yibei comments, it can be discovered that—Yizhai had a close relationship with the author, deeply understanding the author's intentions in writing, sharing common life experiences and feelings, and being familiar with the various extraordinary methods the author used in the writing process. Yizhai often patiently guided readers step by step to uncover clues and even participated in the creation of Dream of the Red Chamber, understanding its later developments. Yizhai can be considered the earliest redologist. Yet, this mysterious figure has never been widely known to the world, and even whether they were male or female remains a subject of debate. It is undoubtedly a fascinating phenomenon in the field of redology.