Dream of the Red Chamber

Author: Cao Xueqin (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Although this book chronicles the decline of the four great families—Jia, Shi, Wang, and Xue—and embodies the initial glimmer of democratic ideals against the empire and feudalism, it is filled with a harsh and merciless negation and judgment of the future self-reliant class, tinged with a strong elegiac hue. Dream of the Red Chamber depicts the tragic love and marriage between the feudal aristocratic youth Jia Baoyu, Lin Daiyu, and Xue Baochai, and centers on this to portray the rise and fall of the four great families, with the Jia family being the focal point. It exposes the darkness and evils of the late feudal society, as well as its irreconcilable internal contradictions, delivering a powerful critique of the decadent feudal ruling class and the crumbling feudal system, leaving readers to anticipate its inevitable downfall.
This book is a great work of both profound ideological depth and exceptional artistic merit. From the ideological perspective it reflects, the author demonstrates nascent democratic ideals. He critically examines the darkness of the real society, including the corruption in the imperial court and officialdom, the decay of the feudal aristocracy and their families, the feudal examination system, marriage system, servant system, and hierarchical structure, as well as the corresponding social ruling ideology—Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism, and societal moral concepts. He offers vague yet nascent democratic ideals and proposals. These ideals and proposals are a subtle reflection of the budding factors of capitalist economic development at the time.