: Student Version

Author: Cao Xueqin
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not available
Features: The Meaning of Dream of the Red Chamber. The book has many titles: one is Dream of the Red Chamber, which is the overall name of the entire book; another is Mirror of Wind and Moon, which serves as a warning against indulging in romantic affairs; yet another is Story of the Stone, which refers to the events recorded by the stone. These three names have already been highlighted in the book. For example, when Baoyu dreams, there is a song in the dream called Twelve Songs of the Red Chamber, which is the highlight of Dream of the Red Chamber. Another instance is when Jia Rui falls ill, and a crippled hermit brings a mirror inscribed with the words Mirror of Wind and Moon, which is the highlight of Mirror of Wind and Moon. Yet another instance is when the hermit personally sees a story inscribed on the stone, which is the record of the stone's interactions, the highlight of Story of the Stone. However, the book is also called Twelve Beauties of Jinling. Examining the name, it must refer to the twelve women of Jinling. Yet a thorough search through the entire book reveals that there are far more than twelve women, both upper and lower. If it is said that there are twelve among them, then it does not explicitly name who they are. Moreover, in the first chapter of Dream of the Red Chamber, a roster of the twelve beauties of Jinling is revealed, along with twelve songs that can be examined.