The Dream of the Red Chamber

by HSUEH-CHIN, TSAO

• ISBN13: 9780385093798
• ISBN10: 0385093799
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1958-10-20
• Publisher: Anchor

Summary

For more than a century and a half,Dream of the Red Chamberhas been recognized in China as the greatest of its novels, a Chinese Romeo-and-Juliet love story and a portrait of one of the world's great civilizations. Chi-chen Wang's translation is skillful, accurate and fascinating.

Author Biography

Tsao Hsueh-Chin was a Chinese writer who lived and worked during the 18th century. Hsueh-Chin is the author of Dream of the Red Chamber and A Dream of the Red Mansions. 

Table of Contents

Preface	v	(10)
Mark Van Doren
Introduction	xv
PART I	1	(280)
Tsao Hsueh-chin
1. In which Chen Shih-yin meets the Stone of Spiritual Understanding And Chia Yu-tsun encounters a maid of unusual discernment	1	(15)
2. In which Chia Yu-tsun takes a position as tutor to Lin Tai-yu And Leng Tzu-hsing gives an account of the Yungkuofu	16	(11)
3. In which Black Jade is lovingly welcomed by her grandmother And Pao-yu is unwittingly upset by his cousin	27	(11)
4. In which the Divine Stone Page does not recognize his former haunt And the Goddess of Disillusionment fails to awaken her erstwhile attendant	38	(10)
5. In which Liu Lao-lao for the first time visits the Yungkuofu And Madame Wang once again helps one of her poor relations	48	(10)
6. In which Precious Virtue describes a complicated prescription And Pao-yu hears some unmentionable secrets	58	(6)
7. In which Pao-yu, by a strange destiny, meets the golden locket And Precious Virtue, by a happy coincidence, sees the "Spiritual Understanding"	64	(8)
8. In which Chin Chung receives consideration through Pao-yu's friendship And Kin Zung suffers humiliation because of his lack of influence	72	(10)
9. In which Phoenix proves herself an able strategist And Chia Jui shows himself a ready dupe	82	(9)
10. In which Black Jade returns to Yangchow to attend her father's illness And Phoenix goes to the Ningkuofu to take charge of Chin-shih's funeral	91	(8)
11. In which Phoenix satisfies her greed at the Iron Sill Temple And Chin Chung fulfills his hunger at the Water Moon Convent	99	(6)
12. In which Cardinal Spring is advanced in the Imperial Palace And Chin Chung is taken to the Other World	105	(5)
13. In which Pao-yu is made to suffer because of the perversity of Black Jade And Cardinal Spring is allowed to visit her family by the magnanimity of the Son of Heaven	110	(6)
14. In which a cup of custard sets aflame a smoldering jealousy And a handful of pennies brings to surface a characteristic meanness	116	(10)
15. In which Pao-yu betrays a peculiar habit of his own And Chia Lien exhibits the common failing of his kind	126	(8)
16. In which Pao-yu is aggrieved by two instances of misunderstanding And Chia Cheng is saddened by four conundrums of ill omen	134	(8)
17. In which Pao-yu, with the maidens, moves into the Takuanyuan And Black Jade, with her usual supersensitivity, takes offense at Pao-yu	142	(7)
18. In which, because of evil spells cast over them, Pao-yu and Phoenix are brought near death But, by the efficacy of the precious jade, find their way back to life	149	(7)
19. In which Golden Bracelet is disgraced because of Pao-yu's attentions to her And Black Jade is deeply moved because of Pao-yu's declaration of his love	156	(8)
20. In which Chia Cheng discovers the escapades of his erring son And Pao-yu suffers the chastisement of his severe father	164	(8)
21. In which Pervading Fragrance gives a candid appraisal to Madame Wang And Pao-yu sends a subtle hint to Black Jade	172	(7)
22. In which Precious Virtue confesses her suspicion of Hsueh Pan And Pao-yu declares his preference for Black Jade	179	(7)
23. In which the Matriarch twice feasts in the Takuanyuan And Liu Lao-lao again visits the Yungkuofu	186	(10)
24. In which it is proved that human events are as uncertain as the weather And that a man would sooner apologize to his concubine than to his wife	196	(8)
25. In which one would expect such unbecoming behavior from a person like Chia Sheh Nor is one surprised at such admirable resolution from a girl like Faith	204	(11)
26. In which the glory of the master is reflected in the prosperity of the servant And the honor of the profession is vindicated by the actor Liu Hsiang-lien	215	(7)
27. In which capable Quest Spring takes charge of affairs because of Phoenix's illness And blundering Chao Yi-niang causes humiliation to her own daughter	222	(8)
28. In which Purple Cuckoo shows how concerned she is over the future of her mistress And Pao-yu gives new evidence that he cannot live without Black Jade	230	(8)
29. In which Chia Lien secretly marries Yu Erchieh as his concubine And San-chieh openly demands Liu Hsiang-lien for her husband	238	(8)
30. In which San-chieh gives her life to prove her true love And Hsiang-lien abjures the Red Dust because of his remorse	246	(6)
31. In which Phoenix overwhelms her rival with apparent kindness And Er-chieh undoubtedly perishes by some diabolical scheme	252	(9)
32. In which Sha Ta-chieh's ignorance proves to be a source of her blessings And Bright Design's beauty becomes the cause of her downfall	261	(11)
33. In which Hsueh Pan is married to a Lioness of Ho-tung And Welcome Spring is mated to a Wolf of Chung-shan	272	(9)
PART II Continuation	281
Kao Ou
34. In which Black Jade despairs when there is yet hope And takes heart again when all is lost	281	(8)
35. In which the unseasonable blossoming of the begonia proves to be an evil omen And the sudden disappearance of Pao-yu's jade is followed by the loss of his reason	289	(7)
36. In which Pao-yu appears happy at his approaching wedding And Black Jade is brokenhearted because of her tragic fate	296	(7)
37. In which Precious Virtue is married according to predestination And Black Jade dies in fulfillment of an ancient debt	303	(6)
38. In which the Takuanyuan becomes a prowling ground for malign spirits And the Ningkuo and Yungkuo mansions come to their inevitable downfall	309	(6)
39. In which the Matriarch returns to Heaven after a long life And Phoenix attains eternal rest from her self-imposed labors	315	(6)
40. In which Pao-yu abjures the Red Dust when the Red Dust seems rosiest And Pervading Fragrance is married when she has the least intention to marry	321