Dream of the Red Chamber, sometimes published as Red Chamber Dream or A Dream of Red Mansions, is a mostly fictional novel that also has some autobiographical elements. The book is one of the longest in ancient Chinese history, with more than 2,000 pages. The author's name can either be translated as Cao Xueqin, the most common translation, or Tsao Hseuh-Chin. In 1791-92, an additional amount of text was added by author Gao E.
Dream of the Red Chamber begins with a long preface that helps introduce the text. Many scholars and readers alike find the book quite difficult to comprehend, as it is written in older Chinese and has several hundred characters.
The story follows the Jia Clan, based in Qing Dynasty China, and its two houses - the Rongguo House and the Ningguo House. The families of each house reside in mansions in the capital, which are among the most illustrious works of architecture of the time.
The most notable aspect of the text, for sure, is its extraordinary level of detail. Among the things described are the friends, relatives, and slaves of the author, and the medicine, food, religion, art, and literature of Chinese society.
One of the more fictional parts of the novel is the story of the sentient Stone, which was abandoned by a goddess when the heavens were being mended. The Stone asks a priest to be taken along to see the world, but becomes a mortal body, escorted by a companion around China.
The main character of the novel could be disputed, but most readers conclude that it is Jia Baoyu, a magical male heir of the Jia clan. Jia can never marry, but continues to share a love for Chinese culture.
Eventually, however, the Jia clan loses its great amounts of wealth, and the ruling class makes way for another. The novel accurately describes the rise and fall of the royal family, and historians often use the text as a primary source for late eighteenth century China.
