The celebrated Chinese classic novel is a masterpiece of realism written in the middle of the-eighteenth century. Taking as its background the decline of several related big families and drawing much from his own experiences, the author Cao Xueqin (?-c.1763) focused on the tragic love between Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu and, in the meantime, provides a panorama of the lives of people of various levels in the degenerating empire. But he left the work unfinished (or the last 40 chapters lost). Gao E (c.1738-c.1815) completed the work some years later in much of Cao's spirit and also put in his own revelation, which aroused protracted controversy throughout centuries. Exposing social evils, the book cries out denunciation against the feudal system. All techniques of literary merit developed in previous periods have been incorporated into the great work with much originality. It stands out in the world literature ranking with Hamlet and War and Peace.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 Chen Shih-yin in a Dream Sees the Jade of Spirituol Understanding Chia Yu-tsun in His Obscurity Is Charmed by a Maid
CHAPTER 2 Lady Chia Dies In the City of Yangchow Leng Tzu-hsing Describes the Jung Mansion
CHAPTER 3 Lin Ju-hai Recommends a Tutor to His Brother-in-Law The Lady Dowager Sends for Her Motherless Grand-Daughter
CHAPTER 4 An Ill-Fated Girl Meets an Ill-Fated Man A Confounded Monk Ends a Confounded Case
CHAPTER 5 The Spiritual Stone Is Too Bemused to Grasp the Fairy's Riddles The Goddess of Disenchantment in Her Kindness Secretly Expounds on Love
CHAPTER 6 Pao-yu Has His First Taste of Love Granny Liu Pays Her First Visit to the Jung Mansion
CHAPTER 7 Madam Yu Invites Hsi-feng Alone At a Feast in the Ning Mansion Pao.yu First Meets Chin Chung
CHAPTER 8 Nanny Li Makes a Nuisance of Herself by Warning Against Drinking Pao-yu Breaks a Teacup and Flies into a Temper
CHAPTER 9 Devoted Friends Join the Clan School Mud-Slinging Boys Brawl in the Classroom
CHAPTER 10 Widow Chin Pockets Her Pride Because of Self-interest Dr. Chang Diagnoses Ko-ching's Illness
CHAPTER 11 Chio Ching's Birthday Is Celebrated in the Ning Mansion Chia Jui Meets and Lusts After Hsi-feng
CHAPTER 12 Hsi-feng Sets a Vicious Trap for o Lover Chio Jui Looks into the Wrong Side of the Precious Mirror of Love
CHAPTER 13 Ko-ching Dies and a Captain of the Imperial Guard is Appointed Hsi-feng Helps to Manage Affairs in the Ning Mansion
CHAPTER 14 Lin Ju-hai Dies in Yangchow Pao-yu Meets the Prince of Peiching on the Road
CHAPTER 15 Hsi-feng Abuses Her Power at Iron Threshold Temple Chin Chung Amuses Himself in Steamed-Bread Convent
CHAPTER 16 Yuan-chun Is Selected as Imperial Consort in Phoenix Palace Chin Chung Dying Before His Time Sets Off for the Nether Regions
CHAPTER 17 Literary Talent Is Tested by Composing Inscriptions in Grand View Garden Those Losing Their Way at Happy Red Court Explore o Secluded Retreat
CHAPTER 18 Yuan-chun Visits Her Parents on the Feast of Lanterns Tai-yu Helps Her True Love by Passing Him a Poem
CHAPTER 19 An Eloquent Maid Offers Earnest Advice One Fine Night A Sweet Girl Shows Deep Feeling One Quiet Day ……
