A Dream of Red Mansions

A Dream of Red Mansions

A Dream of Red Mansions is recognized as one of the Four Great Classical Novels and the apogee of the chapter-novel form. Unlike the other three works in the Four Great Classical Novels, it is not based on historical events. The novel was likely written in the early 18th century, and consists of 120 chapters. Cao Xueqin (1715-1763) is generally credited as the author of the first 80 chapters, with the remaining 40 chapters completed by an anonymous writer. The story centers around the tragic love triangle between Jia Baoyu, Lin Daiyu, and Xue Baochai, and the rise and fall of four great families: Jia, Wang, Shi, and Xue. The novel begins with a stone left over when the goddess Nvwa repaired the heavens. Therefore, it is also known as the Story of the Stone.

A Dream of Red Mansions presents more than 700 characters, with a central focus on Jia Baoyu and the dozens of women surrounding him. The novel creates two vividly contrasting worlds. One is the Grand View Garden, an ideal world that serves as a clean paradise for Jia Baoyu and his sisters. This is a place where women lead carefree lives, maintaining their youth and purity forever. In contrast, the outside world is portrayed as a corrupt and depraved place, continuously threatening the ideal world until it is ultimately destroyed.

A Dream of Red Mansions is renowned for its intricate plot and meticulous structure, as well as its profound philosophical themes and impressive artistic achievement. This has led to the establishment of a specialized field of study known as "Hongxue," or "Redology" in academic circles.

《红楼梦》

《红楼梦》是中国古典小说四大名著之一、中国古典章回体小说的巅峰之作，也是四大名著中唯一不取材自历史事件的古典小说。《红楼梦》大约成书于18世纪前期，全书共120回，一般认为前80回作者是曹雪芹（1715—1763）， 后40回为无名氏补写。故事主线为贾宝玉、林黛玉、薛宝钗三人的爱情悲剧，以及贾、王、史、薛四大家族的兴衰。故事从女娲补天时剩下的一块石头讲起，因此又名《石头记》。

《红楼梦》全书塑造了700多个人物形象，主要以贾宝玉及其周围的几十名女性为中心，创造了两个对比鲜明的世界：大观园的理想世界，是贾宝玉和诸姊妹的干净乐土，女子们在里面无忧无虑，永远保持青春和纯洁；大观园外的世界是肮脏堕落的，它不断摧残理想世界，直至它完全毁灭。

《红楼梦》情节丰富，布局严密，以深刻的思想底蕴和出色的艺术成就著称于世，使学术界产生了一门专门研究它的学问，即“红学”。