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The Story of the Stone

By Cao Xueqin
Series: The Story of the Stone
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4.43 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 886 ratings, 66 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Story of the Stone by Cao Xueqin is an intricate tale centred around the decline of an aristocratic family in imperial China. Through rich character development and vivid descriptions, the novel explores themes of love, ambition, and the complexities of human relationships as it charts the fortunes and declines of its multi-generational characters. It paints a poignant portrait of life, beauty, and transience.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3400
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're drawn to rich narratives set in historical China, exploring the complexities of family dynamics, societal expectations, and personal desires. Its intricate storytelling and vivid character portrayals offer a captivating dive into 18th-century Chinese aristocracy and culture.

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The Story of the Stone

A novel of manners in Chinese literature.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Story of the Stone (c. 1760), also known by the title of The Dream of the Red Chamber, is the great novel of manners in Chinese literature. Divided into five volumes, of which The Warning Voice is the third, it charts the glory and decline of the illustrious Jia family—a story which closely accords with the fortunes of the author's own family.

The two main characters, Bao-yu and Dai-yu, are set against a rich tapestry of humour, realistic detail, and delicate poetry, which accurately reflects the ritualised hurly-burly of Chinese family life. However, over and above the novel hangs the constant reminder that there is another plane of existence—a theme which affirms the Buddhist belief in a supernatural scheme of things.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Cao Xueqin's novel is celebrated for its rich classical references, intricate wordplay, and enchanting poetry. The English translation by David Hawkes and John Minford is highly praised, often regarded as an exceptional example of Chinese-to-English literary translation. It's suggested that the novel offers significant rewards for attentive readers.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780140443707

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 September 1980

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Edition: 3rd edition

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 37.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 467g

Pages: 640

Collections

Cao Xueqin Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Series: The Story of the Stone

About the Author

Cao Xueqin (Ts'ao Hsueh-ch'in) ca. 1715-1763 Cao is considered to be China's greatest novelist, but little is known of his life. An unconventional, versatile man, he came from an eminent and wealthy family which suffered a reversal of fortune in 1728 after the death of the Kangxi Emperor and a power struggle between his sons. Cao seems to have spent about ten years writing and revising his novel, from roughly 1740 to 1750, but the last 40 of the 120 chapters were completed by a different author, probably after his death. He also worked for a period of time in the Imperial Clan's school for the children of the nobility and bannermen, but eventually settled in the countryside west of Peking. He earned some money by selling his own paintings, but his family seems to have been perpetually in poverty.

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