Story of the Stone: the Crab-Flower - Club a Chinese Novel

Zusatztext “Filled with classical allusions! multilayered wordplay! and delightful poetry! Cao’s novel is a testament to what Chinese literature was capable of. Readers of English are fortunate to have David Hawkes and John Minford’s  The Story of the Stone ! which distills a lifetime of scholarship and reading into what is probably the finest work of Chinese-to-English literary translation yet produced. You will be rewarded every bit of attention you give it! many times over.” — SupChina! “The 100 China Books You Have to Read! Ranked” (#1) Informationen zum Autor Cao Xueqin (?1715-63) was born into a family which for three generations held the office of Commissioner of Imperial Textiles in Nanking, a family so wealthy they were able to entertain the Emperor four times. However, calamity overtook them and their property was consfiscated. Cao Xueqin was living in poverty when he wrote his famous novel The Story of the Stone. Klappentext "The Story of the Stone" (c. 1760), also known as "The Dream of the Red Chamber", is one of the greatest novels of Chinese literature. The fifth part of Cao Xueqin's magnificent saga, "The Dreamer Awakes", was carefully edited and completed by Gao E some decades later. It continues the story of the changing fortunes of the Jia dynasty, focussing on Bao-yu, now married to Bao-chai, after the tragic death of his beloved Dai-yu. Against such worldly elements as death, financial ruin, marriage, decadence and corruption, his karmic journey unfolds. Like a sleepwalker through life, Bao-yu is finally awakened by a vision, which reveals to him that life itself is merely a dream, 'as moonlight mirrored in the water'. Zusammenfassung Tells the story of the changing fortunes of the Jia dynasty, focussing on Bao-yu, now married to Bao-chai, after the tragic death of his beloved Dai-yu. Against such worldly elements as death, financial ruin, marriage, decadence and corruption, his karmic journey unfolds. Inhaltsverzeichnis Note on Spelling Preface Chapter 27 Beauty Perspiring sports with butterflies by the Raindrop Pavilion; And Beauty Suspiring weeps for fallen blossoms by the Flowers' Grave Chapter 28 A Crimson cummerbund becomes a pledge of friendship; And a chaplet of medicine-beads becomes a source of embarassment Chapter 29 In which the greatly blessed pray for yet greater blessings; And the highly strung rise to new heights of passion Chapter 30 Bao-Chai speaks of a fan and castigates her deriders; Charmante scratches a 'qiang' and mystifies a beholder Chapter 31 A torn fan is the price of silver laughter; And a lost kylin is the clue to a happy marriage Chapter 32 Bao-yu demonstrates confusion of mind by his declaration to the wrong person; And Golden shows an unconquerable spirit by ending her humiliation in death Chapter 33 An envious younger brother puts in a malicious word or two; And a scapegrace elder brother recieves a terrible chatisement Chapter 34 A wordless message meets with silent understanding; And a groundless imputation leads to undeserved rebukes Chapter 35 Sulky Silver tastes some lotus-leaf soup; And Golden Oriole knots a flower-patterned fringe Chapter 36 Bao-chai visits Green Delights and bears strange words from a sleeper; And Bao-yu visits Pear-tree Court and learns hard facts from a performer Chapter 37 A happy inspiration prompts Tan-chun to found the Crab-flower Club; And an ingenious arrangment enables Bao-chai to settle the chysanthemum poem titles Chapter 38 River Queen triumphs in her treatment of chysanthemum themes; And Lady Allspice is satirical on the subject of crabs An inventive old countrywoman tells a story of somewhat questionable veraci...

List of contents

Note on Spelling
Preface
Chapter 27
Beauty Perspiring sports with butterflies by the Raindrop Pavilion; And Beauty Suspiring weeps for fallen blossoms by the Flowers' Grave

Chapter 28
A Crimson cummerbund becomes a pledge of friendship; And a chaplet of medicine-beads becomes a source of embarassment

Chapter 29
In which the greatly blessed pray for yet greater blessings; And the highly strung rise to new heights of passion

Chapter 30
Bao-Chai speaks of a fan and castigates her deriders; Charmante scratches a 'qiang' and mystifies a beholder

Chapter 31
A torn fan is the price of silver laughter; And a lost kylin is the clue to a happy marriage

Chapter 32
Bao-yu demonstrates confusion of mind by his declaration to the wrong person; And Golden shows an unconquerable spirit by ending her humiliation in death

Chapter 33
An envious younger brother puts in a malicious word or two; And a scapegrace elder brother recieves a terrible chatisement

Chapter 34
A wordless message meets with silent understanding; And a groundless imputation leads to undeserved rebukes

Chapter 35
Sulky Silver tastes some lotus-leaf soup; And Golden Oriole knots a flower-patterned fringe

Chapter 36
Bao-chai visits Green Delights and bears strange words from a sleeper; And Bao-yu visits Pear-tree Court and learns hard facts from a performer

Chapter 37
A happy inspiration prompts Tan-chun to found the Crab-flower Club; And an ingenious arrangment enables Bao-chai to settle the chysanthemum poem titles

Chapter 38
River Queen triumphs in her treatment of chysanthemum themes; And Lady Allspice is satirical on the subject of crabs
An inventive old countrywoman tells a story of somewhat questionable veracity; And and impressionable young listener insists on getting to the bottom of the matter

Chapter 40
Lady Jia holds two feasts in one day in the Prospect Garden; And Faithful makes four calls on three dominoes in the Painted Chamber

Chapter 41
Jia Bao-yu tastes some superior tea at Green Bower Hermitage; And Grannie Liu samples the sleeping accommodation at Green Delights

Chapter 42
Lady Allspice wins over a suspicious nature with some well-intentioned advice; And River Queen enhances her reputation as a wit with some amusing sarcasms

Chapter 43
An old woman's whim is the occasion of a birthday collection; And a young man's remorse finds solace in a simple ceremony

Chapter 44
Xi-feng's jealousy is the object of an unexpected provocation; And Patience's toilet is a source of unexpected delight

Chapter 45
Sisterly understanding finds expression in words of sisterly frankness; And autumnal pluviousless is celebrated in verses of autumnal melancholy

Chapter 46
An awkward person is given an awkward mission; And a faithful maid vows faithfulness unto death

Chapter 47
In pursuit of love the Oaf King takes a fearful beating; And from fear of reprisal the Reluctant Playboy makes a hasty getaway

Chapter 48
The Love-Deluded One Turns his thoughts to trade and travel; And the Poetry Enthusiast applies herself to making verses

Chapter 49
Red flowers bloom brighter in dazzling snow; And venison reeks strangely on rosebud lips

Chapter 50
Linked verses in Snowy Rushes Retreat; And lantern riddles in the Spring In Winter Room

Chapter 51
A clever cousin composes some ingenious riddles; And an unskilful physician prescribes a barbarous remedy

Chapter 52
Kind Patience conceals the theft of a Shrimp Whisker bracelet; And brave Skybright repairs the hole in a Peacock Gold snow-cape

Chapter 53
Ning-guo House sacrifices to the ancestors on New Year's Eve; And Rong-guo House entertains the whole family on Fifteenth Night

Appendix I: Regulated Verse
Appendix II: Threesomes with the Dominoes
Appendix III: Unsolved Riddles
Characters in Volume 2
Genealogical Tables

About the author

Cao Xueqin (1715-63) was born into a family which for three generations held the office of Commissioner of Imperial Textiles in Nanking, a family so wealthy they were able to entertain the Emperor four times. However, calamity overtook them and their property was consfiscated. Cao Xueqin was living in poverty when he wrote his famous novel The Story of the Stone.

Summary

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.

"The Story of the Stone" (c. 1760), also known as "The Dream of the Red Chamber", is one of the greatest novels of Chinese literature. The fifth part of Cao Xueqin's magnificent saga, "The Dreamer Awakes", was carefully edited and completed by Gao E some decades later. It continues the story of the changing fortunes of the Jia dynasty, focussing on Bao-yu, now married to Bao-chai, after the tragic death of his beloved Dai-yu. Against such worldly elements as death, financial ruin, marriage, decadence and corruption, his karmic journey unfolds. Like a sleepwalker through life, Bao-yu is finally awakened by a vision, which reveals to him that life itself is merely a dream, 'as moonlight mirrored in the water'.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Product details

• Authors: Xueqin Cao, Cao X, Cao Xueqin, David Hawkes, Hsueh-Ch'in Ts'ao, Cao Xueqin
• Assisted by: David Hawkes (Introduction), David Hawkes (Translation)
• Publisher: Penguin Books USA
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback
• Released: 29.09.1977
• EAN: 9780140443264
• ISBN: 978-0-14-044326-4
• No. of pages: 144
• Dimensions: 132 mm x 198 mm x 35 mm
• Series: Penguin Classics; Story of the Stone; Penguin Classics; Story of the Stone
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature; Chinesische SchriftstellerInnen; Werke (div.), FICTION / Classics, Fiction in translation, Classic fiction: general and literary