{"product_id":"dream-of-the-red-chamber-an-epic-story-of-womens-lives-in-imperial-china-abridged-paperback","title":"Dream of the Red Chamber: An Epic Story of Women's Lives in Imperial China (Abridged) - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eCao Xueqin\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eH. Bencraft Joly\u003c\/b\u003e (Translator), \u003cb\u003eJohn Minford\u003c\/b\u003e (Foreword by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"One of the great novels of world literature...to the Chinese as Proust is to the French or Karamazov to the Russians.\" --Anthony West, literary critic\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eDream of the Red Chamber\u003c\/i\u003e (also known as \u003ci\u003eThe Story of the Stone\u003c\/i\u003e) is renowned for its epic scope, rich psychological characterizations and telling observations on family life and the role of women in Chinese society. One of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature, along with \u003ci\u003eJourney to the West, The Water Margin, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eRomance of the Three Kingdoms\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eDream of the Red Chamber\u003c\/i\u003e is widely regarded as the greatest Chinese classical novel, and one of the greatest works of world literature ever written. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe \"red chamber\" refers to a sheltered area in wealthy households where daughters were confined until married--a veritable prison where dreams of true love wither. This sweeping tale tells of the rise and fall of rival branches of the wealthy Jia family, who live in lavish adjacent compounds surrounded by a lush, private garden. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe story opens with the birth of Jia Baoyu, heir apparent and darling of the women in the Jia household. A free-thinker and idealist, Baoyu soon rebels against his stern father, who refuses to allow his son to pursue a romantic affair with Lin Daiyu--a headstrong and intelligent woman who shares his love of music and poetry. Baoyu is forced instead to marry Xue Baochai, an equally talented and beautiful woman but someone with whom he has no emotional connection. The fates of the star-crossed lovers and their families slowly unravel as this tragic story unfolds. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eDream of the Red Chamber\u003c\/i\u003e, although written by a man, is said to be one of the first great works of women's literature. The author, Cao Xueqin, is thought to have written the novel as a memorial to the inspiring women he knew in his youth.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCao Xueqin\u003c\/b\u003e was born into a wealthy family whose status diminished, and whose fortune was confiscated when he was still a child. He spent the remainder of his life in poverty. \u003ci\u003eDream of the Red Chamber\u003c\/i\u003e, which he wrote over a period of twenty years, was not published until thirty years after his death, in 1791. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eH. Bencraft Joly\u003c\/b\u003e was Vice-Consulate of Macao at the time he translated \u003ci\u003eDream of the Red Chamber\u003c\/i\u003e in an effort to advance appreciation of Chinese literature among Westerns. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eJohn Minford\u003c\/b\u003e is Emeritus Professor of Chinese at The Australian National University, and Sin Wai Kin Distinguished Professor of Chinese Culture and Translation at the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong. He has published widely on Chinese literature and translated numerous works including \u003ci\u003eStrange Tales from a Chinese Studio\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eArt of War.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eEdwin Lowe\u003c\/b\u003e is an independent publisher of books on the humanities who has over 20 years of experience as an educator of Asian studies. He has taught at Macquarie University, the Australian National University and the University of New South Wales.\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 992\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.7 x 8 x 5.3 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e August 15, 2023\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44411451048038,"sku":"9780804856744","price":38.19,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0599\/7255\/0758\/files\/dOBBZkbQcD9780804856744.webp?v=1769860386","url":"https:\/\/infinitylightwa.com\/products\/dream-of-the-red-chamber-an-epic-story-of-womens-lives-in-imperial-china-abridged-paperback","provider":"Infinity Light","version":"1.0","type":"link"}