Cao Xueqin

Sueño en el Pabellón Rojo es el gran clásico de la literatura china, «la novela más famosa de una literatura casi tres veces milenaria», como afirmó Borges, un libro imperecedero. El bello y trágico

Sueño en el Pabellón Rojo es el gran clásico de la literatura china, «la novela más famosa de una literatura casi tres veces milenaria», como afirmó Borges, un libro imperecedero. El bello y trágico

A masterpiece of 18th centurys Chinese literature. The novel that describes the life of two wealthy and aristocratic branches of the Jia clan and their gradual decline and the fall from grace.

Este es el gran clásico de la literatura china, "la novela más famosa de una literatura casi tres veces milenaria", como afirmó Borges, un libro imperecedero. El bello y trágico elato de los desvelos amorosos de Jia Baoyu y Lin Daiyu en la China del siglo XVIII, en el crepúsculo de un esplendor feudal que ya no es más que un sueño

Este es el gran clásico de la literatura china, "la novela más famosa de una literatura casi tres veces milenaria", como afirmó Borges, un libro imperecedero. El bello y trágico relato de los desvelos amorosos de Jia Baoyu y Lin Daiyu en la China del siglo XVIII, en el crepúsculo de un esplendor feudal que ya no es más que un sueño.

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 ritualized hurly-burly of Chinese family life. But 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.

"...The Empress Nu Wo, (the goddess of works,) in fashioning blocks of stones, for the repair of the heavens, prepared, at the Ta Huang Hills and Wu Chi cave, 36,501 blocks of rough stone, each twelve chang in height, and twenty-four chang square. Of these stones, the Empress Wo only used 36,500; so that one single block remained over and above, without being turned to any account. This was cast down the Ching Keng peak. This stone, strange to say, after having undergone a process of refinement, attained a nature of efficiency, and could, by its innate powers, set itself into motion and was able to expand and to contract.When it became aware that the whole number of blocks had been made use of to repair the heavens, that it alone had been destitute of the necessary properties and had been unfit to attain selection, it forthwith felt within itself vexation and shame, and day and night, it gave way to anguish and sorrow.One day, while it lamented its lot, it suddenly caught sight, at a great distance, of a Buddhist bonze and of a Taoist priest coming towards that direction. Their appearance was uncommon, their easy manner remarkable. When they drew near this Ching Keng peak, they sat on the ground to rest, and began to converse. But on noticing the block newly-polished and brilliantly clear, which had moreover contracted in dimensions, and become no larger than the pendant of a fan, they were greatly filled with admiration. The Buddhist priest picked it up, and laid it in the palm of his hand."Your appearance," he said laughingly, "may well declare you to be a supernatural object, but as you lack any inherent quality it is necessary to inscribe a few characters on you, so that every one who shall see you may at once recognise you to be a remarkable thing. And subsequently, when you will be taken into a country where honour and affluence will reign, into a family cultured in mind and of official status, in a land where flowers and trees shall flourish with luxuriance, in a town of refinement, renown and glory; when you once will have been there"The stone listened with intense delight..."

Sueño en el Pabellón Rojo es el gran clásico de la literatura china, ''la novela más famosa de una literatura casi tres veces milenaria'', como afirmó Borges, un libro imperecedero. El bello y trágico relato de los desvelos amorosos de Jia Baoyu y Lin Daiyu en la China del siglo xviii, en el crepusculo de un esplendor feudal que ya no es mas que un sueño, no solo constituye un abanico de todas las pasiones humanas, en el que se entremezclan dulzura y crueldad, sino que es a la vez una cronica deslumbrante de los claroscuros de la sociedad y la cultura de la China imperial. ''Cada palabra me ha costado una gota de sangre'', afirmo Cao Xueqin. Desde que la novela comenzara a circular en China en copias manuscritas que se vendian en ferias y mercados tras la muerte de Cao Xueqin, cuando este contaba apenas cuarenta años y se hallaba en la miseria, Sueño en el Pabellon Rojo se ha convertido en una de las obras fundamentales de la literatura universal.Sueño en el Pabellón Rojo es el gran clásico de la literatura china, ''la novela más famosa de una literatura casi tres veces milenaria'', como afirmó Borges, un libro imperecedero. El bello y trágico relato de los desvelos amorosos de Jia Baoyu y Lin Daiyu en la China del siglo xviii, en el crepusculo de un esplendor feudal que ya no es mas que un sueño, no solo constituye un abanico de todas las pasiones humanas, en el que se entremezclan dulzura y crueldad, sino que es a la vez una cronica deslumbrante de los claroscuros de la sociedad y la cultura de la China imperial. ''Cada palabra me ha costado una gota de sangre'', afirmo Cao Xueqin. Desde que la novela comenzara a circular en China en copias manuscritas que se vendian en ferias y mercados tras la muerte de Cao Xueqin, cuando este contaba apenas cuarenta años y se hallaba en la miseria, Sueño en el Pabellon Rojo se ha convertido en una de las obras fundamentales de la literatura universal.

Sueño en el Pabellón Rojo es el gran clásico de la literatura china, «la novela más famosa de una literatura casi tres veces milenaria», como afirmó Borges, un libro imperecedero. El bello y trágico

"The tragedy of tragedies." Wang Guowei"[The Dream of the Red Chamber] is to the Chinese very much what The Brothers Karamazov is to Russian and In Search of Lost Time is to French literature It is beyond question one of the great novels of all literature." Anthony WestThe Dream of the Red Chamber and The Tale of Genji are the two greatest works of prose fiction in all the history of literature." Kenneth Rexroth "A masterpiece." Frederic Wakeman"The Dream of the Red Chamber", the great classical Chinese novel written in the mid-eighteenth century during the reign of Emperor Chien-lung of the Ching Dynasty, has been widely popular throughout the last two hundred years and more.The Ching Dynasty (1644-1911) was the last feudal dynasty in China. Although it saw a period of relative stability, feudal society was already on the decline and all the contradictions inherent in it were sharpening.This classic novel (an erotic tale of love, sex and passion) is a masterpiece of realism takes as its background the decline of several related big families and drawing much from the authors own experiences. It is a book about political struggle, a political-historical novel. Cao Xueqin 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. The authors family were close to the Ching imperial house in general, and with Emperor Kang-hsi in particular. He died in 1763 without having finished his novel.

Sueño en el Pabellón Rojo es el gran clásico de la literatura china, "la novela más famosa de una literatura casi tres veces milenaria", como afirmó Borges, un libro imperecedero. El bello y trágico relato de los desvelos amorosos de Jia Baoyu y Lin Daiyu en la China del siglo xviii, en el crepusculo de un esplendor feudal que ya no es mas que un sueño, no solo constituye un abanico de todas las pasiones humanas, en el que se entremezclan dulzura y crueldad, sino que es a la vez una cronica deslumbrante de los claroscuros de la sociedad y la cultura de la China imperial. "Cada palabra me ha costado una gota de sangre", afirmo Cao Xueqin. Desde que la novela comenzara a circular en China en copias manuscritas que se vendian en ferias y mercados tras la muerte de Cao Xueqin, cuando este contaba apenas cuarenta años y se hallaba en la miseria, Sueño en el Pabellon Rojo se ha convertido en una de las obras fundamentales de la literatura universal.

The novel provides a detailed, episodic record of life in the two branches of the wealthy, aristocratic Jia (?) clanthe Rongguo House (???) and the Ningguo House (???)who reside in two large, adjacent family compounds in the capital. Their ancestors were made Dukes and given imperial titles, and as the novel begins the two houses are among the most illustrious families in the city. One of the clans offspring is made a Royal Consort, and a lush landscaped garden is built to receive her visit. The novel describes the Jias wealth and influence in great naturalistic detail, and charts the Jias fall from the height of their prestige, following some thirty main characters and over four hundred minor ones. Eventually the Jia clan falls into disfavor with the Emperor, and their mansions are raided and confiscated.In the novels frame story, a sentient Stone, abandoned by the goddess Nuwa when she mended the heavens aeons ago, begs a Taoist priest and a Buddhist monk to bring it with them to see the world. The Stone, along with a companion (in Cheng-Gao versions they are merged into the same character), is then given a chance to learn from the human existence, and enters the mortal realm.The main character of the novel is the carefree adolescent male heir of the family, Jia Baoyu. He was born with a magical piece of "jade" in his mouth. In this life he has a special bond with his sickly cousin Lin Daiyu, who shares his love of music and poetry. Baoyu, however, is predestined to marry another cousin, Xue Baochai, whose grace and intelligence exemplify an ideal woman, but with whom he lacks an emotional connection. The romantic rivalry and friendship among the three characters against the backdrop of the familys declining fortunes form the main story in the novel.