Cao Xueqin: The Story Of The Stone

[nnyhav]

Cao Xueqin's The Story of the Stone (aka The Dream of the Red Chamber) is an 18th century classic of Chinese literature. Billed as a novel of manners set amidst the decline of a family of the lesser nobility, it is considerably more than that, bringing into its ambit mythic, artistic (not merely literary) and traditional influences. The Penguin edition is the definitive English translation, executed by David Hawkes in 3 volumes for the first 80 chapters, and John Minford in 2 volumes for the last 40, which decades after Cao Xueqin's death were collated and edited by Gao E from widely dispersed manuscripts collected by Cheng Weiyuan: that's their story anyway, but even if largely invention, the story could not have been better completed (unless Cao had lived to finish his task). Pace Complete-Review, it is far from flawless, particularly the final volumes, but still far surpasses what might be expected given the manuscript's history, which in some sense echoes the narrative arc, which in turn reflects the long arc of Chinese history. Nice touches abound, from the sycophantic literary gentlemen who attach themselves to the head of the family, to various aesthetic pursuits (from landscaping to qin-playing to role-playing to go-playing to drinking games), but composition sensitive to tradition, especially of poetry, is an essential concern. But then so too are the economics and politics of the time and of the social hierarchitecture then in place (with servants gaining more prominence as the story proceeds). A touchstone for the interplay between fact and art is introduced in the opening chapter, in its entrancing arch:

Truth becomes fiction when the fiction's true;
Real becomes not-real where the unreal's real.​

The family names pun on this dichotomy between illusion and reality, up to and including a real-life double for the central character. Rebuses of the principal characters in his orbit follow and foreshadow, but all the pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place. While largely shorn of Chinese commentary accreted in the past, the translators provide guidance in the form of appendices, cast listings and genealogies, along with introductions setting historical context. But the novel goes well beyond being simply a gateway into an unfamiliar culture; it contains ample wonders even for the most jaded reader. *****

 

[Max Cairnduff]

I bought volume one of this recently, I'm very pleased to hear how good it is. Thanks.

 

[nnyhav]

via LitSaloon: hail & farewell, translator David Hawkes (1923-2009)

 

[gumbowriters]

Chinese literature remains a hidden seam in the rich strata of Chinese culture. As a matter of fact, it is a treasure of a very considerable number of brilliant and profound works as each dynasty, in the long history of China, has passed down its legacy of magnificent events and works.

 

[Rhoda]

There are many versions of the manuscripts of this work, the absolute peak of Chinese literature, and it is the greatest tragic event in Chinese literary history that it is not complete. We have evidence that it was once completely drafted (by the original author Cao Xueqin) and certain people have read it, but for various reasons the chapters after the 80th (some say 78th) were lost.

Gao E's 40 chapters which tried to make the work whole only ended up tearing it apart. He failed to understand Cao's grand design of tragedy, or grasp his conception of human emotions. Artistically Gao's writing falls short too.

 

[lawpark]

I would say if this was completed it wouldn't attract so much scholarly (and pseudo-scholarly) studies and interests in the book.

(Some thinks that Cao deliberately destroyed the last 30 chapters (yes, 30, not 40) he wrote ... this is just according to a version I happen to own.)

 

[Rhoda]

Well, a book is not usually valued or studied for its incompletion, right? Pseudo-scholars abound in every field, not just "Redology" (which is not an appropriate term).
It is not very likely that Cao deliberately castrated the book, but there is no proof, anyway, for anything you can say about this book. It is a lamentable sight now in China to see it being distorted, by the so-called scholars, ill-informed common readers, and ridiculous TV productions. However, out of all the massive heap of literatures and visual renderings, there are always something delightful and faithful, so there is hope.

 

[childeroland]

Which TV production or film is the most faithful?

 

[Rhoda]

There is a TV series produced in 1987, altogether 36 episodes, the first 30 were adapted from Cao Xueqin's 78 chapters, and the last 6 were written according to the researches and studies of scholars.
View attachment 376


(A recent one in 2010, with 50 episodes, is horrible. Faithful only to the ridiculous and corrupting version of Gao E. )

 

[Caodang]

There is a TV series produced in 1987, altogether 36 episodes, the first 30 were adapted from Cao Xueqin's 78 chapters, and the last 6 were written according to the researches and studies of scholars.
View attachment 376


(A recent one in 2010, with 50 episodes, is horrible. Faithful only to the ridiculous and corrupting version of Gao E. )

I saw the 1987 version, it's marvellous! Strikingly beautiful, deeply moving. Should you have any opportunities to get a copy of it, see it!

 

[Hamlet]

I have volume 1 of the Penguin version, worst book I've ever bought, not because of the edition - but because of the state of the particular copy Amazon sent! I paid little for it and got stuffed.

Resurrecting this thread because it may attract some new input.

 

[childeroland]

@Caodang and Rhoda
Found it on Youtube and did really enjoy it. Thanks.

 

[Cleanthess]

Hamlet, see if you can get your hands on a copy of the Norton Anthology of World Literature, it has a few annotated chapters (from 16 to 22, I think). Believe me, it makes all the difference, because all of a sudden you see what you are missing on the plain vanilla editions and from that point on you read the book in a different manner.
If I had to take just 3 books to a desert island, The Story of the Stone, Pu Songling's Tales from a Chinese Studio and Kafka's collected works would be my choices.
The Story of the Stone has my favorite premise of any book: Two celestial beings meet in heaven and fall in love. Then they are granted some shared time as human beings on this earth to consummate their love, but human existence is marred by free will, if not outright willfulness and they end up tangled up in conflicts, misunderstandings and trouble. At the same time in their exchanges, letters and actions you see how unbelievably great their souls are, how exquisite their feelings, how unfortunate their karma.
A little example, at some point (near chapter 20) the flower writes a poem for the stone and mentions that since she is writing it in mottled bamboo paper there is no choice but to write about tearful things. The flower is alluding to a beautiful legend about how originally mottled bamboo was stained by the tears of nymphs.

 

[Hamlet]

Cl - now by pure chance, I have the Norton Anthol of World Lit, both volumes, a green and orange cover - nearly sold it, as it has a sort of student look to it and I'd acquired a lot the texts in separate full eds, but didnt' realize that Story of the Stone was in there.

I've also got by the way, some of the Columbia University Press Anthol eds of Traditional Chinese Literature, and a large Japanese Anthol vol 1 (of two), Columbia I figured must have a dept or something on Asian Lit, as they seem to be strong on the works available.

I've had an interest in Japan, or sort of a background, low-level interest for years, so looking for roots of lit away from the Greeks,I picked up a few of these books, the anthols were the best way to get the most literature for your buck, so I acquired them.

Interesting example you've given: -
I noticed it's 18thc isn't it, quite late in the literature, and clearly more layered than I'd understood, but I've only read a few pages of the Vol 1, and the usual backcover blurb.

(btw, I set up a desert island thread somewhere, but it only got a response from Eric, back at the time, may have to resurrect that one too! Bringing some of these threads back to life may get some posters posting, who knows, great forum or idea for a forum, but quiet around here!)

 

[Cleanthess]

Now you need to resurrect that thread, I can't for the life of me guess what books Eric would pick (Jan Kroos? The Laments -Treny- of Kochanowski? Colette?).

On the other hand, the Norton Editions' annotations are great. I remember reading my first Nabokov (Transparent Things), and going huh? What's the big fuss about? A tennis technique to have the ball stop flat upon hitting the grass?

Then I read a few annotated chapters of Pnin from a Norton edition and I realized that I had been blind, but then I could see: my little dear Bielka (squirrel) = Belochkina. The glass/vair/verre/squirrel skin slippers = the human skin lampshades and shoes some germans made at some point out of the skin of Mira Belochkina and thousands like her... and on and on. After that I began to read Nabokov in a completely different manner, but I digress.

As for Japanese Lit., my favorite rare pearl is that little story that tells of the first recorded female Nerd in all of literature: "The Princess Who Loved Insects (虫めづる姫君 Mushi Mezuru Himegimi), from Tales of the Riverside Middle Counselor (堤中納言物語 Tsutsumi Chūnagon Monogatari), a collection of short stories written in the late Heian period. It's the story of a young woman who refused to make herself beautiful and play the courtship game. She didn't blacken her teeth and pluck her eyebrows, as refined ladies did in those days; instead, she spent her time outdoors, researching bugs and caterpillars." (Summary taken from Rurousha's blog) The tale is told in such deadpan tone that it's not possible to know if it's straight, ironic or cautionary.

 

[Hamlet]

Ahh, I've just realised today it's the Western, and not World literature Norton editions I have, but never mind, I'll keep an eye out for the other.

Yes, there's a quite a lot of Japanese Literature I'd like to read, I may fish out my Anthols and have a look through again soon, but I have quite a lot of other reading building up.

I seem to favour, Elizabethan and Jacobean drama, the great Greek plays, the 19th C novel with some incursions into the 20th C, but I'm also beginning to read around Latin American fiction, this week I was perusing the threads in here about Borges and Co.

I'll see if I can resurrect that desert island thread.

 

[Hamlet]

I've resurrected that thread Cleanthess.

It's a little bonkers, but deliberately so.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

I have just started Volume Four in the Penguin edition. I can only humbly agree with Michael Orthofer that this is one of the reading experiences of a lifetime. The Story of the Stone is in my opinion completely accessible to readers of classic Western fiction, offering no particular difficulties of plotting, characterization, prose, etc. Think of it as a Chinese Buddenbrooks and you won’t be too far off.

 

[kpjayan]

I did my reading of all 5 volumes in the beginning of the year. As you said, it is a rewarding experience. The names and the relations can be confusing ( not the main characters, but numerous others in the book) at the beginning.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

The character lists at the back of each Penguin volume are enormously helpful. As with any novel, taking notes is also a benefit!