A Companion to the Story of the Stone: A Chapter-By-Chapter Guide

Description

The Story of the Stone (also known as Dream of the Red Chamber) is widely held to be the greatest work of Chinese literature, beloved by readers ever since it was first published in 1791. The story revolves around the young scion of a mighty clan who, instead of studying for the civil service examinations, frolics with his maidservants and girl cousins. The narrative is cast within a mythic framework in which the protagonist's rebellion against Confucian strictures is guided by a Buddhist monk and a Taoist priest. Embedded in the novel is a biting critique of imperial China's political and social system. This book is a straightforward guide to a complex classic that was written at a time when readers had plenty of leisure to sort through the hundreds of characters and half a dozen subplots that weave in and out of the book's 120 chapters. Each chapter of the companion summarizes and comments on each chapter of the novel. The companion provides English-speaking readers--whether they are simply dipping into this novel or intent on a deep analysis of this masterpiece--with the cultural context to enjoy the story and understand its world. The book is keyed to David Hawkes and John Minford's English translation of The Story of the Stone and includes an index that gives the original Chinese names and terms. Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Key to Recurring Characters 1. The Origin of the Stone and the Vicissitudes of Life 2. The Jia Family’s Fortune Coldly Appraised by an Antique Dealer 3. Dai-yu’s Arrival at the Jia Household 4. A Manslaughter Cover-Up and the Xue Family’s Arrival 5. The Girls’ Destinies Revealed to a Bewildered Bao-yu 6. Bao-yu’s First Sexual Experience; Grannie Liu’s First Visit to the Jias 7. The Perspectives of Two Old Servants; Bao-yu Is Smitten by a Bashful Boy 8. Bao-yu and Bao-chai Locked in Fate 9. A Schoolhouse Brawl 10. Qin-shi’s Illness Heads Off an Accusation Against Her Brother 11. Xi-feng Visits Qin-shi; Jia Rui Flirts with Xi-feng 12. Xi-feng Sets a Trap for the Amorous Jia Rui; Dai-yu Travels South to See Her Ailing Father 13. Qin-shi’s Warning and Her Lavish Funeral 14. Xi-feng Imposes Order on the Ning Household; the Funeral Procession Is Greeted by a Prince 15. Qin Zhong Fools Around with a Nun and with Bao-yu; Xi-feng Takes a Bribe 16. Yuan-chun’s Promotion at Court; Dai-yu’s Return and Qin Zhong’s Death 17. Bao-yu’s Poetic Skills Are Tested by His Father; the Household Prepares for the Visitation 18. The Imperial Concubine’s Visit to Prospect Garden 19. Bao-yu’s Grand Bargain with Aroma and His Growing Intimacy with Dai-yu 20. Bao-yu Tries Unsuccessfullyto Please Everyone; Shi Xiang-yun’s Arrival Leads to a Declaration 21. Aroma Finds an Ally in Bao-chai; Patience Seizes Evidence of Jia Lian’s Misconduct 22. An Opera Piques Bao-yu’s Interest in Monkhood; Gloomy Riddles Distress His Father 23. Bao-yu Moves with the Girls Into Prospect Garden; the Lovers Bury Fallen Flowers 24. Two Ambitious Social Climbers: Jia Yun and Crimson 25. Jia Huan and Aunt Zhao Exact Their Revenge; the Monk and the Taoist Come to the Rescue 26. Crimson Sends Jia Yun a Message; Skybright Carelessly Shuts Out Dai-yu 27. Tan-chun Repudiates Her Mother; Dai-yu Ponders Her Fate Seen in Fallen Flowers 28. Bao-yu Gives Aroma’s Sash to Jiang Yu-han; Yuan-chun, in Her Gifts, Favors Bao-chai Over Dai-yu 29. Grandmother Jia Shows Her Compassionate Side; a Matchmaking Abbot Provokes a Lovers’ Rift 30. Bao-yu Is Chastened by Bao-chai for Being Rude; He Causes Golden to Be Dismissed 31. Bao-yu Lets Skybright Rip Up Two Fans for Fun; Shi Xiang-yun Finds the Kylin Meant for Her 32. Criticism of Dai-yu Prompts Bao-yu to Avow His Love; Golden Commits Suicide 33. Bao-yu Is Savagely Beaten by His Father Due to Jiang Yu-han’s Disappearance 34. Aroma Confides Her Worries to Lady Wang; Bao-yu Sends Dai-yu Two Used Handkerchiefs 35. Grandmother Jia Indicates Her Preference for Bao-chai; Bao-yu Makes Golden’s Sister Laugh 36. Aroma Receives an Informal Promotion; Bao-chai Hears Bao-yu Reveal He Prefers Dai-yu 37. The Founding of the Crab-Flower Club 38. A Crab-Eating Feast Is Hosted by Shi Xiang-yun 39. Li Wan Laments Her Lack of an Able Assistant; Grannie Liu Is Enlisted for Entertainment 40. Grannie Liu Is Given a Tour of Prospect Garden and Made the Butt of Practical Jokes 41. The Finicky Adamantina Serves Tea; Grannie Liu Passes Out on Bao-yu’s Bed 42. Grannie Liu Names Xi-feng’s Daughter Before Departing; Bao-chai Befriends Dai-yu 43. Xi-feng Squeezes Aunt Zhou and Aunt Zhao for Her Party; Bao-yu Makes an Offering to Golden 44. Xi-feng Catches Jia Lian with a Servant’s Wife; Patience Is Struck and a Woman Hangs Herself 45. The Steward’s Son Is Made a Magistrate; Bao-chai Supplies Dai-yu with Edible Bird’s Nest 46. Jia She Tries to Take Faithful as His Concubine 47. Grandmother Jia Gives Lady Xing a Scolding; Xue Pan Is Thrashed by Liu Xiang-lian 48. Jia Lian Is Beaten by His Father for Criticizing Him; Caltrop Becomes Obsessed with Poetry 49. The Arrival of Xue Bao-qin, Xue Ke, Xing Xiu-yan, and the Li Sisters 50. Grandmother Jia Invites Herself to a Merry Gathering in a Garden Blanketed by Snow 51. Aroma Makes a Trip Home in Style; Skybright Catches a Cold 52. Xue Bao-qin Recites a Poem by a Blonde Girl; an Ailing Skybright Mends a Cloak for Bao-yu 53. Solemn Ancestral Rites Are Performed on New Year’s Eve; the Festivities Last Half a Month 54. Grandmother Jia Holds Forth at Her Banquet 55. Tan-chun Takes Charge of the Household; Xi-feng Shares Her Views of the Cousins with Patience 56. The Girls Put the Garden to Work; Jia Bao-yu Learns That He Has a Double in Zhen Bao-yu 57. Nightingale Forces Bao-yu to Declare His Love for Dai-yu; Xing Xiu-yan Is Betrothed to Xue Ke 58. A Dowager Consort’s Death Disrupts the Jia Household; the Child Actresses Stay On as Maidservants 59. Conflicts Break Out Between the Ex-Actresses and Their Foster Mothers 60. The Ex-Actresses Gang Up to Assault Aunt Zhao; Parfumée Tries to Help Fivey Join Bao-yu’s Staff 61. Fivey Is Accused of Theft; Chess Tries to Replace Cook Liu with Her Own Aunt 62. A Garden Party Is Held to Celebrate Bao-yu, Xue Bao-qin, Xing Xiu-yan, and Patience’s Birthdays 63. The Party Continues Into the Night; Jia Rong, in Mourning, Flirts with the You Sisters 64. Dai-yu Writes About Beauties in History; Jia Lian Is Urged to Take Er-jie as His Second Wife 65. Jia Lian Secretly Installs You Er-jie in a Second Household; You San-jie Enthralls Cousin Zhen 66. You San-jie Kills Herself with a Sword; Liu Xiang-lian Goes Off with a Crippled Taoist 67. Bao-chai Gives Away the Presents from Her Brother; Xi-feng Discovers Jia Lian’s Second Marriage 68. Xi-feng Lures You Er-jie into the Rong Compound and Humiliates Jia Rong with a Bogus Lawsuit 69. Xi-feng, Feigning Kindness, Drives Er-jie to Her Death 70. The Cousins Release Their Kites; Bao-yu, Though Deeply Troubled, Catches Up on His Studies 71. Jia Zheng Comes Home for Grandmother Jia’s Birthday; Faithful Catches Chess in Flagrante 72. Jia Lian Is Driven to Pawning Grandmother Jia’s Valuables; Sunset Is Promised to a Wastrel 73. A Maidservant Shows Lady Xing a Piece of Erotica; Ying-chun Refuses to Discipline Her Staff 74. Lady Wang Turns Against Skybright; a Raid Is Conducted on Prospect Garden 75. The Zhen Clan of Nanking Is Disgraced; the Jia Men Take to Gambling 76. Grandmother Jia Resists Ending the Mid Autumn Party; Shi Xiang-yun Commiserates with Dai-yu 77. Chess and the Ex-Actresses Are Expelled; Bao-yu and Skybright Bid Their Final Farewell 78. Lady Wang Lies About Skybright; Bao-yu Writes an Elegy to the Hibiscus Spirit 79. Jia She Arranges a Hasty Marriage for Ying-chun; Xue Pan Weds a Conceited Girl 80. Xia Jin-gui Turns the Xue Family Upside Down; Ying-chun’s Husband Treats Her Like a Slave 81. Bao-yu Learns the Limits of the Matriarch’s Power; He Is Sent Back to the Clan School 82. Aroma Probes Dai-yu on Concubines; Dai-yu Coughs Up Blood on waking from a Nightmare 83. The Matriarch Is Told of Dai-yu’s Condition; Yuan-chun’s Illness Alarms the Jia Elders 84. Jia Zheng Considers a Bride for Bao-yu; tthe Matriarch Is Pleased When Bao-chai Is Suggested 85. Bao-yu Is Kept in the Dark About His Betrothal; Jia Zheng Receives a Promotion 86. Xue Pan’s Murder Charge Is Reduced; Dai-yu Teaches Bao-yu About Music 87. Dai-yu Plays a Tune That Snaps Her Qin String; Adamantina Has a Horrific Dream Vision 88. Li Wan Is Consoled by Jia Lan’s Achievement; Zhou Rui Is Kicked and Jia Yun Is Humiliated 89. The Snapped String Unnerves Bao-yu; Hearing He Is Betrothed, Dai-yu Stops Eating 90. Hearing the Bride Is to Be a Cousin, Dai-yu Rallies; the Matriarch Bans Talk of the Betrothal 91. A Timetable Is Set for Bao-yu’s Wedding; Dai-yu and Bao-yu Communicate by Talking Zen 92. Bao-yu Discusses Noble Women with Qiao-Jie; Chess and Her Cousin Commit Double Suicide 93. Bao-yu Identifies with Jiang Yu-han; Jia Qin Is Caught Seducing the Young Novices 94. Crab-Flower Trees Bloom Out of Season; Bao-yu’s Jade Mysteriously Disappears 95. Yuan-chun Passes Away in the Palace; Bao-yu Turns Into a Simpleton 96. Wang Zi-teng Dies on His Way to the Capital; a Hasty Wedding Is Set Before Jia Zheng Departs 97. Bao-yu Is Tricked Into Marrying Bao-chai; Dai-yu Burns Her Poems and Dies 98. Bao-chai Tells Bao-yu That Dai-yu Is Dead; Bao-yu Improves After Mourning for Dai-yu 99. Bao-yu Is Reconciled to Accepting Bao-chai; Jia Zheng Turns a Blind Eye to Misdeeds 100. Tan-chun Is Betrothed to Be Married Afar; Efforts to Save Xue Pan Bankrupt His Family 101. Wang Zi-teng’s Debt Strains the Wang Clan; Anxious, Xi-feng Entrusts Qiao-jie to Patience 102. An Exorcism is Performed in the Garden; Jia Zheng Is Demoted for His Underlings’ Abuses 103. Xia Jin-gui Mistakenly Poisons Herself; Jia Yu-cun Happens on Zhen Shi-yin at a Derelict Temple 104. Jia Yun and Ni Er Vow Revenge on the Jias; Bao-yu Wants Nightingale to Know He Was Tricked 105. The Secret Police Conduct a Raid of the Jia Compound; Four Jia Men Are Arrested 106. Jia Zheng Realizes His Family Faces Financial Ruin; the Matriarch Begs Heaven to Punish Her 107. Jia She and Cousin Zhen Go Into Exile; Grandmother Jia Distributes Her Possessions 108. The Matriarch Hosts a Surprise Birthday Party; Bao-yu Wails for Dai-yu in the Desolate Garden 109. Bao-yu’s Attempt at Intimacy Is Rebuffed by Fivey; Guilt Stricken, He Makes It Up to Bao-chai 110. The Matriarch Dies with a Smile on Her Face; Lady Xing Makes Life Difficult for Xi-feng 111. A Ghost Shows Faithful How to Hang Herself; the Matriarch’s Apartment Is Looted 112. Adamantina Is Abducted by Pirates; Xi-chun Resolves to Become a Nun 113. Grannie Liu Playfully Offers to Be Qiao-jie’s Matchmaker; Nightingale Takes Pity on Bao-yu 114. Xi-feng Dies Babbling of the Register; Wang Ren and Qiao-jie Antagonize Each Other 115. Xi-chun Declares She Intends to Take the Vows; Bao-yu Relapses After Meeting His Look-Alike 116. Bao-yu Has a Second Dream of Revelations; His Father Takes the Coffins to the South for Burial 117. Bao-yu Reaches an Agreement with the Monk; Jia Lian Leaves Jia Qiang and Jia Yun in Charge 118. Qiao-jie Is Offered to a “Mongol” Prince; Bao-yu Studies to Discharge His Filial Obligations 119. Bao-yu Is Missing After the Examinations; the Emperor Declares a General Amnesty 120. Bao-yu Bids His Father Farewell and Vanishes in the Snow; Aroma Marries the Actor Jiang Yu-han Selected Bibliography Index