The Story of the Stone (c.1760) is one of the greatest novels of Chinese literature. The first part of the story,The Golden Days,begins the tale of Bao-yu,a gentle young boy who prefers girls to Confucian studies,and his two cousins: Bao-chai,his parents'choice of a wife for him,and the ethereal beauty Dai-yu. Through the changing fortunes of the Jia family,this rich,magical work sets worldly events - love affairs,sibling rivalries,political intrigues,even murder - within the context of the Buddhist understanding that earthly existence is an illusion and karma determines the shape of our lives.
MEDIA REVIEWS
Publisher: Penguin Books LtdISBN: 9780140442939Number of pages: 544Weight: 380 gDimensions: 196 x 130 x 28 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
"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'sThe 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 berewarded every bit of attention you give it,many times over."-SupChina, "The 100 China Books You Have to Read,Ranked"(#1)
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