- Published: 30 March 2006
- ISBN: 9780140443714
- Imprint: Penguin Classics
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 400
- RRP: $36.99
The Story of the Stone
 Amazon
                    Amazon
                    
                
                
                     Booktopia
                    Booktopia
                    
                
                    
                
                     Dymocks
                    Dymocks
                    
                
                
                     QBD
                    QBD
                    
                
                
                     Readings
                    Readings
                    
                
                
                     Your Bookstore
                    Your Bookstore
                    
                
                
                     Abbeys
                    Abbeys
                    
                
                
                     Boomerang
                    Boomerang
                    
                
                    
                         Find local retailers
                        Find local retailers
                        
                    
                
                     Collins
                    Collins
                    
                
                
                     Fishpond
                    Fishpond
                    
                
                
                     Gleebooks
                    Gleebooks
                    
                
                
                     Harry Hartog
                    Harry Hartog
                    
                
                
                     Kinokuniya
                    Kinokuniya
                    
                
                
                     Robinsons
                    Robinsons
                    
                
                
                     The Nile
                    The Nile
                    
                
                
                     Mighty Ape
                    Mighty Ape
                    
                
        The Story of the Stone (c. 1760), also known by the title of The Dream of the Red Chamber, is the great novel of manners in Chinese literature.
Divided into five volumes, of which The Debt of Tears is the fourth, 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.
- Published: 30 March 2006
- ISBN: 9780140443714
- Imprint: Penguin Classics
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 400
- RRP: $36.99
Other books in the series
About the author
Cao Xueqin (1715-63) was born into a family which for three generations held the office of Commissioner of Imperial Textiles in Nanking, a family so wealthy they were able to entertain the Emperor four times. However, calamity overtook them and their property was consfiscated. Cao Xueqin was living in poverty when he wrote his famous novel The Story of the Stone.
 
         
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                     
                                            
                                    