Story of the Stone Vol. 1
, by Cao Xueqin (Author); Hawkes, David (Translator); Hawkes, David (Introduction by)Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.
- ISBN: 9780140442939 | 0140442936
- Cover: Paperback
- Copyright: 3/1/1974
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.