A Dream of Red Mansions (Chinese Classics, Classic Novel in 4 Volumes)

I've stumbled upon an abbreviated version of this book, which contained only 500 pages, and I've so fallen in love with it that I had to purchase the whole rendering, which amounts to almost 2000 pages. There are two fully unabridged translations, and this one is simply excellent. Unlike some other reviewers I find the English language here more than adequate, and the style more than satisfactory, doing honor to the unique original book, I'm sure. The story takes place in old China, describing the life of a young nobleman,- inspired by the author's only son who died young,- his rich background, his loves and disappointments, all that in a mystical way yet with the most elaborated accent on the noble family's daily-life. There are no words to describe the fascination,- the aesthetic appeal that looms from every page,- the garden-scenes which get names in the form of short poems (not unlike the Haiku and Tanka traditional Japanese poems, probably inspired by this Chinese tradition). Reading this book makes the reader actually earn a PHD on the classical Chinese culture of 200-300 years ago, including their costumes, their habits,- (burying faded flowers, crying over them,- can there be anything more touching,- and charming?), their political plots,- the family described being that of noble people who serve the Emperor,- the differences between the masters and the servants, their foods, their sicknesses and cures. You walk with the heroes in their exquisite gardens, full of artificial mountains, brooks, bridges, and of course exotic trees and flowers, you breathe the typical scents, get acquainted with their daily life, the ranks of importance inside the family, (the old widowed grandmother being like their queen, entitled to beat her grownup sons with a cane...) the strict rules of courtship and marriage, their strange illnesses and remedies. Moreover, since the Chinese used to believe in tangible Gods and Goddesses, the other world mixes invariably with this life, and dreams can be simply visits beyond the clouds. Just like Shakespeare, this author too brings ghosts, Gods, magic spells and items into the plots, making the reader swim in the book as if inside the huge brain of interlaced heaven and earth, feasting on both interchangeably. Then come the intricate plots, many of them, interwoven in each other, each one a little drama in the best Shakespearean style, people living and dying for jealousy, envy, greed, treachery, chastity, love,- not unlike Romeo and Juliet, not Italian but Chinese. This book is simply unique, a marvel of beauty, tragedies, exultations, all discovered on each page. Maybe I should simply say that it's the most beautiful book I've ever read. Mind you, I have nothing to do with China, so I am impartial. Recommended with 50 stars out of 5!!! Enjoy!!!By the way it's been one of the 10 bestsellers of all times. So, I'm not alone. Join the "Redists", as the admirers of this book are officially called.... You'll find in it surprises of all kinds you've never dreamt of!!

This is long and very detailed and discusses chinese life at a time in history, ,but it takes commitment to read it. Kind of like War and Peace, sometimes too long and frustrating as you read, but wonderful once you finish

This is a wonderful translation. I have read both the Hawkes before, and though it is said to be more poetic, he also takes far more license to create his desired effects. This translation is far more faithful to the original and allows more of the multidimensional layers from the original to come out.

I found that it was difficult to follow in spite of being very motivated. It may be a cultural thing so I am going to try to donate it to the the Asian history department of my local university.

I HEARD OF THIS CHINESE CLASSIC OF LITERATURE AND WAS ABLE TO ENJOY SOME SCENES FROM THE STORY WHEN I VISITED BEIJING, CHINA AND GOT TO VIEW A MAGNIFICENT SCREEN CONTAINING 60 PANELS CONSTRUCTED FOR THE EMPEROR AND CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT THE SUMMER PALACE IN NORTHWEST BEIJING. THE SCREEN WAS CREATED FROM PRECIOUS AND SEMI-PRECIOUS MATERIALS AND STANDS 2 METERS TALL. EVERY PANEL IS STRIKING IN APPEARANCE AND CONVINCED ME TO READ THE TRANSLATED VERSION OF THE STORY, BECAUSE OF THE DEDICATION OF ALL OF THE ARTISANS THAT CREATED SUCH AN IMPORTANT DEPICTION OF THE CLASSIC STORY.

This is the story of a great Chinese family in decline. It is told mainly through the lives of the women and servants of the family and a boy who loved the company of the maids who surround him. The attention to every domestic detail is delightful. I think the story takes place in the 17th century. I don't think it can be read in a hurry. One needs to be alert while reading so it is not a bedtime book.Allow a year or so to enjoy it. I return to it again and again.

I read it in conjunction with a beautiful book:Dream of Red Mansions: As portrayed through the brush of Sun Wen Hardcover – September 10, 2010. by Kexi Zhou (Adapter), Wen Sun (Illustrator)

(Updated review) This book has over 2,500 pages and literally HUNDREDS of characters. It all centers around a wealthy family that crumbles into its own downfall. There are a lot of impressive descriptions of the lifestyle of the wealthy and the culture during that time period.I will say, this is the kind of book you cannot only read once. I will have to reread it eventually to understand it better. The multitude of characters makes it hard to follow and I often found myself getting confused. There is a family tree on one page, but the printing is unclear and small so I had to consult an online family tree instead.This translation is very affordable at a little over $7 per book vs. the $14 per book for Penguin's 5-volume series. However, I cannot help but wonder if the translation quality is better with Penguin's, as I didn't quite feel satisfied with this translation. I feel like some of the literary prowess was lost. I also wish that the translation notes were more detailed, as I felt I missed out a lot of the symbolism and cultural context while reading the book.In addition, the printing quality and book quality is not so great. Very thin paper, so-so cover, and what is even more shocking is that they put the title in the "Impact" font on the spine. That being said, it is a cost-effective and affordable option.

I'm not an expert on this topic but as far as I can understand, it looks well-presented and easy to read (even fit English is not your first language). Even the price I found it fair.

excellant

great set arrived promptly no probs

Very nice set of books, they are paper back and neither the paper nor the binding is is of high quality, but still a classic which i had to have in my collection.