Kemanisan pada ilmu, gedung akal yang makmur

Aku hairan dan kagum pada manusia yang dapat berfikir tetapi tidak menunaikan akalnya. Sistem kehidupan dan berfikir manusia di hadapanku telah berselingkuh sehingga melahirkan anak-anak gampang, yang akalnya kosong, hanya dibauri kepalatan. kemusnahan yang dicipta sekian abad oleh nusa, parah disesati neorosis dan kebejatan anak-anak gampang yang lahir berpijar sakit.
Arca dari Menara
biarpun betapa lelah mendaki lereng restu di hujung bukit
membasah jerih di pundak harapan tetap kami daki
biarpun terlewat mencapai saujana
mengugur tekun dan tekad pantang sekali
azam dan berkabut pari
seluruh warga berjanji
tidak patah dibahang kekecewaan
sumpah warga kampus
membayar rakus anak-anak generasi
menyatakan mengapa ada perjuangan
mengapa ada mimpi
dan mengapa kami berdiri di puncak kebijaksanaan

ada kalanya kami direncam mimpi gelora rindu
pada anak-anak di sana
pada kekasih yang memahami
Restuilah Tuhan
Mencapai Fajar
Harapan serta Gemilang

(USM, Pulau Pinang )Aku hairan dan kagum pada manusia yang dapat berfikir tetapi tidak menunaikan akalnya. Sistem kehidupan dan berfikir manusia di hadapanku telah berselingkuh sehingga melahirkan anak-anak gampang, yang akalnya kosong, hanya dibauri kepalatan. kemusnahan yang dicipta sekian abad oleh nusa, parah disesati neorosis dan kebejatan anak-anak gampang yang lahir berpijar sakit.
Arca dari Menara

Kembara ke lembah ilmu

Dia bersama kami, seorang pengembara di lembah ilmu, mencari hakikat dan keberanian azam dan semangat, harapan dan budi, jujur dan lestari. Pembuktian kehidupan ini tidak semata-mata ada kebendaan boleh menakluk jiwa yang sakit. Kemewahan tidak menjamin kebahagiaan, harta kekayaan melimpah luah belum tentu mengubati kekosongan di perjalanan. Jutawan bergelar mempunyai ratusan hektar tanah di persisir pantai, gedung perniagaan yang mantap, siapalah kami dibandingkan dengan sahabat kami ini. Jenuh di perairan untung dan laba di pantai, kapal-kapalnya meraih untung, sesiapapun tidak sangka, dia bersama sebatang tongkat keazaman turut bersama-sama kami mencari sesuatu yang indah di tanah permai, menara USM hendak ditakluki.
Syabas Datuk! Mereka di luar sana, hanya mencari mimpi-mimpi yang kosong.

Talak Di Musim Rindu

Semakin jauh semakin kita menghampiri titik pertemuan setelah pergelutan menjarakkan hubungan seintim dahulu. Mustahil atau benar hendak kita mengakhiri penyesalan yang berlaku dengan menyatukan semula dua belahan jiwa yang terlalu menderita selama belasan tahun sedang kita sendiri yang mengatur. Bukan kita pinta nasib seburuk kelmarin bermula pertengkaran kecil, campur tangan famili, lalu menjadi konflik yang serius sehingga diselesaikan dalam bilik syariah. Lalu seterusnya matahari membakar warkah warkah janji yang terjalin selama bertahun-tahun. Begitulah kesudahannya cinta yang ikhlas dicampuri hal-hal yang di luar rumah cinta kita.

Dalam peristiwa demi peristiwa

Harapan ibu pertiwi pada anak-anak generasi masakini, betapa penghayatan budaya, bahasa kemaskinikan untuk dijadikan pegangan utuh situasi bangsa akan datang.

Memahamkan orang tidak mengerti

Ramainya kelompok kebodohan di luar aliran dan mahzab yang sedang kuanuti. Material yang tidak mendatangkan apa-apa kian ramai jumlahnya. Kasihan, sedih kerana mala petaka yang sedang membelenggu melingkari kelompok itu. Mereka bernafas tanpa wawasan. Mereka bangun saban pagi, dengan tidak tahu arah dan tujuan. Jiwa mereka lebih tohor dari laut. Hidayah bukan milik semua orang. Pendirian dan pegangan juga bukan milik ramai orang. Cukup sedikit yang diberikan petunjuk untuk memahami mengapa mereka diwujudkan di alam ini. Mereka sedang sakit di luar sana. Mereka kehilangan segala-galanya, dan mereka tidak faham mengapa mereka hidup.Hidup tanpa tautan perjuangan apalah ertinya.

Malam Kemerdekaan Bahtera Merdeka

Masihkah ada restu,

Entah mengapa ada cacatnya hubungan kemanisan yang mahu dibangunkan semula melalui mimpi-mimpi kesakitan silam. Silam dan perasaan terjejas oleh episod hari ini yang terjadi tiba-tiba. Belahan tubuh menjadi satu, itupun tidak mungkin terjadi. Jadilah kita seperti keruh di musim kemarau, terang tetapi masih menanggung kegelisahan. Tidakkah kita berjalan di tanah kekecewaan hidup, kekadang indah untuk sementara, kekadang merasai kesakitan meskipun terasa berharganya hubungan diteruskan.
Keampunan dan penyerahan pada situasi takdir itulah sebaik-baiknya yang harus disemai, sementara, semakin jauh kita meneruskan perjalanan.

Lupakan kesakitan lampau, binalah cahaya persahabatan

Usahawan kecil

Yang bermula dan berakhir

Kita semakin memahami

Rona-rona kembara

Bukan salah takdir

Hampir belasan tahun kita diketemukan semula, setelah terpisah oleh kemahuan yang bukan mutlak milik dikongsikan. Aku kekok berdiri menahan silu dan perasaan. Kini kita dewasa, dan tidak wajar menangisi perpisahan yang terjadi. Pasrah.

Dunia ini hanya nyanyian sepi

Katamu wajah kemarau sastera bermusim

ada kering dan hujannya

ada bisu dan kakunya

ada gersang dan lembahnya

sekawan belibis menungkah angin

takkan tertikam

paruh berkawan.

Memperkenalkan budaya

Lakukan apapun demi memperkenalkan penghayatan sastera dan budaya kepada khalayak. Syabas sahabat-sahabatku.

Bangunkan suara anak-anak watan

Di menara ilmu ini wajarlah menemukan jati diri bangsaku yang hilang, semakin hilang, kian pupus di arus keruh kemodenan yang membunuh. Anak-anak seperti aku suatu ketika dahulu dibunuh, direnyuk kegelojohan, rakus mengejar kebendaan. Hilangnya sikap, pendirian, begitu rumit mengendalikan kelewatan lampau. Biar hari ini aku bersumpah demi pertiwi, nashkah Melayu yang terbakar di dalam perang, di rompak penjajahan, sehingga aku kembalikan persuratan yang hilang itu. Sumpah. Bersumpahlah pertiwi bangsa.

Kita di sini bukan hanya untuk menyiapkan tugasan dan PB, tetapi lebih besar daripada itu. Kefahaman dan kemahuan untuk mencari peribadi, semangat untuk terus mencabar diri walaupun ianya agak terlewat. Di menara gading kita akan bertemu dengan rakan-rakan daripada pelbagai bidang dan daerah, bahasa serta budaya yang berbeza, namun senyum yang diberikan membuat kita berasal daripada rumpun dan budaya yang sama. Hormat menghormati di antara satu sama lain.

    Apakah yang kurang dalam senyuman, walaupun tidak sering berbual-bual disebabkan fakulti yang berbeza. Namun kami berasa bangga dan bertuah berteduh di bawah pohon-pohon teduh dalam kampus. Nyaman menyegarkan berjalan menuju ke kelas sewaktu kuliah. Sambil berjalan berbual-bual dengan kawan-kawan fakulti, sebilik, seiringan dengan gelak dan ketawa seperti kanak-kanak sekolah. Setelah habis keluaih kami sama-sama juga singgah di kafeteria. Di sepanjang jalan daripada asrama ke dewak kuliah, ada beberapa buah kafeteria yang menjadi pilihan kami. Makanan dan minuman yang dijual, sangat murah dibandingkan dengan harga di luar. Ini disebabkan kami masih lagi pelajar kampus yang sedia menikmati harga murah. Pada tahun pertama aku di kampus, sebulan diwajibkan tinggal di kampus. Selebihnya kami belajar program jarak jauh. PJJ. Pengajaran dalam talian ketika itu diikuti oleh para pelajar dari daerah dan negeri masing-masing. Kuliah di dalam talian pada hujung minggu, kami jalani dengan selamat dan menyeronokkan. Kami mengenal semua pensyarah, dan siswa siswi kerana pada minggu orientasi kami berkumpul di Dewan Besar di USM untuk mengangkat sumpah sebagai pelajar Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang. 

    Tahun 2009, aku berjanji pada diri untuk belajar bersungguh-sungguh sebagai status seorang pelajar. Pada majlis angkat sumpah, keseluruhan pelajar daripada pelbagai fakulti, seramai 1800 orang. Berseragam baju putih, bertali leher, berseluar hitam memenuhi dewan. Permandangan dalam dewan meriah, mengembirakan, dan semangat berkobar-kobar setelah diterima sebagai pelajar universiti. Kegembiraan diterima sebagai siswa di universiti yang unggul tidak digambarkan. Inilah peluang keemasan yang lama aku dambakan. Pada satu masa dahulu aku bercita-cita untuk melanjutkan pelajaran hinmgga ke manara gading. Sekarang sudah tercapai. Pada era 1980an, selepas aku menamatkan STPM, aku memohon melanjutkan pelajaran di peringkat ijazah. Semasa mengisi borang UPU, aku memilih Universiti Malaya sebagai pilihan pertama. Gagal. Dengan keputusan hanya 3p 1Subsid, aku tidak layak untuk melanjutkan pelajaran di universiti unggul tersebut. Ketika itu aku tidak lagi bercita-cita melanjutkan pelajaran, setelah aku berkerja di Kuala Lumpur dan tidak lama aku berumahtangga. Cita-cita untuk menjadi siswa terpadam. Bermulalah aku mencari makna hidup di tengah kota ini, setelah berkeluarga. Tiada pintu yang terbuka untuk aku meneruskan cita-cita melanjutkan pelajaran di universiti. Sehinggalah pada tahun 2007, aku terjumpa di suratkhabar pengambilan melanjutkan pelajaran di USM. Ketika itu aku sudahpun berumur 42 tahun. Sudah terlewat tetapi tidak terlambat untuk menimba ilmu. Aku memohon masuk ke universiti bukan kerana mahu menggunakan segulung ijazah untuk kepentingan yang lain, seperti memohon kerja kerajaan, naik gaji, sebaliknya aku ingin menimba ilmu. Aku teringat seorang kawan, katanya, apakag gunanya belajar sesudah tua. Aku tidak menjawab atau tidak menjelaskan kepada beliau apakah manfaat ilmu. Katanya gunakan wang yang ada untuk kegunaan keluarga, dan masa depan. Menimba ilmu setelah tua ibarat air yang mengalir di atas daun pisang. Aku tersenyum lagi dan tidak mahu menerangkan apa-apa. Kami berbeza cara berfikir dan berbeza dalam menuturkan kata-kata. Dan tidak akan sama di antara orang yang belajar yang sangat memahami erti perjuangan dan pahit getir sewaktu menimba ilmu. Dalam hidup ini wang boleh dicvari, tetapi masa terus berjalan, dan tidak akan digantikan. Walaupun dengan segunung emas. Ilmu tidak dapat dibeli kecuali dipelajari dan difahami. Ilmu itu tempatnya tinggi dan perlu didaki untuk mengambilnya. Ilmu itu tempatnya di dada seorang penuntut.

    

Yang bermula dan berakhir

Lautan mimpi ada ketikanya tercecah hanya sejengkal dari pintu kebaikan, pastilah sanjungan hendak aku nyatakan tanpa meminta apa-apa. Menarikan ronggeng, dinyelang kemerduan seruling angin. Cerah mentari di ufuk timur membawa kenangan demi kenangan seorang pemikir bangsa dan martabat kedewasaan ini. Hari ini telah menemukan dua cahaya dalam rumah budi yang satu.

Di belakang bayang aku sedang berdiri, merenung diri. Jauh aku ditinggalkan sang angin aksara bahasaku. Paling sedikit mahu memahami masa sebenarnya pencantas waktu-waktu, aku hanyut dalam kerinduan, rentak rebab, nyelang rebana, wah! di mana aku terlontar selama ini.

Bertuhanlah pada Dia

Mengapa durja menjamah terlarang kata-kata

seekor rama-rama tergetar warnanya diseligi ranting

sehingga sering berterbangan ke lautan tidak bertepi

kaukah ratu

tiada sakti di mata melainkan secebis pasir di lantai

tertutup segala lembah gulita

selain mengenali aku

secangkir bisu

sedang di tebing rindu kau ingin menyapa hujan

melihat rama-rama kehilangan teman dan sayap warnanya

Yang ku lihat di alam gelap

sedang tumbuh tukangan baru

alangkah masa remaja

sekelip palitan nafsu

yang akan terjawab dengan sendirinya

di hadapan kebenaran

masanya akan datang

seekor rama-rama

sayapnya tidak berguna lagi.

Mencurah kefahaman budi

Payah menemukan makna dengan kata, generasi baru jauh dilunakkan dengan kemodenan, budaya dan kefahaman jatidiri lenyap diulit kebendaan. Kepesungan maruah, pengenalan melalui pendidikan, sikap materialis pengasuh, menyesatkan mereka tenggelam dalam kelunakkan budaya baru, budaya hari ini yang tidak mengenal sejarah bangsanya.

Biar hari ini bertingkah suara, mengukuhkan pegangan, teruskan komander!!

(2)DRC

Metaphors in The Dream of the Red Chamber, have the salient cognitive function of projecting the characters perceptions of love and desire. These metaphors are primarily a cognitive process originating in the creative process of juxtaposing referents found in the characters (author's) memory and presenting prototype in linguistic forms. Conceiving of the cognitive metaphoric process as an evolutionary process enlightening Which heroine is seen in the Daiyu's poeticizing love metaphor places in a wider literary-linguistic context. Metaphors in The Dream of the Red Chamber, bring about changes in the Ways Which we perceive the world created by the author, and these changes often bring about conceptual changes in the Ways in Which we act in his world (as in the way we understand his work). Before examining themetaphorical aspects in the Dream, we need to look brieftly over the characteristics of metaphor.

Metaphor is primarily a linguistic production. Depends on metaphor and polysemy produces-the multiple meanings associated with a single word. Metaphor juxtaposes normally unassociated referents, thereby creating new meanings. Metaphor suggests new possibilities Ready of elements leading to the Formulation of meaningful hypotheses. A metaphor is the occasion for the reader to experience Certain Emotions.

There are three common assumptions about metaphor: first involves some deviation from ordinary and common straightforward usage; this deviation is semantic, involving a change of meaning; and third, the "effect of such semantic deviation is todraw attention to similarities between what the metaphorical expression would ordinarily denote and to which it is metaphorically applied."

The Dream Of the Red Chamber

The Dream of the Red Chamber is the best Chinese classical masterpiece written by Cao Xueqin in the 18 century. The novel portraysa young hero Baoyu and his beloved Twel Beauties of Jinling, among whom Daiyu andBaochai are two main heroines who fall in love with Baoyu with all of their passions and dedication. The metapfors in the Dream are created not only as the basic structure of the novel's setting but also as the motifs serving the main theme." Love is a sea misery." Through the metaphorical theories we see the metaphors imbedded in the narrative are rich with implication beyond the semantic meaning ascribable to the text. This article is composed of three parts- the characteristics of metaphor, Baoyu's dream of his romantic journey to the Illusion Land, and the mosaic of metaphor of love and desire.

Metapforical In RC

About Dream of the Red Chamber

Historical Background

A Dream of Red Mansions was written in the eighteenth century during the reigns of Emperors Kang Hsi, Yung Cheng, and Chien Lung, during the so-called Kangschien Golden Age. During this period, China was governed by Manchu aristocrats, using the social turbulence for their own selfish ends and for consolidating their political positions.

It was during this period that a vast amount of land was annexed and concentrated in the hands of the royal families, the aristocrats, the bureaucratic landlords, and big businessmen, while the peasants who lost their lands were destined to become the landlords' tenants. This social division became a terrible abyss. Even small landlords were often on the brink of bankruptcy. This critical social and economic situation can be seen in the very first chapter of A Dream of Red Mansions: after a devastating fire, a small landlord, Chen Shih-yin, is bankrupt and must seek refuge with his father-in-law.

Many monopoly groups emerged during this period, exploiting the peasants politically and economically. The authors description of the four major families of Chia, Shih, Wang, and Hsueh in the novel (the Chia family being representative of the group as a whole) is deeply rooted in the social reality of the time; this is not a fictional background for the love story which is threaded throughout the novel. Racketeering and extortion flourished in this era. There were corrupt officials at every level, and the usury and heavy levies from the landlords were so unfair and unbearable that the peasants could do nothing but take a fearful gamble: They were forced to revolt. They had no choice. They had to rise up in rebellion against their oppressors — especially in the Hunan and Guichow provinces. Not surprisingly, these torrential peasant uprisings, springing up here and there behind the superficial prosperity of the Kangchien heyday, dealt a heavy blow to the Ching Dynasty.

The people's dissatisfaction with the political corruption of their country can also be found in the historical records, particularly those describing the textile workers' strikes in Soochow and Nanking, where Tsao Hsueh-chin spent his childhood after rising capitalism gained its prominent position in the country's economy.

At the same time, within the elite ruling class of the Ching Dynasty, contradictions and conflicts between different political forces and exploitation cliques became increasingly sharp and tense. In the late years of the Kang Hsi reign, an intense struggle for the seizure of the throne was fought among China's top ruling leaders. Kang Hsi's fourth son, Yin Chen, a very clever, sophisticated person, fiercely wanted to gain his father's throne and went out of his way to make friends with people of all ranks and classes. He was finally successful, and, once in power, he adopted every possible measure to rid the court of all his political enemies — including his father's followers and his own brothers.

The emperor Chien Lung followed Yin Chen's example. Once he came to the throne, he did the same thing. Under his rule, his followers began sealing people's doors, searching people's houses, confiscating their properties, putting dissenters in prison, sending people into exile, and killing them with firing squads. These frightening conditions created a terrifying atmosphere in the court and throughout the country, as well. At this time, Tsao Hsueh-chin's family was not popular with the royal families; therefore, it was clearly on the road to social and financial decline.

This corrupt feudal society and the growth of capitalism form the historical background of Tsao Hsueh-chin's era, and it is also the background against which all the characters in Grand View Garden will play their roles. The main characters of the novel, Chia Pao-yu and Lin Tai-yu, are typical of young people everywhere; they desperately want to be free to marry whomever they wish.

Read more: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/Dream-of-the-Red-Chamber-About-Dream-of-the-Red-Chamber-Historical-BackgrouSummary and Analysis

Volume I: Chapters 1–5

The first five chapters form a preface for the rest of the novel and also serve as a general introduction for the reader. The author makes the purpose and main theme of the novel clear by criticizing the writers of the "beauty-and-talented-scholar" school of writing, as well as the writers of the "breeze-and-moonlight" school of writing, who, he says, corrupt young people with pornography and filth. In contrast to these types of novels, Tsao Hsueh-chin offers his literary principle of writing according to facts that are true and reflect reality. This emphasis on realistic writing is of profound significance because during the era of the Ching Dynasty (1644-1911), anti-realism was predominately the fashion.

For the most part, Chapter 1 focuses on Chen Shih-yin's decline and Chia Yu-tsun's currying favor with persons in authority for personal gain. The author describes, in outline, the social contours of the declining feudal society by comparing these two characters.

Chen Shih-yin, a well-to-do scholar, lives happily with his wife, Lady Feng (Feng-shih), and their three-year-old daughter Ying-lien (Lotus) beside the Temple of the Gourd in the city of Kusu (today: Soochow). In a dream, Shihyin meets two immortals (a monk and a Taoist), who show him a beautiful piece of jade, the Precious Jade of Spiritual Understanding. The dream ends, but later, the monk and the Taoist reappear and predict a sad fate for Shihyin's daughter, Lotus.

Later, Shih-yin meets his poor scholar-neighbor, Chia Yu-tsun, in the Temple of the Gourd. Yu-tsun works as a scrivener — that is, he sells scrolls and inscriptions to make a living. While talking with Shih-yin, Yu-tsun is greatly attracted to one of Shih-yin's maids, Chiao-hsin (Apricot); she seems to return his admiring glances.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Shih-yin and Yu-tsun spend the evening drinking wine and discussing poetry, and afterward, with Shih-yin's financial help, Yu-tsun leaves for the capital to seek fame and fortune. Shortly thereafter, a series of misfortunes befall Shih-yin: Lotus suddenly disappears during the Festival of Lanterns; Shih-yin falls ill; his house is burned to ashes when fire destroys the Temple of the Gourd; he is forced to make a meager living on his father-in-law's farm, and his father-in-law retains and mismanages the little money which Shih-yin has. Finally, penniless, aging rapidly, and in bad health, Shih-yin leaves with a lame and eccentric Taoist, setting out for faraway places.

Some time later, the author tells us, the new prefect of the city arrives. We will learn that it is Yu-tsun. Through the names of the two main characters in Chapter 1 — Shih-yin and Yu-tsun — the author reveals his symbolic creativity. Chen Shih-yin means "to keep the true facts hidden," while Chia Yu-tsun means "to clothe fiction in rustic language." This contrast serves to condemn and expose the dark, corrupt nature of the aristocratic ruling classes and the feudal system, although Tsao Hsueh-chin declares openly in this chapter that "the novel was clearly not written to pass censure on the time, nor touch at all on current events."

In Chapter 2, we see that the new prefect, Yu-tsun, is eager to express his gratitude to Chen Shih-yin for the loan of silver which made it possible for him to go to the capital and become successful. Learning, however, that Shih-yin left home to become a priest, he sends some silk to Shih-yin's wife and two parcels of silver to her father, Feng Su. Then, with Mrs. Chen's permission, the widower Yu-tsun marries Chaio-hsin (Apricot), the maid to whom he earlier took a fancy.

The author now tells us that Yu-tsun's term as prefect was not successful. Because of Yu-tsun's insolence and arrogance to his superiors, the Emperor dismissed him after less than two years.

Not one to worry unduly, Yu-tsun sends his household back to his native place, and he sets out to see "the famous sights of the Empire." During his travels, he spends time in Yangchow, where he tutors Lin Ju-hai's only daughter, five-year-old Lin Tai-yu (Black Jade), in order to make a living. Unfortunately, Tai-yu's mother (Madame Chia) unexpectedly falls ill and dies; then Tai-yu becomes ill, and her lessons are interrupted.

One day, during his free time, Yu-tsun strolls into a village tavern, where he happens to meet Leng Tzuhsing, a curio-dealer, who tells him about a recent development in the Chia family of the Jung Mansion. He emphasizes that the Chia family's prosperity is only superficial; their purses are nearly empty. Leng Tzu-hsing gives Yu-tsun a thorough briefing about the Chia family, seemingly mentioning all the family members and their relatives. In particular, though, he focuses on Chia Pao-yu, who was born with a piece of clear, brilliantly colored jade in his mouth. The boy is unusual and says many strange things for a child — such as, "Girls are made of water, men of mud" and "I feel clean and refreshed when I am with girls, but find men dirty and stinking."

Read more: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/Dream-of-the-Red-Chamber-Summary-and-Analysis-Chapters-Summary and Analysis

Volume I: Chapters 1–5

Leng Tzu-hsing's panoramic overview of the Chia family provides us with a bird's-eye view of the entire Chia family and lays the groundwork for further development of later episodes. The author's emphasis in this chapter is on the Chin family's impending financial ruin. Outwardly grand and wealthy, they seem rich, but their money is almost gone. Furthermore, each new generation of this noble clan will be inferior to the last. These changes indicate the inevitability of the Chia family's decline and deterioration.

Beginning with Chapter 3, the main characters of the novel make their appearances, one after another. In a letter, Tai-yu's father recommends Chia Yu-tsun to Chia Cheng, a brother-in-law who is well-disposed to scholars, and, in turn, Chia Cheng presents a petition to the throne, requesting a position for Yu-tsun. In less than two months, Tu-tsun is appointed prefect of Yingtien (Nanking).

Returning to the time when Yu-tsun first arrived to greet Chin Cheng, we see that earlier he (Yu-tsun) agreed to escort Lin Ju-hai's lovely but delicate daughter, Tai-yu (Black Jade), to the Chin family to be taken care of by her grandmother, Madame Shih Lady Dowager).

When Tai-yu (Black Jade) arrives at the Jung Mansion, she is warmly welcomed by the entire family; however, she decides to watch her step in her new home and to be on guard every moment so that she won't be laughed at for foolish blunders. Without a doubt, Tai-yu is tremendously impressed by the aristocratic Chin family's extravagant way of living (compared with her own background). Here, in her new home, she has a chance to penetrate the hierarchical rites and formalities of a noble family.

After her arrival at the Jung Mansion, Tai-yu is introduced by her grandmother to many members of the Chin family, including two aunts — Lady Hsing and Lady Wang — and to three cousins — Ying-chun (Welcome Spring), Tanchun (Quest Spring), and Hsi-chun (Compassion Spring) — and to a most powerful, clever, and influential person, Wang Hsi-feng (Phoenix), who is the wife of Chin Lien and Tai-yu's sister-in-law.

Interestingly enough, when Madame Wang's son, Chin Pao-yu, is introduced by Lady Dowager to Tai-yu, both Pao-yu and Tai-yu have the feeling that they are old friends, that they are meeting each other again after a long separation. The author describes their meeting and their intimate eye contact in such a careful and romantic way that we are prepared for their relationship to develop into a soul affinity in later chapters.

In Chapter 4, the author tells us that one of the local gentry, Feng Yuan, was beaten to death by the servants of Hsueh Pan (the only son of Tai-yu's Aunt Hsueh, who is Lady Wang's sister). Feng Yuan tried to steal a kidnapped girl, Ying-lien, and Hsueh Pan finally gained legal rights to her. (Coincidentally, this girl is Lotus, Shih-yin's daughter, who was kidnapped several years ago.)

The murder case is brought to the court of Yu-tsun, the new prefect. According to law, Hsueh Pan and his servants should be punished for the murder of Feng Yuan — but because the Hsueh family is on an official "protected list" of the province, Yu-tsun listens to his attendant's advice and changes his mind about the verdict. He realizes that he must curry favor with the Hsueh family if he wants to secure his position. Therefore, Yu-tsun decides to let Hsueh Pan go free — provided that the Hsuehs pay a thousand taels for Feng Yuan's funeral expenses.

This scene clearly illustrates the fact that the Chin, Shih, Wang, and Hsueh families are all very powerful and influential in the province, and that the officials work hand-in-glove with the wealthy, aristocratic families in order to protect their own interests and ensure their own promotions. Because of the protection of the local officials, the aristocratic family members can do whatever they please — even violate the law. The corruption of the officials here, as well as the corruption of the feudal aristocratic families, represents the dark side and the decadence of the feudal system.

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Volume I: Chapters 1–5

Later, Lady Hsueh and her son Hsueh Pan decide to escort his sister Hsueh Pao-chai (Precious Virtue) to the capital, hoping that she will be chosen as a companion for the princesses in their studies. Meantime, Lady Wang is overjoyed to learn that the charges against her nephew (Hsueh Pan) have been dropped. Almost simultaneously, she learns that her sister (Lady Hsueh), Hsueh Pan, and Pao-chai have just arrived at the gate.

Lady Wang embraces her sister, offers them hospitality, and is clearly eager for the family to be "closer together." This "closer together" notion will prove to be interesting. The arrival of Pao-chai, a beautiful and dainty girl of great natural refinement, will lead to many complications and entangling love relationships among Pao-yu, Tai-yu, and Pao-chai in later chapters.

In Chapter 5, the author devotes a good deal of time to describing one of Pao-yu's dreams: Pao-yu was led by the Goddess of Disenchantment to the Illusory Land of Great Void, where he was shown a record and destiny of the twelve foremost beauties in Pao-yu's province (Chinling). The Goddess also initiated Pao-yu into the secrets of sex so intimately and successfully that, in a dream, he made love to a fantasy of Ko-ching (his niece) while sleeping on her bed.

Tsao Hsueh-chin employs the romantic technique of using artistic expression to describe the numerous supernatural characters and events in order to create a mysterious atmosphere. This technique gives a certain fatalistic coloring to the story, but it is an integral part of the artistic structure of the book.

Through the description of the First Register of the Twelve Beauties of Chinling, and the Second and Third Registers of the Twelve Beauties of Chinling, the author anticipates the unfortunate fate of the twelve girls who live in the Jung Mansion, as well as the tragic ending of the novel. These registers and the songs (especially the series called "The Dream of the Red Chamber") are an artistic prelude to the actual, historical facts concerning the decline of these four large, influential families.

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The Dream Of the Red Chamber

Critical Essays

Progressive Versus Feudal Forces

A Dream of Red Mansions offers us many varieties of conflicts and struggles but of all of them, the primary one is the conflict between the progressive forces (represented by the rebels) and the feudal forces (represented by Lady Dowager, Chia Chen, and Lady Wang). The conflict between these two forces is mainly reflected in the love affairs and marriage controversies among Chia Pao-yu, Lin Tai-yu, and Hsueh Pao-chai. Because of the vast differences in power between the two opposing forces, the feudal forces gain the upper hand, while the progressive forces end in failure. Thus, the love between Pao-yu and Tai-yu is destined to end in tragedy.

Chin Pao-yu, the hero of the novel, represents the progressive forces. He is a rebel living in a typically feudal, aristocratic family. Immediately after he was born, the path to fortune and fame was seemingly paved for him. But Pao-yu was spoiled by his Chia grandmother (Lady Dowager) and he spent most of time with the maids and his girl cousins. His life has never really been touched by the dissolute lives of Chia Cheng and Chia Lien. Also, Pao-yu didn't receive the usual feudal education. Accordingly, Pao-yu, because of his innocence and his strict sense of justice, is tired of all the endless disputes and the tit-for-tat struggles among the family members; he wants no part of them; he is fed up with the decadence and rottenness of the authoritative family members. In contrast to the people (the men, in particular) whom he sees around him, Pao-yu extends great sympathy for the tragic destinies of the young girls (and their maids) who live in Grand View Garden. Imperceptibly influenced by what he constantly sees and hears from these oppressed girls in Grand View Garden, Pao-yu's rebellious character develops and grows stronger. His love for Lin Tai-yu quickens his step on the road of rebellion against his patriarchal clan oppressors.

Accordingly, one day, Chin Chen, afraid that Pao-yu's defiance of family rules will ruin the family's reputation, almost kills Pao-yu. However, even after being savagely beaten, Pao-yu does not give in to his feudal family's strict code of behavior. From then on, his love for Tai-yu becomes even stronger and more unshakable. However, because Pao-yu and Tai-yu live in a feudal, aristocratic family, are more or less influenced by the feudalistic way of thinking, and, to some extent, have to show some respect for their aristocratic elders, their rebellion never achieves enormous power.

However, the two young people continue to love one another very much, even though they are isolated individuals. They can expect no help from any of the authoritative aristocrats; Lady Dowager and Lady Wang have their own criteria concerning whom Pao-yu shall marry. They want to choose a girl who can help Pao-yu deal with the many-sided, crumbling Chia family household affairs. Pao-chai seems the perfect candidate for these requirements. To them, Pao-chai will be an ideal mate for Pao-yu; she is from a royal family and has been tremendously indoctrinated by her feudal education. She is both intelligent and competent, capable of getting along well with everybody and coping with all affairs and situations.

The Chia authorities hope that by marrying Pao-chai, Pao-yu can be reformed sufficiently so that he will begin paying attention to his own personal fame and official rank, and that, in time, Pao-yu will become a qualified successor to the old and distinguished Chia family.

There is another aspect of this arranged marriage. If Pao-chai marries Pao-yu, the Chia, Wang, and Hsueh families can support each other for every one's mutual benefit. In that era, marriage was not a matter of personal happiness; it was directly related to the fate of a clan or an aristocratic class. Pao-chai is backed by a powerful feudal force, so the love between Pao-yu and Tai-yu is inevitably bound to end in tragedy.

The Chin family disapproves of Lin Tai-yu as Pao-yu's wife for many reasons. In their opinion, Tai-yu is, first of all, in delicate health, although beautiful; second, Tai-yu's aristocratic parents died early so she is now living under the auspices of the Chin family; third, Tai-yu is a willful and arrogant person, too sharp-tongued and narrow-minded to suit the old Lady Dowager. As a matter of fact, Tai-yu often criticizes the Chias in sham language, so it is no wonder that her unbridled behavior and speech offend and irritate these authoritative, evil people.

Lin Tai-yu despises these people's vulgarity and the hypocrisy of feudal officialdom, as well. Her contempt for feudal decadence in the Chin family isolates her; she is able to find some Common ground only with the understanding, upright Chia Pao-yu. Therefore, their love relationship is based on honest attraction, Common interests, and a Common understanding of family affairs.

Tai-yu's deep and sincere love for Chia Pao-yu is the only spiritual support that she has to live for. It is no wonder that when she hears the news of Pao-yu's upcoming marriage to Pao-chai, she loses all hope. The beam of her only possible happiness in this world will soon be extinguished. The weak and helpless Taiyu can do nothing but choose death. The tragedy is a powerful condemnation of the tyrannical feudal society and the hateful patriarchal clan system.

Critical Essays

Artistic Achievement

Tsao Hsueh-chin expounds his principles of literary creation in the very first chapter of the novel. He is opposed to novels that use "the-beauty-and-the-talented-single-scholar" pattern; instead he upholds a literary convention which is based on facts and social reality. By "reality," however, Tsao Hsueh-chin did not mean that one should mechanically copy events and characters from real life; instead, he treats them artistically, raising them to a "literary reality." As a matter of fact, it took Tsao Hsueh-chin ten years to select painstakingly his materials and then turn them into a literary creation.

Owing to his rich experiences, keen observations, inherent genius, and the originality of artistic creation, A Dream of Red Mansions is deeply rooted in real life. Tsao Hsueh-chin depicts typical events and typical characters under typical circumstances, and, therefore, the decadence of the aristocrats in feudal society and the oppression of innocent and powerless young girls, boys, and slaves are vividly and typically presented.

With such a broad social scene as the novel's background, Tsao Hsueh-chin describes with great care and precision a great number of vivid and typical characters, both positive and negative, some primary and others secondary. Some characters, such as Pao-yu, Tai-yu, Hsi-feng , and Granny Liu have become popular characters for readers all over the world.

Tsao Hsueh-chin is very skillful in depicting characters who possess diverse individualities. For instance, Hsueh Pan and Hsueh Pao-chai are brother and sister, yet the former is a typical "stupid tyrant," while the latter is a standard feudal fair maiden. The author is also very successful in adopting various approaches to depict different characters according to their different social positions. The author makes a point of reinforcing the main facets of the characters through multiple plots and from different angles, such as Pao-yu's love for and sympathy for girls; Tai-yu's pride and aloofness, as well as her sentimental character; Pao-chai's hypocrisy, smoothness, and evasiveness; Wang Hsi-feng 's shrewdness, cunningness, and viciousness. All the features in their characters are described in impressive, conspicuous situations so as to leave unforgettable impressions on readers.

The author is also successful in his characterization because he places his characters in specific artistic atmospheres with suitable scenes for their settings. In this way, the characters' inner feelings can stand out, in contrast, and thereby affect the reader's feelings and sensibilities more profoundly. Few writers before Tsao Hsueh-chin gave much thought to describing their characters' inner emotions and psychological motivations. During his era, only Tsao Hsueh-chin achieved great success as a writer who recorded detailed descriptions of his characters' mental activities and secrets.

A Dream of Red Mansions has gained much praise because of its artistic structure. It is much more grand, more rigorous, and more complete than The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a novel of the middle of the fifteenth century, which is considered a very complete novel — as far as its artistic structure is concerned.

But in order to fully present the rich and complicated social life, meet the demands of the development of characterization, and serve the purpose of exposing the conflicts and struggles within the Chia family, Tsao Hsueh-chin's novel gives special attention to the plot of the love story between Pao-yu and Tai-yu and to the waning prosperity, as well as the moral decline, of the Chia family. All the other characters and all of the many intricate events hinge on, or are related to, these two main plot-lines.

In addition, all these characters and events are interwoven, influencing or controlling each other to form a grandiose artistic structure. And yet, within this huge literary structure, there is always a criss-cross network of independent but related passages; all of the details are arranged with such clarity, however, that readers can easily tell the primary characters and events from the secondary ones and react strongly to the characters and events described in the novel.

The language of the novel is mature and refined. Full of imagery, figurative speech, and folk tales, A Dream of Red Mansions is characterized by its accuracy and its vividness, as well as by its simplicity and colorfulness — thus attaining perfection in its artistic proficiency.

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