Dream of the Brothel (2)
Tags
Summary
Originally titled A Brief History of Qihong, Qinglou Meng (Dream of the Green Chamber) is a classic Qing-dynasty novel of social manners and human feeling. Completed in 1878 (the fourth year of the Guangxu reign), it is a must-read for lovers of classical romance fiction. The novel revolves around qing (feeling, passion, sentiment). It follows the protagonist Jin Yixiang as he roams the realm of flowers, protects beauties, plucks the fragrant herbs of study, attains the highest examination honors, takes up public office, repays his parents' kindness, fulfills friendships, harmonizes his marriage, raises his children, lives in amity with kin and neighbors, renounces worldly splendor, and seeks moral cultivation—a career spanning more than twenty years. The author, whose official ambitions went unfulfilled and whose talents found no recognition, frequented taverns and brothels; Jin Yixiang is his alter ego, and in Dream of the Green Chamber he gives voice to his own ideals. Widely circulated and influential in its day, the work deliberately depicts the ideal life pattern of feudal scholars in the old era and captures their mentality.
Editor's review
Qinglou Meng (Dream of the Blue Pavilion) is a novel of social manners by Yu Da of the Qing dynasty, originally titled Qihong Xiaoshi (A Brief History of the Fair and Red). Its protagonist, Jin Yixiang, travels through the realm of flowers, protects beauties, sits for examinations and takes office, repays his parents' kindness, fulfills friendships, harmonizes his marriage, raises his children, and lives in amity with relatives and neighbors, finally renouncing splendor in pursuit of moral cultivation. Around this trajectory the novel unfolds the theme of "qing" (feeling). The author, frustrated in official ambition and unrecognized in talent, projects his ideals onto Jin Yixiang; the book thus both deliberately portrays the life pattern of feudal scholars and preserves vivid specimens of the old-era scholar's mentality. Its value lies not in strange plotting but in how "qing" governs career and family alike, presenting a complete picture of the ideal life of the Qing literatus. Readers may note how the author turns personal frustration into narrative drive, and the tension between "qing" and "morality." It suits readers interested in Qing social fiction, scholars' mentality, and emotional narrative, and serves as a supplementary text for understanding the "ideal life" mode in classical fiction.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in Qing social fiction and scholars' mentality
- Literary enthusiasts studying ancient emotional narrative and the theme of "qing"
- Readers seeking to understand the ideal life pattern of feudal scholars
- Lovers of classical chapter novels who accept traditional narrative
Not a good fit for
- Readers of modern fiction who prefer fast pacing and strong conflict
- Readers uninterested in backgrounds such as the imperial examinations and family ethics
- Readers expecting a pure love story and avoiding depictions of social manners
Reading tips
- First read the chapter titles to trace the stages of Jin Yixiang's life, then enter the main text to grasp how "qing" runs through career and family.
- Note the correspondence between author Yu Da's frustrated mentality and the idealized portrayal of the protagonist.
- Compare the book's treatment of "qing" and "morality" with common motifs of Qing social fiction.
- Pause at the verse passages to appreciate their role in characterization and atmosphere.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第十五回 扮乞儿奇逢双美 遇之子巧订三生
- 第十六回 痴生舌目 美女倾心
- 第十七回 对雪景众美联诗 闯花国挹香闹席
- 第十八回 消除夕四人写新联 庆元宵众美聚诗社
- 第十九回 宴挹翠痴生占艳福 咏梅花众美拟诗题
- 第二十回 钮爱卿诗魁第一 金挹香情重无双
- 第二十一回 情中情处处钟情 意外意般般留意
- 第二十二回 菊花天书生遇难 题糕日美女酬恩
- 第二十三回 幻变真痴生思爱姐 恨成喜好友作冰人
- 第二十四回 留香阁美人论义 挹翠园公子陈情
- 第二十五回 进良言挹香发愤 告素志拜林达衷
- 第二十六回 装诈伪巧施诡计 酬情义允订丝萝
- 第二十七回 告父母邹姚竭力 酬媒妁金钮欢心
- 第二十八回 采芹香儒阶初进 赋宜家旧好新婚
- 第二十九回 至六美重宴挹翠园 闰五月再集闹红会
- 第三十回 金挹香南闱赴试 褚爱芳东国从良
- 第三十一回 缀巍科才人弛誉 作幻梦美女飞仙
FAQ
The title Qinglou Meng is easily misunderstood—what is it mainly about?
Originally titled Qihong Xiaoshi, the book unfolds around the theme of "qing." It recounts how the protagonist Jin Yixiang travels the realm of flowers, protects beauties, sits for examinations and takes office, repays his parents' kindness, fulfills friendships, harmonizes his marriage, raises his children, lives in amity with relatives and neighbors, and finally renounces splendor in pursuit of moral cultivation. It is not merely a tale of pleasure quarters but uses "qing" to string together the ideal life pattern of feudal scholars in the old era, bearing the author's self-projection.
What is the relationship between author Yu Da and protagonist Jin Yixiang?
According to the sources, Yu Da was frustrated in official ambition throughout his life and unrecognized in talent, and often frequented taverns and brothels; Jin Yixiang is his alter ego. Through Qinglou Meng he expresses his ideals, so the protagonist's life trajectory bears clear self-projection and idealization. Keep this layer in mind while reading.
Is this book suitable as an introduction to classical fiction?
It can serve as a supplementary text for understanding Qing social fiction, but it centers on the ideal life of scholars and involves backgrounds such as the imperial examinations and family ethics, with a fairly traditional narrative pace. If you rarely read chapter novels, it is advisable to first read the chapter titles and prefaces to build a framework, then gradually enter the main text for a smoother reading experience.
Comments
Find this book
This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
俞达
Author
Public information about Yu Da is limited: his dates of birth and death, nationality, and English name are unknown. All that is currently known is that five works are listed under his name in the library, commonly classified under time-travel/alternate-world fiction, classical literature, and social novels. His representative works include the twelve-volume collection Chinese Classical Romance Novels: Yingyun Meng Zhuan, Qinglou Meng, Huatu Yuan, Ding Qingren and Others, as well as several individual volumes of Qinglou Meng. These works show that Yu Da's writing and editorial focus centers on classical Chinese romance fiction, especially Qinglou Meng, dealing with the scholar-beauty theme and the manners of worldly life. His collections bring together multiple classical romance works in one set, facilitating concentrated reading and comparison and offering some reference value for the organization and dissemination of classical romance fiction.
