Story of the Stone by Cao Xueqin Translated by David Hawkes

¶ … large book about a stone, would you be interested? Probably not, but if they are talking about the "Story of the Stone" by Cao Xueqin, then you are definitely in for a treat.

The story begins in the Land of Illusion where we learn the tale of the Stone and the Crimson Pearl Flower through the story of the two Priests, one of who is a Taoist and the other Buddhist. The Buddhist picks up a solitary stone and talks to it, and so we learn the story of "The Stone" which then sets the tale for what happens later in the story in the 'real' world. The connection here is made when the Stone says[to the Priest], "What you say is indeed true...my poor story is adorned by no rhetorical flourish nor literary art....but the world of mortals being what it is...I cannot but think that the tale here inscribed might be of some use..." This is one of the first examples where we see the connection between the land of illusion and the real world.

Later when we become involved in the story of the son, and his two female friends, we are given glimpses of how the Land of Illusion, through the Stone are still inextricably linked. The incarnation of the Stone is Pao-yu, the son of one wealthy family and the incarnation of the Crimson Pearl Flower is depicted as Tai-yu, who was also born into a wealthy neighboring family. We see through this lengthy tale how these two meet, and fall in love, and how each others destinies are bound by their incarnations in the Land of Illusion. For example when Pao-yu sees Tai-yu for the first time he says "I have seen her before somewhere" (even though they have not met in mortal life). He then goes on to comment about her red eyes from crying, which was also a connection to when the Crimson Pearl Flower said to the Stone, "I will repay in our future state with my tears." Tai-yu is also aware she has 'met' Pao-yu before as the book mentions "a thrill passed through her delicate frame. She felt that somewhere or other she had looked upon that face before."

Unfortunately the love between Pao-yu and Tai-yu was not to be. As in many western literary pieces there was a third person who rivaled Tai-yu for Pao-yu's affections, although she did not do this with any malice or intention. Her name was Pao-ch'ai and she was the cousin of them both. It was during the lengthy scenes where we see Tai-yu fall very ill when she hears that Pao-yu is to marry Pao-ch'ai (and then feel better when she learns he is not), we see further examples of how the 'other realm' interact with the mortal world. Pao-yu lost his Jade tablet. This was the tablet that was in his mouth when he was born. But without the tablet Pao-yu changed. He became absent minded, his 'tongue would run away on him' and he started to talk nonsense. His illness got worse everyday. It was if without the tablet he was dying. I think this was an oblique reference to the Land of Illusion, although it is not specified.