Cao Xueqin
Contents · Introduction to Cao Xueqin
· Brief biography of Cao Xueqin
· The legend of Cao Xueqin
· Cao Xueqin and "A Dream of Red Mansions"
·Cao Xueqin and the Rongguo Mansion Architecture
·Cao Xueqin's place names in Beijing
Introduction to Cao Xueqin
"A Dream of Red Mansions" The author Cao Xueqin, whose given name is Zhan, also known as Mengruan, also known as Xueqin, also known as Qinxi and Qinpu. His ancestral home is Liaoyang, Liaoning Province. His ancestors were originally Han people and later became "Baoyi people" in the Zhengbai Banner of Manchuria ("Baoyi" is a Manchu transliteration and means domestic slave).
Cao Zhenyan, the ancestor of Cao Xueqin, was originally a junior officer stationed in Liaodong during the Ming Dynasty. He surrendered when he attacked Liaoyang about six years after Tianming. Cao Zhenyan played a distinguished role in the wars of the Ming and Jin Dynasties and the Ping Jiangyang Rebellion after entering the Pass. He successively held official positions such as the magistrate of Jizhou in Shanxi and the Yanfa Road in Zhejiang. The fortune of the Cao family actually started with Cao Zhenyan.
Sun, the daughter-in-law of Cao Zhenyan and the wife of Cao Xi, the great-grandfather of Cao Xueqin, became the nanny of Emperor Kangxi. In the second year of Kangxi's reign, Cao Xi took up the post of Jiangning Weaving Company for 21 years. Finally, he died of illness and took the post of Jiangning Weaving Company. After Cao Xi's death, Kangxi appointed his son Cao Yin to be Suzhou Weaver, and later succeeded Jiangning Weaver and Lianghuai Salt Censor. Cao Yin and Kangxi had a deep friendship since childhood. When Kangxi was five years old, Cao Yin was his companion.
The Cao Yin generation was the heyday of the Cao family. Cao Yin's two daughters were both selected as princesses. During Kangxi's six southern tours, five of them used the Cao family's Jiangning Weaving Department as their residence. The last four were during Cao Yin's tenure. This shows the Cao family's prominence in the city and their close relationship with Emperor Kangxi at that time. Cao Yin was a famous scholar at that time. He was good at poetry, writing, and lyrics. He was also a famous bibliophile. He once presided over the publication of "Complete Poems of the Tang Dynasty" and "Peiwen Yunfu". This kind of family tradition played a good role in cultivating Cao Xueqin's literary and artistic talents. After Cao Yin's death, Kangxi appointed his son Cao Yong to succeed Jiangning Weaving. Cao Yong died of illness three years after taking office. Kangxi specially appointed Cao Fu, the son of Cao Yin's brother Cao Quan, to succeed Cao Yin and take over the position of weaving. Four people from three generations of the Cao family have held the position of Jiangning weaving for more than 60 years.
After Yongzheng came to power, he first attacked Cao Fu's uncle Li Xu and ransacked his home. Then he was sent to the most remote and cold place in Heilongjiang, where he was tortured to death by freezing and starvation. In the fifth year of Yongzheng's reign, Cao Fu was arrested for "harassing the post station" and was dismissed from his post and his home was ransacked for "misbehavior and large losses in weaving money" and "secretly moving family belongings to other places in an attempt to conceal them." Cao Fu was imprisoned and "yokeed", and the Cao family moved to Beijing.
Cao Xueqin is said to be Cao Yong's posthumous son, while another is said to be Cao Fu's son. Cao Xueqin was born in the 54th year of Kangxi (1715), and it is said that he was born in the second year of Yongzheng (1724). Born in Nanjing,
Cao Xueqin was still young when she moved back to Beijing after her family was confiscated. It is said that she was 13 years old when she was born. The specific situation of the Cao family after they returned to Beijing is rarely recorded in the literature, but it is absolutely true that the Cao family's family fortunes declined rapidly after the confiscation of their home. In the early years of Qianlong's reign, the Cao family seemed to have suffered another greater disaster, and it had been in complete ruin ever since.
Cao Xueqin happened to go through the process of the Cao family's prosperity and decline in his life. Before he was 13 years old, he lived a "dandy" and "rich and fat" life in Nanjing. After moving to Beijing at the age of 13, according to the research of red scholars, Chu worked in Zongxue for a period of time. At that time, he got to know The brothers of Tun Min Tun City. In his later years, he lived in the western suburbs with "thatched rafters, rope beds and tile stoves", making his life even more difficult. He fell from the upper class of the aristocracy to the bottom of society during the great changes. He experienced the harshness of the world, realized the sharp opposition between the rich and the poor in society, and clearly saw the corruption and evil of the class he was born in. The difficulties in life did not dampen Cao Xueqin's ambition. On the contrary, it prompted him to become addicted to alcohol and show an arrogant and unyielding attitude towards reality.
Cao Xueqin's greatest contribution is his handed down masterpiece "A Dream of Red Mansions". This book was written in Cao Xueqin's desolate and difficult old age, and the creation process was very difficult. In the first chapter of the novel, it is said: "Cao Xueqin spent ten years reviewing and reviewing in the Mourning Hongxuan, adding or subtracting five times." It is true that "every word looks like blood, and ten years of hard work is unusual." It is a pity that the manuscript was not completed because His youngest son died in infancy, and he became ill due to grief. He put aside his writing and passed away amidst poverty and illness. The year of Cao Xueqin's death was on Renwu New Year's Eve in the 27th year of Qianlong's reign (1763). Another theory is that he died on New Year's Eve in the 28th year of Qianlong's reign (1764). Another theory is that he died in the 29th year of Qianlong's reign. Shen Shushu (early spring of 1764). After Cao Xueqin died, leaving only "the piano and sword on the wall" and "the bride drifting", several friends hastily buried this great writer.
Cao Xueqin's unfinished manuscript is titled "The Story of the Stone" and has only eighty chapters in its final draft. Some manuscripts after the 80th chapter were "lost" before they could be sorted out. These eighty chapters began to be circulated among a small number of friends, and they lasted for thirty years. In the fifty-sixth year of Qianlong's reign (1791), Cheng Weiyuan and Gao E published the 120th chapter with movable type for the first time. The title of the book was also changed from "The Story of the Stone" to "A Dream of Red Mansions". The last forty chapters are generally considered to be continued by Gao E.
Based on the clues of "The Story of the Stone", Gao E wrote the love between Bao and Dai with a tragic ending, making the novel a literary masterpiece with a complete structure and a complete story from beginning to end. It has had a huge impact on society since then.
In the sequel, some chapters and paragraphs are very exciting and vivid, such as the death of Daiyu. But in terms of overall thought and art, there is still a long way to go with aid. Some characters' personalities are out of shape, and the treatment of some plots obviously deviates from the spirit of the original work, such as the revival of the Jia family and the description of Lan Gui and Qifang.
Cao Xueqin is "fat, with a broad head and black color". He has an arrogant character, is cynical, and is uninhibited. He is addicted to alcohol, talented and good at conversation. Cao Xueqin is a poet. His poems have novel ideas and their style is close to that of Li He, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. His friend Duncheng once praised him and said: "The poems written by Aijun are full of extraordinary energy, which can directly catch up with the broken fences of Changgu." He also said: "The courage of poems written by Zhijun is as bold as iron, and it can compete with the cold light of a sword." But his There are only two lines left in the poem titled "Legend of Pipa" written by Duncheng: "The spirit of Bai Fu's poetry should be very happy, and he will teach the barbarian ghosts to show off."
Cao Xueqin is also a painter who likes to paint abrupt and steep rocks. . Dun Min's "Inscribed on Qinpu Painting Stones" said: "It is strange to be as proud as a king in this world, and it is even more fragmented in this rugged world. When I am drunk, I sweep like a rafter pen. When I write about the pain in my chest." It can be seen that when he painted the stones, he placed the stagnation in his chest. The feeling of injustice. Cao Xueqin's greatest contribution lies in the creation of novels. His novel "A Dream of Red Mansions" is rich in content, profound in thought, and exquisite in art. It pushed the creation of Chinese classical novels to the highest peak and occupies a very important position in the history of literary development.
About the fifteenth year of Qianlong's reign, he left Beijing and moved to the countryside in the western suburbs. Cao Xueqin's life in his later years was even more desolate and tragic. "The whole family often ate porridge and wine on credit," he was poor and sick and had no medical treatment. In addition, his youngest son died in infancy. Before the novel "A Dream of Red Mansions" was completed, he passed away, leaving us with Many regrets.
Cao Xueqin has been influenced by literature and art since he was a child. His grandfather Cao Yingong was good at poetry and calligraphy and was a famous bibliophile at that time. Cao Xueqin was deeply influenced by his grandfather. He was good at poetry and painting, and had various artistic talents. After moving to the western suburbs of Beijing, he worked hard in the difficult situation, "reading it for ten years, adding and deleting five times", and created the immortal realist masterpiece "Dream of Red Mansions". The current version of "A Dream of Red Mansions" contains 120 chapters, and the last 40 chapters are generally considered to be continuations by Gao E.
Cao Xueqin's "Dream of Red Mansions" is well known to the world, and his other work "Collected Works of Fei Yi Zhai" is a work that records my country's crafts and technology, so it is only known among those who love crafts. spread. In this book, Cao Xueqin broke the old concept among Chinese literati of "a man with many skills is looked down upon by a gentleman", and recorded in detail eight crafts including stonework, kites, weaving, printing and dyeing, cooking, and garden design. Disabled people can use it to maintain their health and make up for their congenital and acquired deficiencies. Cao Xueqin once enthusiastically taught Yu Shudu, a disabled person, to tie a kite and help him support his family in this industry. He said in the preface to "Southern Yuan and Northern Harrier Kao Gongzhi": It was New Year's Eve, Laoyu came in the snow, with duck, wine, fresh vegetables, and a donkey's back. He was very happy and announced: "I didn't expect that the three or five kites would win a big prize." Remuneration; enjoy whatever you get..." This not only reflects the friendship between Cao Xueqin and Zishudu, but also reflects Cao Xueqin's noble feelings of helping the weak, helping those in need, and helping others.
"A Dream of Red Mansions" is based on the life materials of aristocratic and feudal families, and takes the love tragedy of Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu and the marriage tragedy of Jia Baoyu and Xue Baochai as its meridian, and vertically analyzes the profound social roots of the tragedy; at the same time, Taking the rise and fall of the Jia family as a weft line, and through the conflicts between defenders and rebels among the four major families of Jia, Shi, Wang, and Xue, it horizontally displays the broad social living environment composed of many characters. This exposes the evils of feudal society and its insurmountable inner contradictions. It extensively and profoundly reflected the social reality of China at that time, effectively criticized the dissoluteness and corruption of feudal families, and showed the historical trend that the feudal system was on the verge of collapse and inevitable destruction.
A brief biography of Cao Xueqin
Born on the 26th of leap April in the second year of Yongzheng (Jiachen 1724).
On April 26th, the third year of Yongzheng's reign (Yisi 1725), he turned one year old on the Ear Grain Festival, so he took the Ear Grain Festival as the symbol of his birthday.
In the sixth year of Yongzheng (Wushen 1728), his father Cao Fu was convicted and his house was ransacked and interrogated, so he returned to Beijing. Live in Suanshikou.
In the first year of Qianlong (Bingchen 1736), various "crimes" were pardoned, and the family became well-off. Thirteen years old (in the book, the Lantern Festival lasts until New Year's Eve. Baoyu is also thirteen years old). April 26th of that year coincided with the Mangzhong Festival (the flower farewell party in the book).
In the first month of the second year of Qianlong (Dingsi 1737), Kangxi’s concubine died. The concubine Chen is the biological mother of Prince Yinxi of Shen County (the "old concubine" in the book passed away).
In the fifth year of Qianlong's reign (1740), Hongxi, the eldest son of Prince Yinreng of Kangxi, attempted to establish the imperial court and secretly assassinated Qianlong, but the plan failed. Xueqin's family was again implicated and confiscated again, and the family was ruined. Xueqin is impoverished and homeless. He once served as a pen-sticker in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In the 19th year of Qianlong's reign (Jiaxu 1754), "Zhiyanzhai's Re-evaluation of the Story of Stones" was originally copied and finalized by the Qing Dynasty (unfinished).
The 20th year of Qianlong's reign (Yihai 1755) was a sequel to "The Story of the Stone".
In the 21st year of Qianlong's reign (Bingzi 1756), Zhibiao wrote before the 75th chapter: "In the 21st year of Qianlong's reign, Bingzi, on the seventh day of the fifth lunar month, I wrote to the Qing Dynasty. If there is a lack of Mid-Autumn Festival poems, it will be snowy. "Qin." refers to the progress of the manuscript at that time. Zhi Yanzhai actually assisted in writing it.
In the 22nd year of Qianlong's reign (Ding Chou 1757), my friend Duncheng wrote the poem "Regarding Cao Xueqin". Looking back on the right-wing Zongxue's night talk, he advised not to be a hanger-on from a wealthy family, "it is better to write a book about Huangye Village". At this time, Xue Qin had arrived at Xishan and left Dun Hui Bo Fuliang's home (Shihu Hutong, Xicheng).
In the 23rd year of Qianlong's reign (Wuyin 1758), my friend Dun Min wrote Xia Cun's poems until the end of Guiwei, and wrote many poems about Xueqin.
In the 24th year of Qianlong's reign (Ji Mao 1759), the "Ji Mao version" and "The Story of the Stone" manuscripts are now extant, and the "Zhi Yan" commentaries began to record the date.
In the twenty-fifth year of Qianlong's reign (Gengchen 1760), the "Gengchen version" and "The Story of the Stone" have been preserved, both of which have been "reviewed and reviewed by Inkstone Studio four times".
In the twenty-sixth year of Qianlong's reign (Xinsi 1761), he returned to Jinling and returned to Beijing. Every line in his friend's poem "The old dreamer of Qinhuai is still there" and "The official's decayed building dreamed of his old home" all implicitly refer to "A Dream of Red Mansions" writing.
In the twenty-seventh year of Qianlong's reign (Renwu 1762), Dun Min wrote "Song of Wine with a Knife Quality", which records Xueqin's visit to the wine shop at the end of autumn. Zhi Pi: There is a saying in "Ren Wu Double Ninth Festival" that "it is very urgent to ask for books". There are no more comments after the Double Ninth Festival. When there is a story.
In the late spring of the 28th year of Qianlong's reign (Guiwei 1763), Dun Minshi invited Xueqin to meet him in early March (for Duncheng's birthday). Not yet. In autumn, my beloved son suffered from acne and became sick due to sadness. Zhi Pi: "...before the book was finished, Qin died because her tears had run out; I cried for Xue Qin, but her tears were still waiting to be exhausted..." It was recorded that he died on "Renwu New Year's Eve". After examination, it was found that it was written on "Guiwei New Year's Eve" error. He died at the age of forty.
In the 29th year of Qianlong's reign (Jiashen 1764), he wrote a sincere elegy: "The dawn breeze blew yesterday," and "I was too thin to be born in my forty years" are all historical evidence.
In the Qing Dynasty, only a few people knew who Cao Xueqin was, and most people knew nothing about it. They could not even say whether there was such a person. In the early 1920s, Hu Shi studied Cao Xueqin as a serious literary subject for the first time and verified the person's true existence and the roughest outline of his family history. Since then, there have been few systematic and in-depth discussions on the character Cao Xueqin himself. In "The New Biography of Cao Xueqin" (Shandong Pictorial Publishing House), Mr. Zhou Ruchang conducts a systematic and in-depth discussion of the character Cao Xueqin himself. Starting from the "center of the circle" Cao Xueqin, he continues to extend the radius to his entire family and the entire world where he lives. The background of the times intensifies the influence of Cao Xueqin’s thoughts, personality and artistic pursuits. The whole book consists of two major clues, one is the history of Cao's family affairs and the other is the history of Xueqin's mind. The two major clues are intertwined but relatively independent. Under the guidance of two clues, readers are guided to know and understand Cao Xueqin.
The legend of Cao Xueqin
(1) Cao Xueqin’s medical ethics
Jinjian
The "Red Mansion" is hot, Cao Gong is in heaven Spirit, I don’t know whether I am happy or sad. However, hundreds of people have read "The Red Mansion" and have hundreds of interpretations. There is no distinction between superior and inferior, it is just interest. Now I have captured some of the traces left by Duke Cao in Beijing. This is Yefeiye. Discussions are welcome.
After Cao Xueqin moved to Xishan, he had extensive contact with the lower class people, especially the disabled people who had no support for their lives. Xueqin was very sympathetic to their plight, especially after they got sick and had no money for treatment, which even increased their distress. In order to relieve the pain of helpless patients, Xue Qin often went to the mountains to collect medicines for the patients to reduce their burden.
There used to be legends about Cao Xueqin's treatment of poor people in the Xiangshan area. "The Legend of Xiangshan" includes "Mr. Qinpu's Medical Ethics" collected by Zhang Baozhang and Yan Kuan. "The Origin of Xueqin" collected and compiled by Mr. Cui Moqing also contains records in this regard. In "Legends of the Qing Dynasty in Beijing", Mr. Zhang Baozhang also recorded "Cure Diseases at Hand" about Cao Xueqin's treatment of people in Xiangshan.
I once visited Mr. Kong Xiangze. Mr. Kong said: Mr. Wu Enyu and I visited Baijiatuan in the early 1970s and heard a villager say: Back then, Qianshan (referring to Xiangshan) Banner There was a doctor who often came to treat poor people for free. Every time he came, he temporarily borrowed tables and chairs from a temple in the southern mountain to treat patients. Later, the doctor moved to Qiaoxi, and it was much more convenient to have a home to treat patients. . Once, Mr. Shu Chengxun once told Mr. Kong that there used to be many pharmacies in the Indigo Factory. Xueqin often went to these pharmacies to get medicines or dispense medicines for patients. Mr. Shu remembered the names of these pharmacies one by one and told Mr. Kong. It was a pity. It was Kong Lao who didn't write it down at the time.
Mr. Kong also said: Xueqin cured many people's diseases because of her superb medical skills. After some wealthy people were cured by Xueqin, they often bought some things to give to Xueqin. To repay Xueqin for her kindness in healing. Xueqin often tells these people, don't buy anything for me, keep your money first. Once a patient comes to see a doctor and cannot afford medicine, I will ask him to come to you and you pay for his medicine. This is not helpful. Will more people be relieved of their illnesses? In this way, Xueqin cured many stubborn diseases for many poor people. People praised Xueqin for her superb medical skills and noble medical ethics.
It seems that it is not difficult for a person to do good deeds. What is rare is to do good deeds consistently. Xueqin heals the people of Xishan without paying any money, and even collects medicines for the poor people. This comes from Xueqin's love for the people of Xishan. The reputation in the mouths and hearts of the people is the best proof.
The Legend of Cao Xueqin (2)
——Cao Xueqin and Bai Jiatun
Jin Jian
In my impression, it has always been I think Cao Xueqin lived in Xiangshan Jianrui Camp, but I never heard that Xueqin spent the last five years of his later years in Baijiatuan.
After consulting relevant information, Xueqin’s friend Dun Min accurately recorded in "Pinghu Maozhai Ji Sheng" that in the spring of the 23rd year of Qianlong (i.e. 1758), Xueqin moved to Baijiatuan. The original note is evidence: "In the spring, Qinpu (Xueqin's name) once passed by and told him that he would move to Baijiatuan." After this article, Dunmin asked Xueqin to appraise calligraphy and paintings and went to Baijiatuan twice. Unexpectedly, Coincidentally, Xue Qin is not at home. In the backnote, Dun Min briefly talks about the situation of Xue Qin's new residence in Baijiatuan. For the reader's benefit, he quotes it as follows: "There is a creek blocking the road. Looking across the bank, there are four earthen houses, slanting to the southwest, with stone buildings as The walls and broken branches are used as rafters, the walls are uneven, and the doors and windows are incomplete. However, the courtyard is neat, the fences are made into brocades, and vines are planted on the vines... You can enjoy the joy of hanging ladles in the back alleys, and enjoy the pleasure of being drunk by the moon and being fascinated by the flowers. Walk north along the stream. , Crossing the Shiqiao Naida."
Xueqin left very little biographical material. Dun Min's "Pinghu Maozhai Ji Sheng" records the time when Cao Xueqin moved to Baijiatuan and some of Xueqin's life. Words and deeds are extremely important. So why did Xueqin move to Baijiatuan? In the 15th and 6th year of Qianlong's reign, Xueqin bid farewell to his sect and moved to the western suburbs. After several moves, he finally moved from Xiangshan to Baijiatuan. Some people analyze the theory that there are economic reasons, there is the theory of avoiding "public opinion", there is the theory of house collapse, there is the theory of "Man-Han Zhenyu" (in the 23rd year of Qianlong, it was stipulated that domestic slaves of bannermen could open accounts, that is, Han people were allowed to raise flags) There are also theories that Xueqin built the house and Bai Jiatun was related to Prince Yi. I think that in addition to economic reasons, Xueqin was looking for a more ideal place to write and revise books away from the hustle and bustle.
Only those who have visited Baijiatuan in person can appreciate how beautiful Baijiatuan is, a small village near the foot of the Western Mountains, with green hills and abundant vegetation, as stated in the poems of Dun Min and Zhang Yiquan: "Looking at the sunset over the western mountains", "The western suburbs of Lujie are uniquely quiet", "The mountains and rivers outside the door are suitable for painting", "The lonely western suburbs are rarely visited by people", all can prove that Xueqin lives near mountains and rivers, in addition to natural In addition to its beauty, it is also quiet and harmonious, making it an ideal environment for writing and editing books. I think the creative conditions are better than those at Xiangshan Jianrui Camp. I recall that in those days, in order to write a book, Xue Qin often walked near Xiaoshiqiao in the west of the village, thinking carefully about the plot in the book... Only Xiaoshiqiao could still remember Xueqin walking and meditating back then.
The Legend of Cao Xueqin (3)
- An Examination of Kongkong Taoist
Jinjian
There is a very important story in "A Dream of Red Mansions" The character in the cutscene - Taoist Kongkong. Among the various legends about Cao Xueqin, not many are involved in this person. But, what is the connection between this mysterious Taoist writing a book in "The Red Mansion"?
A few days ago, the author once saw the "Ten Species About Cao Xueqin" written by Mr. Wu Enyu, which said: "We obtained the eight-character seal script 'Yunshan Hanmo Bingxue Clever' from Wei Jun's collection, which is called snow." Written by Qin. The seal script is not very good. There is a small seal with "Songyue Shanfang" written under it. The carving technique is very good... Mr. Deng Zhicheng who saw it said that it is indeed Qianlong paper, but the sealing pad is not like it. It is said that the color of the ink used in the Qianlong period is slightly yellowish. If the ink can be determined to be from the Qianlong period, then there is no problem with the ink. The four characters of "Kongkong Taoist" are quite good. Although it is not necessarily true whether these twelve characters were written by Xue Qin, in February 1963, I met Mr. Zhang Boju and said that the four characters of "Kongkong Taoist" were different from those of Xue Qin in the past. Qin's inscription on the picture of Haike Qin and Zun says, "It's all the same way." Although Mr. Wu was identified by two experts as an authentic work by Cao Xueqin, the color of the ink was hindered and the evidence was slightly pale.
This suddenly reminded me of my good friend Mr. Yang Yi, who has lived in Taizhouwu near Baijiatuan for a long time. He once wrote the article "Nalan Xingde, one of the famous poets of the Qing Dynasty" , talked about a very important issue, that is, there is a Kongkong Temple in Baijiatuan, which provides direct evidence for Xueqin's "Kongkong Taoist". For the benefit of readers, the quotation is as follows: "On the south side of the mountain where Cao Xueqin and Bai Jiatun lived, there was once a small temple independent of the foot of the mountain. The temple was one room with an area of about ten square meters. Because there were no gods, idols or tablets in the temple, it was empty. , the locals call it "Kongkong Temple". This temple was demolished when the land was leveled in the late 1970s and early 1980s... Although there is no written record, judging from its shape and location, it must be a mountain temple. There is no research on the age of its construction. Nowadays, some people think that this "Kongkong Temple" may be related to the "Kongkong Taoist" written at the beginning of Cao Xueqin's "Dream of Red Mansions"."
Mr. Yang Yi only speculates that the Kongkong Temple is related to "A Dream of Red Mansions". It is related to the "Taoist Kong Kong" in "Dream of Red Mansions". But it did not prove that "Taoist Kong Kong" was Cao Xueqin. Perhaps Mr. Yang Yi has not seen the book "Ten Species About Cao Xueqin" written by Mr. Wu Enyu, and perhaps he has not seen the sketch "Yunshan Hanmo Bingxue Smart". Although Mr. Wu Enyu asked famous appraisers at the time to authenticate Cao Xueqin's personal letter, he never clarified the relationship between the title "Kongkong Taoist" and Xueqin. Bai Jiatuan's "Empty Temple" undoubtedly provides extremely important evidence for the study of "A Dream of Red Mansions" and Cao Xueqin.
Why does Mr. Xueqin use his unusual Zhaihao in his calligraphy and painting works? I thought that as early as the 24th year of Qianlong's reign, when Xue Qin was still alive, "Dream of Red Mansions" (limited to manuscripts at that time) had already been regarded as a "slanderous book"; that is, what Hong Ao called "obstructive language"; Hong Xiao organized his family No outsider was needed to copy "The Story of the Stone", and even the book catalog of Yi Mansion could not find such a book in his family. This was because he was afraid that people would know that his family had this "slanderous book". People) were politically discriminated against and were in financial difficulties, so much so that they had to make a living with thatched rafters, rope beds, tile stoves, and paintings, and their meals were intermittent, and the whole family had to eat porridge and wine often on credit. In order to write "The Story of the Stone" and to survive tenaciously, Xueqin sometimes had to sign her name that she did not commonly use when writing calligraphy, painting or writing letters. "Kongkong Taoist" was one of them. Of course, "Kongkong Taoist" "It's not groundless. It is a fasting name that Mr. Xueqin does not often use. There is also a reason for it. Xueqin once used the "Kongkong Temple" in Baijiatuan Village where he lived to treat villagers, so he borrowed it as his own fasting number. ,avoid unnecessary trouble. If you don’t understand the history and origins of Bai Jiatun and explore and verify it yourself, you will naturally not be able to understand the predicament and current situation that Mr. Xueqin was in at that time. This is exactly Mr. Xueqin's intention in using the title of "Kongkong Taoist", which makes it difficult for future generations to verify. However, this further proves that the seal script sketch "Yunshan Hanmo Bingxue Clever" was written by Xueqin. I would like to ask the Fang family for advice!
Another circumstantial evidence: Mr. Wu Enyu’s line of letters from Mr. Xue Qin narrated in "Kao Bai Xiao Ji" also proves that Xue Qin’s signature was signed with an unknown nickname. For the readers’ convenience, it is quoted as follows "Wei Yizhi Jun said that in the spring of 1954, someone was selling Cao Xueqin's slips, asking for millions of yuan (worth hundreds of yuan in today's currency). He urgently inquired about it. According to the cloud, the two pages he saw were written by Xueqin. This is a written letter sent to a certain bannerman. It is a poem that I was asked to write. I have only been able to send it because I am busy. I don’t know whether it is suitable for use. Please correct it. The signature at the end of the letter is not Xueqin, but an unknown nickname. , but Wei Jun doesn’t remember much about this nickname.” (See pages 132 and 133 of Wu Enyu's "Ten Species About Cao Xueqin")
The Legend of Cao Xueqin (4)
——Cao Xueqin and Guangquan Temple
Jin Jian
Xiangshan Guangquan Temple is the only place where it is accurately recorded that Cao Xueqin and his friend Zhang Yiquan visited, and the two left poems to sing in harmony. Unfortunately, Mr. Xueqin’s poems have not been handed down, only Mr. Yiquan According to the original rhyme and rhyme of Xueqin's poem, the poem was recorded. For the readers' pleasure, the quotation is as follows: "The original rhyme of "He Cao Xueqin's "The Abandoned Temple on a Walk in the Western Suburbs"":
"Jun's poems have never been idle. Yin, breaking the brake, this trip is deeply interesting. The stele is dark and contains the rain, and the wall is expensive and can be seen to make up for the clouds.
Cicadas chirp on the deserted path and call each other from afar, while cicadas sing in the empty kitchen and call each other when they are near. "In the lonely western suburbs, few people come here. Who can drag a stick through the smokey forest?" . The mood of visiting the ancient temple arose spontaneously, and Lao Xiao was willing to be a guide.
The copywriting work must be done in advance, and it is essential to consult the first volume of "A Dream of Red Mansions Research Collection" (1979 Shanghai Ancient Books). Publishing House), there is "Who Drags a Stick Through the Smoky Forest - A Fragment of Cao Xueqin and Zhang Yiquan's Activities in the Western Suburbs of Beijing" written by Mr. Xu Gongshi. Mr. Xu got acquainted with Mr. Xueqin's family through studying Mr. Zhang Yiquan's poems. I found a poem written by a friend, Song Nao, who was a contemporary of Cao Yin (he was the governor of Jiangsu in the 31st year of Kangxi), and wrote a poem about Guangquan Temple in Xishan. The rhyme and rhyme were exactly the same, so I could speculate about the ruins near the source of the water. Temple - Guangquan Temple. Unfortunately, Mr. Xu has never been to Guangquan Temple.
Taking advantage of the excitement, he walked to the source of the water and walked around a small hillside. The road was very narrow and followed the Yangchang Trail. The walk is sometimes steep and sometimes slow, and sometimes you need to climb some small trees or shrubs on the roadside. You can experience the situation of "dragging a stick through the smokey forest" as mentioned in Mr. Zhang Yiquan's poem. It didn't take long to reach Guangquan Temple. The place is quiet and deserted, and there are no architectural components left in Guangquan Temple. There is only an ancient well, which is the only relic of Guangquan Temple. The ancient well located halfway up the mountain was dug very deep and was recorded in "Tianfu Guangji". The record of the ancient well in Guangquan Temple said that the water was sweet and suitable for making tea. I suddenly found that there was a faint writing on the cover of the ancient well, but it was old and the writing was a little blurry. I carefully identified it as "Guangquan Ancient Well" in seal script. In the font on the left, we can only recognize the traditional Chinese character "华" (华) and the Chinese character "Chongxian". Even so, it is very important to us. At least the location of the Guangquan Ancient Temple we have been looking for so hard is very accurate (check the relevant information later) According to the data, we learned that the words written on the ancient well in Guangquan were left by Zhou Zhaoxiang, a member of the Beiyang government, after he renovated the ancient well.)
I recall the time when Xue Qin and her friends walked around the abandoned temple and saw the ruins they saw. Although the temple is in ruins, it is not like what Xueqin and Yiquan saw now: the scattered ruins of the temple, full of devastation, they naturally think of their own life experience, and can't help feeling sentimental and lamenting the joys and sorrows of the world, so , wrote a poem to record the incident.
Following in the footsteps of Mr. Xueqin and his friends, recalling the past of more than two hundred years when Xueqin and Yiquan visited the ancient temple, I was filled with emotions. Xueqin’s life experience seemed to be before my eyes, and only Xueqin, who had personally experienced a life like "fire cooking oil, flowers blooming brocade" and living a life of "the whole family often eats porridge and wine on credit" after experiencing two house raids, was able to write the popular and world-renowned "Dream of Red Mansions" 》, let future generations admire.
Cao Xueqin and "A Dream of Red Mansions"
Dear listeners, the novel "A Dream of Red Mansions" represents the highest achievement of Chinese classical novels. It is not only a household name in China, but also universally recognized in the world literary world. Literature. In today's program, we will introduce to you the outstanding Chinese novelist Cao Xueqin and his "Dream of Red Mansions".
Cao Xueqin’s ancestors were originally Han Chinese, but they entered the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Manchu Zhengbai Banner very early. His family, from his great-grandfather to his father, all held important positions in the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Kangxi visited the south five times and stayed in his home four times, which shows the luxury of the Cao family and the close relationship with the royal family. In addition to being a century-old prominent family, Cao Xueqin's family is also a family with literary literacy. His grandfather Cao Yin was a famous bibliophile at that time, and he could also write poems, lyrics and scripts.
Cao Xueqin experienced a wealthy and luxurious life in his boyhood, but not long after, his father was punished by having his job cut off and his family confiscated due to some affairs, and the Cao family quickly declined. When Cao Xueqin came of age, she lived in the western suburbs of Beijing and lived a life of poverty. The aristocratic family life left many unforgettable impressions on Cao Xueqin, which laid the foundation for his creation of "A Dream of Red Mansions".
Very little information about Cao Xueqin’s life has been handed down. According to some sporadic records, we probably know that Cao Xueqin was good at poetry, good at painting, addicted to alcohol, and arrogant. When writing "Dream of Red Mansions", his life was extremely difficult. Finally, when it was about to be completed, he died of excessive pain due to poverty and illness, and the early death of his beloved son. He was less than 50 years old.
The original name of "Dream of Red Mansions" was "The Story of the Stone". When it was circulated in the society in the form of manuscripts, it was loved by people. Since "Dream of Red Mansions" was not completed, many people followed Cao Xueqin's ideas and continued writing. Among them, Gao E's continuation of the last 40 chapters was better. He generally followed Cao Xueqin's creation and completed the tragic theme of "A Dream of Red Mansions". Some plots are handled brilliantly. In 1792, a publisher named Cheng Weiyuan published the 80 chapters of "Dream of Red Mansions" by Cao Xueqin and the last 40 chapters written by Gao E twice. From then on, "Dream of Red Mansions" became popular in China.
"A Dream of Red Mansions" is mainly about a tragic love story, with the love story as the center. Through the rise and fall of a large aristocratic family, it reveals the extravagance and ugliness of the feudal ruling class and shows the feudal society. It is bound to be a historical destiny of collapse.
At the beginning of "A Dream of Red Mansions", readers are brought into the colorful Rongguo Mansion. This is a large aristocratic family composed of a few masters and hundreds of slaves. All these members of aristocratic families think about every day is how to have fun. In this aristocratic family, Cao Xueqin created the glorious heroes and heroines of Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu, as well as many images of young girls.
The male protagonist Jia Baoyu is a character that runs throughout the book. According to research, this image contains the author's personal experience. Jia Baoyu grew up in a noble family, and his family had high hopes for him. However, he did not like reading, hated traditional feudal ideas, hated the family that restricted him, and was full of rebellious spirit. Because he lives among a group of beautiful and innocent maids, he is full of sympathy for the women living in the lower classes.
The girl Lin Daiyu is the woman Cao Xueqin deliberately portrays. This weak woman living in Rongguo Mansion has a strong self-esteem, she is talented and sentimental. She and Jia Baoyu were childhood sweethearts, and later became life-and-death lovers, but in the end their love was strangled by feudal forces.
Cao Xueqin can be said to be a master of character creation. In "A Dream of Red Mansions", there are more than 450 characters, and each one has his own characteristics. In addition, because Cao Xueqin is very proficient in poetry, epigraphy, calligraphy and painting, medicine, architecture, cooking, printing and dyeing, etc., he describes the food and daily life of aristocratic families, garden architecture, furniture and utensils, clothing decorations, cars and sedans, all realistically And delicate.
After "A Dream of Red Mansions" came out, people rushed to read and talk about it. Some young readers were moved to tears by the love between the hero and heroine in the book. However, "A Dream of Red Mansions" also aroused fierce attacks from feudal bureaucrats and feudal defenders, and listed it as a banned book. But no matter how banned it is, "Dream of Red Mansions" is still circulated among the masses. In addition, "Dream of Red Mansions" also aroused people's research interest, which was later called "Redology".