Ancient Chinese Arts

Dream of the Red Chamber is one of China's four great classical novels. Although the plot centers around a love story involving Jia Baoyu, the carefree adolescent male heir of the family, and his two girl-cousins, the theme of the novel is actually about the rise and fall of the Jia clan, which is a microcosm of the late Chinese feudal society. Dream of the Red Chamber describes in detail the daily reality of the Rongguo House and the Ningguo House who reside in two large, adjacent family compounds in the capital. Their ancestors were made Dukes and given imperial titles. The two houses are among the most illustrious families in the city. One of the clan's offspring is made a Royal Consort, and the lush landscaped Grand View Garden is built to receive her visit. The novel describes the Jia clan's wealth and influence in great naturalistic detail. Eventually the Jia clan falls into disfavor with the Emperor, and their mansions are raided and confiscated. Written just before the onset of China's 19th-century decline, Dream of the Red Chamber presents a rich social tapestry and a pervading philosophical theme. The pages of the novel make up a veritable encyclopedia of Chinese life, from the making of tea with last year's melted snow, to the eating of crabs, the performing of lyrical opera, and the writing of classical verse in every possible detail. To offset the large cast of upper-class characters, there is also a wonderful assortment of low-life personalities, old village dames, garrulous matrons, drunken retainers, martial artists, sing-song girls, and theatrical performers. The novel touches on the lives of over 400 characters and depicts the variety of human nature. This album contains a collection of paintings made by Huang Shanshou, a well-known Chinese artist during the late Qing Dynasty. These paintings cover a wide range of subjects ranging from scenes, figures to events in the novel Dream of the Red Chamber.