[홍루몽(紅樓夢) 완전정복] 모택동과 김일성이 빠졌던 중국 최고의 소설 『홍루몽(紅樓夢)』

#Cao Xueqin #Shi Touji #Gu Yue #Zheng Shenglu #Fengyue Baojian #Jinling Twelve Chariots #Shi Tajun #Wang Xifeng #Jia Jing #Wang Furen #Jinling Twelve Chariots #Jia Baoyu #Lin Daiyu #Xue Baochai #Huang Zhongxian #Confucius #Liu Zaifu #Mao Zedong #Kim Il-sung #Kim Jong-il #Zhao Lingchu #Li Mianxiang #Wang Fulin #Li Xiaohong #Susanna #Borges Dream of the Red Chamber is a classic novel written by Cao Xueqin, a writer during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. It features as many as 721 characters and is praised as a representative masterpiece of the Qing era for its detailed descriptions. It was first published in 1792. Upon its release, it astonished the world. Although the initial catalog listed 120 chapters, the actual number was only 80; subsequently, the missing 40 chapters were added to create the complete edition we see today. In Korea, Dream of the Red Chamber lags behind the recognition of Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, *Journey to the West*, and *Water Margin*; however, so many Chinese scholars have researched *Dream of the Red Chamber that the term "Honghak" (Dream of the Red Chamber Studies) has emerged. Dream of the Red Chamber is regarded as the pinnacle of Chinese classical novels, possessing immense literary and artistic value. In China, it is considered one of the Four Great Masterpieces, replacing *The Golden Lotus*. Cao Xueqin was the grandson of Cao Ren, who held the position of Weaving Bureau during the Qing Dynasty, and the son of his grandfather. Cao Ren was a renowned literary figure of his time, so much so that the Qing Emperor Kangxi would stay at his house whenever he traveled south. Born into this background, Cao Xueqin was a descendant of a prestigious family in Nanjing, but his family's fortunes declined, forcing him to move to Beijing around the age of ten. It is said that by his middle age, he was so impoverished that he sometimes went without food. However, it is said that he led a free-spirited life, writing poetry and painting while associating with prominent figures. Yet, it is said that in the 27th year of the Qianlong reign (1763), when his son suddenly died, he grieved so deeply that his tears dried up and he died. Because of this, *Dream of the Red Chamber*, which he had been writing for over ten years, was left unfinished at chapter 80; the remaining concluding section was reportedly completed by a man named Gao Rui. The title of the novel, Dream of the Red Chamber*, literally translates to "Dream of the Red Chamber." However, *Honglou (Red Chamber) does not refer to a red-light district, but rather to an area in traditional Chinese culture where women reside; in China, red-light districts are called *Qinglou*. Regarding the origin of the titles, Cao Xueqin mentions them in the introduction. The first title mentioned, *Stone Tablet*, is derived from the fact that the protagonist, Jia Baoyu, is the incarnation of a stone left behind by Nuwa.