# The Story of the Stone (Volume II)

Canonical: https://www.bookquiver.com/cao-xueqin/the-story-of-the-stone-volume-ii/9780140443264

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- Book: [The Story of the Stone (Volume II)](https://www.bookquiver.com/cao-xueqin/the-story-of-the-stone-volume-ii) ([The Story of the Stone (Volume II).md](https://www.bookquiver.com/cao-xueqin/the-story-of-the-stone-volume-ii.md))
- Authors: [Cao Xueqin](https://www.bookquiver.com/cao-xueqin)
- Publisher: penguin_classics
- ISBN: 978-01-4044-326-4
- Pages: 608
- Published: 2006-05-25
- Language: en_GB
- Binding: Softcover

## Description

" The Story of the Stone" (c. 1760), also known as " The Dream of the Red Chamber", is one of the greatest novels of Chinese literature. The fifth part of Cao Xueqin's magnificent saga, " The Dreamer Awakes", was carefully edited and completed by Gao E some decades later. It continues the story of the changing fortunes of the Jia dynasty, focussing on Bao-yu, now married to Bao-chai, after the tragic death of his beloved Dai-yu. Against such worldly elements as death, financial ruin, marriage, decadence and corruption, his karmic journey unfolds. Like a sleepwalker through life, Bao-yu is finally awakened by a vision, which reveals to him that life itself is merely a dream, 'as moonlight mirrored in the water'.