Hello!
Recently i have read the "Dream of the Red Chamber" ( 紅樓夢). I was impressed with this book, although i have read it in russian. There are so many hidden sence in this book, that i think i got only the smallest part of it. In any case it was very interesting for me because of the mythology, culture, traditions and many other things decribing the ancient China. And there are very beautifull poems.
I want to ask the people, who have read this book too, especially chinese, what do you like in it? Maybe you can explain some specific things wich can be hard for foreign understanding? Also i want to know is the chinese literature popular in other countries?
Hi, I've read "Dream of the Red Chamber" ( 红楼梦) many times. Each time I read it, I found different details that I lost last time. In the first several chapters, the author described a fantastic, romantic and grand scene. The more happy in the beginning, the more sad at the end. You can guess everyone's fate When you read the poems in this books. In fact, the author told you everything in the beginning, but you still want to read it. I am a faster reader, but when I read this book, I tell myself to read slower and slower, because I don't want to see the bad things coming so soon.
I never read this book in other languages, so I don't know if the translation version got all the metaphors which were the greatest parts in the book.You can read this book as a love novel which is sad and beautiful; or you can read this book as a instruction of Chinese traditional gardens, which is full of art of landscape architecture; and it's also a important autobiography novel of the author which is also the most difficult part for readers to understand even the Chinese ones.
I don't know if other countries' people love Chinese literature or not, Chinese novelist and short story writer MO YA In 2012 was awarded the Nobel Prize of Literature.
Thanks to all of you for the interesting comments!
Its a pity, but my level of knowing Chinese is so low, that i can not even read labels on the goods without dictionary. Its out of the question to me for now to read classical chinese literature in original.
The russian translation was made by a professional sinologist and translator, also the translated book has many comments related for example to the translation of the main characters names, or equivocalities.
But in any case i still have a lot of questions. Does anybody want to discuss? :)
For example, if you remember the text, there was a scene in the just created (builded) garden, when Jia Baoyu and his father walked through that garden and Baoyu named the different places there. His answers was smart and nice (i think so, also other people in the book agreed), but each time he spelled new name, his father became angrier and angrier and scolded Baoyu. Why? Is this the part of chinese culture, I mean not to show the love to the children to others, or never to praise children, because they can became presumptios?
Also i was very impressed with one small parable about a man and rice. The man began to cook rice and went to sleep, while he was sleeping he saw all his life and when he wake up, he noticed that the rice is still not ready. This tale describes the eastern philosophy wery good.
I will be glad if you will share with the things you like, thank you.
