Synthesized answer
The original writer "designedly concealed the true circumstances" by borrowing "the attributes of perception and spirituality to relate this story of the Record of the Stone" [2]. This literary choice was made with the purpose of using designations like "Chen Shih-yin (truth under the garb of fiction)" [2].
This act of concealment could shape a reader's engagement by immediately signaling that the narrative is not a straightforward historical account. Instead, the reader is prompted to consider that the story might operate on symbolic or allegorical levels, inviting a deeper interpretation of the events and characters from the outset. The use of a fictionalized guise for the "true circumstances" suggests a layered approach to storytelling, where truth is presented through indirect means [2].
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
ne. With this purpose, he made use of such designations as Chen Shih-yin (truth under the garb of fiction) and the like. What are, however, the events recorded in this work? Who are the dramatis personae? Wearied with the drudgery experienced of late in the world, the author speaking for himself, goes on to explain, with the lack of success which attended every single concern, I suddenly bethought myself of the womankind of past ages. Passing one by one under a minute scrutiny, I felt that in action and in lore, one and all were far above me; that in spite of the majesty of my manliness, I…
me as a student in Peking, when, at the completion of the Tzu Erh Chi, I had to plunge in the maze of the Hung Lou Meng. Shortcomings are, I feel sure, to be discovered, both in the prose, as well as among the doggerel and uncouth rhymes, in which the text has been more adhered to than rhythm; but I shall feel satisfied with the result, if I succeed, even in the least degree, in affording a helping hand to present and future students of the Chinese language. H. BENCRAFT JOLY, H.B.M. Vice-Consulate, Macao, 1st September, 1891. THE DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER. edit CHAPTER I. edit Chen Shih-yin,…
tily returned, quite disconsolate, into her room, and lay herself down on her bed, giving herself quietly to reflection. But while she was racking and torturing her brain and at a moment when she was at a loss what decision to grasp, her ear unexpectedly caught, emanating from outside the window, a faint voice say: "Hsiao Hung, I've picked up your pocket handkerchief in here!" and as soon as Hsiao Hung heard these words, she walked out with hurried step and found that it was no one else than Chia Yün in person; and as Hsiao Hung unwillingly felt her powdered face suffused with brushes: "Where…
to tell you." What it is, is not yet known, but, reader, listen to the account given in the next chapter. CHAPTER XXII. edit Upon hearing the text of the stanza, Pao-yü comprehends the Buddhistic spells. While the enigmas for the lanterns are being devised, Chia Cheng is grieved by a prognostic. Chia Lien, for we must now prosecute our story, upon hearing lady Feng observe that she had something to consult about with him, felt constrained to halt and to inquire what it was about. "On the 21st," lady Feng explained, "is cousin Hsüeh's birthday, and what do you, after all, purpose doing?" "Do I…
nterpart of each other. What is more, these works, throughout all their pages, cannot help bordering on extreme licence. The authors, however, had no other object in view than to give utterance to a few sentimental odes and elegant ballads of their own, and for this reason they have fictitiously invented the names and surnames of both men and women, and necessarily introduced, in addition, some low characters, who should, like a buffoon in a play, create some excitement in the plot. "Still more loathsome is a kind of pedantic and profligate literature, perfectly devoid of all natural…
More questions about this book
- How does H. Bencraft Joly's stated motivation for translating *Dream of the Red Chamber* connect to the concept of making complex material accessible, and what specific challenges does he acknowledge in doing so?
- If you were explaining the publishing history of *Dream of the Red Chamber* to someone unfamiliar with it, how would you articulate the distinct roles and significance of the 1763, 1891, and Project Gutenberg dates, and what does this chronology imply about the work's enduring impact and accessibility?
- Joly admits to "shortcomings... both in the prose, as well as among the doggerel and uncouth rhymes." If you were a student relying on this translation, how would Joly's frank admission of these specific difficulties influence your approach to interpreting the novel, and what does it suggest about the inherent challenges of translating a culturally rich work like *Hung Lou Meng*?
- Consider the contrast between Chen Shih-yin's "vision, apprehends perception and spirituality" and Chia Yü-ts'un's "cherishes fond thoughts of a beautiful maiden" in the "windy and dusty world." How do these juxtaposed introductions in Chapter 1 immediately establish potential thematic tensions or a central philosophical inquiry for the novel, and what might these elements foreshadow for the overall narrative?