Xueqin Cao "The Story of the Stone." Vol. 1. The Golden Days.

The Story of the Stone (c.1760) is one of the greatest novels of Chinese literature. The first part of the story, The Golden Days, begins the tale of Bao-yu, a gentle young boy who prefers girls to Confucian studies, and his two cousins: Bao-chai, his parents' choice of a wife for him, and the ethereal beauty Dai-yu. Through the changing fortunes of the Jia family, this rich, magical work sets worldly events - love affairs, sibling rivalries, political intrigues, even murder - within the context of the Buddhist understanding that earthly existence is an illusion and karma determines the shape of our lives.

Cao Xueqin; was a Chinese novelist and poet during the Qing dynasty. He is best known as the author of "The Story of the Stone" know also as "Dream of the Red Chamber," one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.

Penguin Classics. Mass Market Paperback.

New book. Very slightly yellowing edges of pages. Minor dents and scratches on back of cover.