紅樓夢 中冊

A Dream of Red Mansions #2

by Cao Xueqin

「程乙本」最初源自程偉元、高鶚整理出來的一百二十回全本，乾隆五十六年（1791）萃文書屋以木活字排印成書，題《新鐫全部繡像紅樓夢》，世稱「程甲本」。翌年（1792）程、高兩人再作精修，印行為「程乙本」，終結了曹雪芹（1715—1763）逝世後三十年來《紅樓夢》手抄本繁亂的局面，此為中國文學史上劃時代的一件大事，讓中國人有幸讀到全貌問世的《紅樓夢》。

　　今《紅樓夢》（程乙本修訂版），為多年的臺灣桂冠版經典複刻，桂冠版以古文大家啟功注釋本為底本，配以唐敏等紅學專家所作詳盡注釋和詩詞翻譯，重新整理而成；參校七種重要版本，撰寫詳細校記於每回中。插圖完整選用清朝工筆畫家改琦《紅樓夢圖詠》五十幅人物線描畫，清秀簡麗，工致嚴謹，為讀者提供別一種美學想像。為讀者重建《紅樓夢》書裡書外的時代背景，本書收入《紅樓夢》人物表、四大家族關係表、曹雪芹家族關係表、大觀園平面示意圖等資料。

　　《紅樓夢》因年代久遠，版本眾多，文字出入甚大，又有後四十回續書爭議，使得讀者在閱讀選擇上極為混亂。開啟新紅學研究風潮的胡適先生，一生重視「程乙本」的出版和發行，促使其成為影響力極大、讀者面極廣的《紅樓夢》普及本，並成為現代中國人的傳家之書。不同於坊間的通俗本子，此版《紅樓夢》今已是名家課堂指定教材，是華文世界諸多版本中原文精良、資料詳備、校記權威的上佳讀本。

Genres: Classics, China, Fiction, Literature, Historical Fiction, Chinese Literature, Historical

715 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2016

About the author

Xueqin Cao (Chinese: 曹雪芹; pinyin: Cáo Xuěqín; Wade–Giles: Ts'ao Hsueh-ch'in, 1715 or 1724 — 1763 or 1764) was the pseudonym of a Qing Dynasty Chinese writer, best known as the author of Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.
It has been suggested that his given name was Zhan Cao (曹霑) and his courtesy name is Mengruan (夢阮; 梦阮; literally "Dream about Ruan" or "Dream of Ruan")[...]

Reviews

[Raúl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como el Otoño da paso al Verano, la decadencia empieza a enseñorearse de la casa Ring, cuando la casa Ningg ya ha caído. El Jardín idílico lleno de bellezas que rodean a Baiyu se va despoblando, cubriendo de miserias, tristezas, dolores, violencia. La decadencia económica se suma a la intransigencia y a la traición, hasta llegar al despiadado plan de Xifeng para librarse de la segunda mujer de su marido. Las doncellas son diezmadas y Qiqweng, favorita de Daiyu, es expulsada sin razón y acaba muriendo. La poesía, la escritura, que es representada por el intento de las jóvenes y Daiyu de crear una Academia de Poesía, es lo único que intenta salvaguardar tanta miseria que hace que los personajes positivos del comienzo de la novela acaben mostrando, sobre todo con los personajes de más edad, una crueldad brutal. La muerte de Qiqweng desencadena la redacción de un epitafio de Baiyu. Daiyu, que sorprende la ceremonia, rectifica uno de los versos, que finalmente se convierten en la cifra de su pronta desaparición... En los últimos capítulos ya se nota el revelo de la pluma de Sao Xuaquin a la de Gao E, más dura y explícita, más descarnada. Un cambio de estilo que funciona perfectamente debido al cambio de la marcha de la novela, aunque esta siga el plan de decadencia ya trazado por Caso Xuequin en los primeros vaticinios de los primeros capítulos...
Y sigue la historia...

[James Violand · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have read my review of the first volume of this work, you will know my initial reaction. After finishing this one, I need to add: Nothing of any note takes place. The mundane occurrences in the life of a privileged Chinese youth of the eighteenth century are inexplicably entertaining.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second volume continues the same distinct storytelling and character-building as the first, but with a greater sense of building tragedy. The lyrical, day-by-day nature of the story sometimes means you don't notice the tragedy, but you feel it always there, ready to descend. Gorgeous.

[Grozny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot darkens (vs vol I).

[Aarti]

False

[Alys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considered to be one of the best translations (I also have the Chinese language versions). There are a few misspellings (eg. "wistaria"), but these do not lessen the readability. This comment is for the first edition, hardback, slip-cased edition, published by the Foreign Language Press, Peking, 1978. It uses alternate romanizations (Wade-Giles): Tsao Hsueh-Chin and Kao Ngo, illustrated by Tai Tun-Pang.

[Caroline Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really impressive. HUGE cast of characters. A commentary on the Qing Dynasty - but perhaps things never changed all that much. No differentiation between criminal and civil matters, and even "capital crimes" can be circumvented by paying people - sometimes many people, including the magistrate, but still.

Worth reading.

On to Volume III!

[Carol Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

see review under volume I