The Warning Voice (The Story of the Stone, or The Dream of the Red Chamber, Volume 3)

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Summary: A reflection of modern China
Review: The Dream of the Red Chamber is one of the most famous novel in China. Despite the fact that there are over four hundred characters in the story, the author managed to capture the essence of each one brilliantly. All the characters seem to come alive under the author's pen. One thing worth mentioning is that, Cao actually led a life plagued by poverty. What flamboyance he described in the book came from his childhood memories. The rise and fall of the Rong's family conveys the author's central idea - that life is really just a dream. Unfortunately, it is often beyond man's ability to see through the haze and escape from the disappointment of such. What we seeked in the past - wealth and fame - continue to be our desire of present times. Such abject view of life is reflected in the story of the hero - jia bao yu - who in the end decided to spend the rest of his life as a monk to ponder the meaning of existence.
All in all, the Dream in the Red Chamber does not only reflect the situation in modern China, but also tells the story of Chinese ethics and love. A must read if one desires to learn more about China.