Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I
Hung Lou Meng, or The Dream of the Red Chamber, is the great novel of eighteenth-century China, written by Cao Xueqin and left unfinished at his death. This first book of H. Bencraft Joly's translation, published in 1892, covers the opening twenty-four chapters. A stone left over from the repair of heaven is reborn as Baoyu, pampered heir of the wealthy Jia clan, who grows up in a household of mothers, aunts, maids and cousins, among them the delicate Daiyu and the composed Baochai. Joly, a British consular official, renders the family's banquets, funerals, poetry contests and quarrels in close, literal prose, and his version was the first substantial one in English. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I
Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I by Xueqin Cao can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I online?
Yes. Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I in the public domain?
Yes. Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I by Xueqin Cao is a public-domain work, here in the translation by H. Bencraft Joly. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I?
About 12 h 17 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I?
Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I by Xueqin Cao is filed under "Fiction" in the Vinteuil library.
