The last forty chapters of the story of the stone

Abstract

During the past fifty years, the Last Forty Chapters of the eighteenth-century Chinese novel, The Story of the Stone (Hong-lou men, or Shi-tou j), have suffered from undeserved neglect. This thesis, after endeavouring to reinstate the traditional literary values of the Chinese novel-critic, and after giving a resume of the available editions of the last part of the novel, explores some of the finer episodes of the "continuation".The bulk of the thesis, chapters 3-7, is taken up with translation of these chosen episodes, accompanied by extended commentary in the Chinese style.Much use is made of the Draft edition of the novel, which provides, through observation of the many corrections and additions, a unique opportunity to see the Chinese novelist at work. There are also, embedded in the commentary, several lengthy excursions that shed light on the literary qualities of the writing, in particular its ci-like, or lyric, qualities.The thesis concludes with an over-view of the Last Chapters. The Appendix lays the ground­ work for a study of Gao E's life, examining his writings and identifying a range of important sources relating to Bannermen and their culture.