Ep 7: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢, Chapter 5 part 2
Explicit content warning
09/21/20 • 44 min
1 Listener
We continue our exploration of the lyrical Land of Illusion 太虛幻境 showcased in one of the most famous chapters of Dream of the Red Chamber (Hong lou meng 紅樓夢, Story of the Stone 石頭記), Chapter 5, the dream chapter! Do you commend the marriage rites of gold and jade, or do you still recall the bond of old by stone and flower made? (A blood bond, or blood covenant 盟, as discussed in this episode.) As for Qin Keqing, if “love was her sea, her sky,” why does Baoyu see depicted a beautiful girl hanging by her neck from a beam? Lots to discuss as we delve ever deeper into this wondrous and complex dreamscape.
We continue our exploration of the lyrical Land of Illusion 太虛幻境 showcased in one of the most famous chapters of Dream of the Red Chamber (Hong lou meng 紅樓夢, Story of the Stone 石頭記), Chapter 5, the dream chapter! Do you commend the marriage rites of gold and jade, or do you still recall the bond of old by stone and flower made? (A blood bond, or blood covenant 盟, as discussed in this episode.) As for Qin Keqing, if “love was her sea, her sky,” why does Baoyu see depicted a beautiful girl hanging by her neck from a beam? Lots to discuss as we delve ever deeper into this wondrous and complex dreamscape.
Previous Episode
Ep 6: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢, Chapter 5, part 1
Chapter 5 part 1
It’s part one of Chapter 5, a return to the Land of Illusion 太虛幻境 in one of the most famous chapters of Dream of the Red Chamber (Hong lou meng 紅樓夢, Story of the Stone 石頭記), the dream chapter! This is also one of the most complex chapters of the novel (so many allusions, so much art and imagery!), so we have broken up our treatment into several separate episodes. We begin working through some cryptic and surreal imagery and messaging, and discuss in some detail the psychological and psychoanalytical dynamics reflected in the dream material. Get ready for some strange otherworldly bureaucracies, famous poems and songs, and the emergence of desire in its infinite sensual and representational forms.
Next Episode
Ep 8: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢, Chapter 5 part 3
In part three of four of our epic Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 5 “Dream Chapter” discussion, a leisurely jaunt through the lyrical Land of Illusion 太虛幻境, we give listen to a few prophetic songs singing the fates of Baoyu, Daiyu, Yuanchun, Tanchun, and Miaoyu. Kevin demos a new translation of “Frowning Brows” 枉凝眉 and we discuss the possible historicity of metaphors and meaning.
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rereading-the-stone-175889/ep-7-rereading-hong-lou-meng-%e7%b4%85%e6%a8%93%e5%a4%a2-chapter-5-part-2-13402339"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to ep 7: rereading hong lou meng 紅樓夢, chapter 5 part 2 on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy