The Story of the Stone by Cao Xueqin

The story starts with in the dreamlike world where a magical and conscious stone, the one block left over by the goddess Nu-wa while repairing the damaged vault of the sky in the mythic past. Along came a monk and a Taoist priest who decided to make it human and let it live/experience the world. The stone was born human named Jiabaoyu because he was born with a jade in his mouth. He later falls in love with his cousin Lin Daiyu, the flower he watered with his magical sweet dew while serving in at the goddess’ court as a stone.

Later on Jiabaoyu’s family decided that he should marry his other cousin Xue Baochai, because she had a golden locket with an inscription that matches Boayu’s jade and couldn’t do anything about it because his family had spoken. Lin Daiyu ended her own life after hearing that should marry Xue Baochai not her. Jiabaoyu was unhappy, miserable and lonely because of the decision his family had made for him, it’s like they had changed his destiny to the road of misery. He renounced to everything and went to live alone as a monk.

The time this story was written the Chinese people has a very strong traditional background, it reflected on the social problems they had at that particular time. The writer because he was trying to point out that their society was corrupted, and the lack of freedom, not been able to express or live your true feelings. Was the author trying to convince his audiences not follow the values of traditions, culture, and or the corrupted society, but their own happiness? Did his story help others realize it that it was time for a better future, were they could make their own decisions? Can say that the Cao Xueqin was an enlightenment thinker?

Question. Was I the only one that was a little confused with this drama?

Vernacular literature, according to the merriam webster dictionary is:

a : using a language or dialect native to a region or country rather than a literary, cultured, or foreign language

b : of, relating to, or being a nonstandard language or dialect of a place, region, or country

c : of, relating to, or being the normal spoken form of a language

The connection between Vernacular literature and China occurred during the Yuan Dynasty between 1279-1368 due to the major changes in political and social aspects in China. At this point of time, China did not have a traditional dramatic form of literature. One of the more popular vernacular forms of literature was Cao Xueqin’s, “The Story of the Stone” which is said to deal with issues concerning “intellectual, artistic, and sexual aspirations in life”. Cao Xueqin can be considered a person who was well off at his time but the writer of his biography suggests that the demise of his family’s possessions, including their mansion was confiscated probably due to “political intrigues”. “The Story of the Stone” was never intended for publication and was revised with added chapters done by many different authors which  I find to be quite intriguing because each author adds in their own taste to the novel/drama.

Growth can be a slow and tedious process. Voltaire’s “Candide” is not just a satirical commentary on humanity, but a piece that can be interpreted as a story of change and progress. Throughout the piece the main character, Candide, is faced with the numerous challenges. These events force Candide to reevaluate his life and change his perspective on reality. The beauty of “Candide” is its accessibility. It is an easy story to read with deep meanings hidden within.

One message Voltaire conveys in his piece is the importance of self improvement. If you wish to see change in this world, you must first seek it within yourself. Candide figures this to be true only at the end of the novel, after breaking out of philosophical prison he was brought into by Pangloss, his childhood tutor.  Finally after all the misfortunes and mishaps, Candide began to think for himself, and therefore he decided to make his own decision to cultivate a farm, and to live off the land. No longer a slave to someone else’s logic, Voltaire leaves us hoping that we too, will make our own decisions, and live according our own philosophy, not one given to us by someone else.

At the end of the novel, Candide, Cunégonde, Cacambo, Pangloss, Martin, and the old woman settle into a farm. Their lives on the farm are simple, but they are not happy because they feel the lives are too simple and not the lives they want. After they meet a farmer who lives simple and enjoys his life, they start to work hard without thinking about the philosophical speculation, and everybody learns a skill to support their lives.

I think that this is a happy ending although it is very simple. At lease they don’t suffer hunger and live as slaves even though they don’t fulfill their desires or become very successful people. Compare to them, many people live outside their garden are still suffering.

Most people are suffering from the problems which caused by their desires. People are always looking for better lives. Money, security, peace, leisure are people’s desires. I think Voltaire want to express that people to feel happier when they are satisfied with their lives and don’t always think about the useless things. Sometimes, a simple thing can make people happy. However, I also think that if people just satisfy with their current situations, people would not improve.

Do you feel satisfied of your current situation?

As we all know, the book “Candide” is a satire which the author used ordinary words to express the evil side of French society during that time period. In the story, a man—ought to be the most honest and simplicity person—had said,” I have killed my old master, my friend, my brother-in-law; I am the best man in the world, and here are three men I’ve killed already, and two of the three were priests.” His words demonstrated that Candide came down with the bad atmosphere of the society. In chapter 22, he asked a scholar, “you doubtless think everything is for the best in the physical as well as the moral universe, and that nothing could be otherwise than as it is?” The scholar replied, “I believe nothing of the sort. I find that everthinkg goes wrong in our world; that nobody knows….what he’s doing or what he ough to be doing, and that outside of mealtimes, which are cheerful and congenial enough, all the rest of the day is spent in useless quarrels,….it’s on unending warfare.”

In the reality, from ancient time untill now, his words reflected the truth of our real world. During our mealtimes, people disguised themselves as cheerful and enjoyable. Stealthily, they play a deep game. This vicious cycle of hatred goes around untill today and never end. Not many of us have sufficient experiences protect ourselves.To sum up, we as student, since our information came from searching on internet, hearing from others, and reading news, we do not know whether a piece of information is real or not.

“while Candide, the baron, Pangloss, Martin, and Cacambo were telling one another their stories, while they were disputing over the contingent or non-contingent events of this universe, while they were arguing over effects and cause, over moral evil, over the consolations available to one in Turkish galley.” This exposes that they faced cruel realistic world after they left the castle. Candide was whip many times, and was forced to left Cunegonde, but he always had someone to help him to spend his worse time. Pangloss was Master, but he was hanged and burned. Fortunately, he saved by surgeon, then become a slave. The baron was being a wealth people, but he was force to work in galley after he swim with a Christian to be found naked with a young Moslem. Sum up, they were almost face death, but they learned how to survive in the different environments. There is a sentence, ” God closes the door, but he still leave the window for you.”

The characters realized the basic truth in life after they met the old good man. When they asked the old good man who had been strangled. The good man told them that he had never care and ignored it. He just did not listen to the news from others and satisfied with sending the fruits of his garden to be sold there. At the end, Pangloss said that  “when man was put into the garden of Eden, he was put there ut operaretur eum, so that he should work it, this proves that man was not born to take his ease.” This told us that they need to satisfied our current  circumstance and don’t be lazy. It would have easy life.