The solutions to the riddles exchanged in this novel are all symbolic of the person who composed each riddle; the symbols include fireworks, a kite, incense, a mirror, and a pillow. The leading female character is a tubercular orphan who enjoys burying flower petals in sacks and compares herself to a flower which blooms briefly and withers. Other women are described in a song by the Disenchantment Fairy, who leads the protagonist through the Land of Illusion. The story b
The solutions to the riddles exchanged in this novel are all symbolic of the person who composed each riddle; the symbols include fireworks, a kite, incense, a mirror, and a pillow. The leading female character is a tubercular orphan who enjoys burying flower petals in sacks and compares herself to a flower which blooms briefly and withers. Other women are described in a song by the Disenchantment Fairy, who leads the protagonist through the Land of Illusion. The story begins when the Goddess of Works rebuilds the heavens, casting aside one surplus block of jade, and takes a turn when Lin Dai-yu burns all her poetry and dies. Centering on the life of Jia Bao-yü, for ten points, name this Cao Xueqin novel.
The solutions to the riddles exchanged in this novel are all symbolic of the person who composed each riddle; the symbols include fireworks, a kite, incense, a mirror, and a pillow.
Dream of the Red Chamber [or A Dream of the Red Mansions; or The Story of the Stone; or Hung lou meng; or Shih-t’ou chi]