In the fifth episode of A Dream of Red Mansions, Jia Baoyu went to Ningguo Mansion to enjoy plums with his grandmother, and was sleepy because of drunkenness. Qin Keqing took him to his bedroom, and Baoyu soon fell asleep and had a long dream.
When Baoyu was dreaming and dreaming, the author wrote a detail: When he was dreaming, "Qin told the little maids to watch the cats and dogs fight under the porch"; When the dream came out, Qin was outside saying, "Hey, guys, it's good to watch cats and dogs fight!"
Qin Keqing's orders are far-fetched by some people. In fact, anyone with a little experience in raising children knows that Qin's orders are for fear that a cat and dog fight will disturb Baoyu, who is sleeping, because the cat and dog fight is very noisy. The author wrote this in order to show Qin's thoughtfulness, and he was indeed a "very appropriate person" in the eyes of Jia Mu.
So, why did the author write the same details twice? Why did it appear in Baoyu's dream and dream respectively?
These two same details actually tell us that life is like a dream, short and easy to wake up.
This is also the theme of A Dream of Red Mansions. Baoyu's dream seems to be very long, but in fact it is only a short few seconds.
From Baoyu's point of view, he had this dream for a long time, because he experienced many things in the dream: reading the book of bad luck, drinking tea and wine, listening to fairy songs, having sex with beautiful women and so on. In the dream, he stayed for several days, which the book said was "days".
From the reader's point of view, I think Baoyu has slept for a long time, because the reader followed Baoyu into the dream. The author used a long text to show us the rich content of Baoyu's dream.
However, the author deliberately reminds us with two details that Baoyu's dream seems to be very long, but in fact it is only a few seconds: when Baoyu fell asleep, Qin Keqing was telling the maids to "watch cats and dogs fight under the porch"; Baoyu's dream was finished, and when it came out, Qin Keqing was still telling the girls to "watch the cats and dogs fight". Baoyu's dream has the same meaning as Nan Ke Meng.
Anyone who really knows how to read The Red Chamber knows that the fifth verse is very important. It not only puts the ending first, but also shows readers the personality and destiny of the main characters in the form of judgments. In fact, in addition, the author also hides an important role in the fifth cycle: using Baoyu's dream as a topic-A Dream of Red Mansions, which has the same meaning as Nan Ke Meng.
On the 29th time, Grandmother Jia went to Qingxu Guan to pray for blessings and go to the theatre with all the women in high spirits. During the stage of ordering the theatre, Grandmother Jia was hit.
Jia Zhen suddenly replied, "There was a play before God, and the first book was The White Snake." Grandmother Jia asked, "What is the story of The White Snake?" Jia Zhen said, "It's the story that started when Emperor Gaozu cut the snake. The second book is "Full Bed". " Grandmother Jia said with a smile, "Is this the second book? Let it be. If the gods and buddhas want to do this, they have to do it. " Ask the third book again. Jia Zhen said, "The third book is Nan Ke Meng." Hearing this, Grandmother Jia said nothing.
why didn't grandmother Jia say anything after listening to the third book, Nan Ke Meng? Because this is the Buddha telling her that the good days of Jia's family are coming to an end.
The story of "Nan Ke Meng" comes from the novel "Biography of Nan Ke Taishou" in Tang Dynasty, which tells that a man named Chunyuba in Tang Dynasty had a dream after being drunk one day. In the dream, his life can be described as full of ambition. He not only married the princess, but also was highly valued by the king, and his family and career were smooth.
Baoyu's dream is very similar to Chunyuba's dream. They both escape from reality by dreaming and realize their wishes in the dream. It is said in the book that when Baoyu saw the scenery in the dreamland in his dream, he thought, "This place is interesting! I will live here all my life, even if I lose my home, it is better than being beaten by my parents and teachers every day! "
In addition, Chunyuba was awakened when she found herself alone in the porch in her dream, and Baoyu was also awakened by the "overnight fork-like monster" in the maze. When Chunyu Bameng woke up, he was still drunk, but in his dream, he had spent his whole life. When Baoyu woke up, Qin Keqing was still telling the girls to watch the cats and dogs fight, but in the dream, he had spent several days.
This is the author's reminder to us: we should understand Baoyu's dream in connection with Nan Ke Meng, and they have the same meaning. They are all daydreaming, escapism, and good dreams that are short and easy to wake up. Baoyu's short-lived dream is not only a preview of his life, but also a portrayal of the fate of everyone in the Jia family.
On the seventeenth trip, Baoyu followed Jia Zheng to the Grand View Garden and swam to the main hall. There was a detailed description: "When Baoyu saw this place, his heart suddenly moved. When he thought about it, he seemed to have seen it there, but he couldn't remember the date of that year for a while."
It's the first time for me to visit the newly-built garden. How can I have seen it? The author reminds us with this detail that this grand view garden is actually a realistic version of the dreamland. Everything Baoyu experienced in his dream will be experienced here. Therefore, Baoyu's dream is actually a preview of his life. In the Grand View Garden, he escaped the disgusting worldly wisdom, studied and enjoyed beautiful scenery, wine, food and beauty. But just like in his dream, he will have to return to reality and face the cruel fate of losing all the good things because of "a monster coming out like a hag".
It's not just Baoyu's fate, because "Nan Ke Meng" is a hint from the Buddha to the Lady Dowager. Jia Mu represents all the people in Jia's family who are "rich and honorable" and lead a drunken life. Like Baoyu, they will be forced to face the cruel fate of shattered dreams.
This is the theme that the author pointed out at the beginning of the first time: "Any use of the words' dream' and' illusion' is to remind the reader's eyes and eyes, and it is also the purpose of this book." Life is like a bubble in a dream. It comes and goes quickly, just like this dream that Baoyu had in Qin Keqing's bedroom. It seems to be very long, but in fact it is only a few seconds. Before Qin Keqing's orders were finished, Baoyu's dream was over.
So, don't underestimate these two details written by the author. They seem to be idle strokes, but they actually have deep implications, and their intentions are directed at the main idea of the book.