A Dream of Red Mansions

A Dream of Red Mansions is the first full English translation of the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber (Honglou Meng), originally written in the 18th century by Cao Xueqin with the final forty chapters traditionally attributed to Gao E. The three volumes were published in 1978 by Foreign Languages Press, Beijing.

The translation is credited to Tsao Hsueh Chin and Kao Ngo, who rendered the full 120 chapters into English, preserving much of the novel’s stylistic richness and cultural nuance. Written during the Qing dynasty, the story follows the rise and decline of the Jia family, interwoven with poetry, philosophy, and vivid characterisation. This 1978 edition was a major milestone in introducing Dream of the Red Chamber to the English speaking world, and it remains an important text for students, scholars, and general readers of Chinese literature.