Bent NIELSEN
Cao Xueqin wrote The Story of the Stone, the novel that was the basis of The Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the most celebrated novels in the history of Chinese literature.
Cao Xueqin (Ts’ao Hsueh-ch’in) was born in Nanjing into a powerful and wealthy family. Shortly after Cao’s birth, the family became involved in political intrigues, falling into disgrace and financial ruin. Beginning in 1742 Cao lived in poverty in
