Cao Xueqin Quotes

家富人宁，终有个家亡人散各奔腾。

Dream of the Red Chamber

一个是水中月，一个是镜中花。

Ts'ao Hsüeh-ch'in's forte is the unhurried exploration of every nuance of a situation.

女兒是水作的骨肉，男人是泥作的骨肉。我見了女兒，我便清爽；見了男子，便覺濁臭逼人。

开辟鸿蒙，谁为情种？都只为风月情浓。

It's a tragedy that a lot of people know more about Shakespeare than about Cao Xueqin.

能解者方有辛酸之泪，哭成此書。壬午除夕，書未成，芹爲泪盡而逝。余常哭芹，泪亦待盡。每思覓青埂峰再問石兄，奈不遇癩頭和尚何！悵悵！今而後惟願造化主再出一芹一脂，是書何幸，余二人亦大快遂心於九泉矣。甲午八日泪筆。

满纸荒唐言，一把辛酸泪！
都云作者痴，谁解其中味？

假作真时真亦假，无为有处有还无。

If anyone is in a hurry to read my novel, all he's got to do is keep me daily supplied with roast duck and good Shaoxing wine, and I'll be happy to oblige him.

今风尘碌碌，一事无成。忽念及当日所有之女子，一一细考较去，觉其行止见识，皆出于我之上。何我堂堂之须眉，诚不若彼裙钗哉？实愧则有余，悔又无益之大无可如何之日也！当此，则自欲将已往所赖天恩祖德，锦衣纨绔之时，饫甘餍肥之日，背父兄教育之恩，负师友规谈之德，以至今日一技无成，半生潦倒之罪，编述一集，以告天下人：我之罪固不免，然闺阁中本自历历有人，万不可因我之不肖，自护己短，一并使其泯灭也。

Wherever he was, he made it spring.

问古来将相可还存，也只是虚名儿与后人钦敬。

Proud bones such as yours the world finds rare;
These are the crags of a true eccentric.
You wield your brush like a roof beam, propelled by wine;
From out your bosom pour rugged rocks.

侬今葬花人笑痴，他年葬侬知是谁？