英文摘要 |
A popular reading of the love and marriage between the protagonists of The Dream of the Red Chamber involves opposing the marriage rite of gold and jade (Jin-yu-liang-in, 金玉良姻) to the pledge between plant and stone (Mu-shi-qian-mon, 木石前盟). This article investigates and contends such interpretations on textual grounds. Fundamentally, in the narrative of the novel, the marriage of plant and stone is referred to, supported, and emphasized considerably more than Jin-yu-liangin. This suggests that the main line of the narrative is a would-be marriage of Jia Bao-yu with Daiyu, rather than with Bao-chai. This paper concludes that Jin-yu-liang-in is not a motive or motor of the plot, nor an actualization of a theme with fully developed episodes, but rather an oracular “fl ash” anticipating a fateful end, which occurs despite purposes and intentions. From this perspective, some related episodes reveal signifi cances different from popular interpretations, including, among others, all the episodes relating the attitudes of Xue Bao-chai to Jin-yu-liang-in and her attitude to the “career worm” (祿蠹). This paper carefully analyzes these episodes. |